96 Be _ Prince Ahmed
; ge eae eee eee

to take me to your charitable mistress to thank her for her kindness,

for which I shall always be obliged to her. Being thus cured as by a

miracle, I had rather not lose time, but continue my journey.’

The two women, who were fairies as well as their mistress, after
they had told the magician how glad they were that. she was cured
so soon, walked before her, and conducted her through several
apartments into a large hall, the most richly and magnificently
furnished of all the palace.

Pari Banou was seated in this hall, on a throne of massy gold,
attended on each hand by a great number of beautiful fairies, all
richly dressed. At the sight of so much majesty, the magician was
so dazzled, that after she had prostrated herself before the throne,
she could not open her lips to thank the fairy, as she proposed.
However, Pari Banou saved her the trouble, and said. to her, ‘ Good
woman, I.am glad I had the opportunity of obliging you, and to see
you are able to pursue your journey. I will not detain you, but
perhaps you may-not be displeased to see my palace; follow my
women, and they will show it to you.’

The old sorceress, who had not power nor courage to say a word,

. prostrated herself a-second time, with her head on the carpet that
"covered the foot of the throne, and so took her leave, and was
conducted: by the two fairies through all the apartments which
were shown to Prince Ahmed on his first arrival there. But what
surprised her most of all. was, that the two fairies told her that all
she saw. and admired so: much was a mere sketch of their mistress’s
grandeur and riches, and that i in the extent of her dominions she had
-so many palaces that they could not tell the number of. them, all of co
different architecture, equally magnificent and superb. They led her a
at last to the iron gate at which Prince Ahmed brought her in, and
after she had taken her leave of them, and thanked them for their

_ trouble, they opened it, and wished her a pleasant journey. oe

After the magician had gone a little wave she. turned back again