206 anit | The Story of

of magic, by virtue of which I can transport your capital city into
the midst of the sea in the twinkling of an eye, or beyond Mount
Caucasus. By this science I know all enchanted persons at first
sight. I know who they are, and by whom they have been enchanted.
Therefore do not be surprised if I should forthwith relieve this
Prince, in spite of the enchantments, from that which hinders him
from appearing in your sight what he naturally is,’

‘Daughter, said the sultan, ‘I did not believe you to have
understood so much.’

‘Sir’ replied the princess, ‘these things are curious and worth
knowing, but I think I ought not to boast of them,’

‘Since it is so, said the sultan, ‘you can dispel the prince’s
enchantment.’

‘Yes, sir, said the princess, ‘I can restore him to his first
shape again.’ : :

“Do it then, said the sultan ; “you cannot do me a greater
pleasure, for I will have him to be my vizier, and he shall
marry you. at Nes

‘Sir, said the princess, ‘I am ready to obey you in all that
you may be pleased to command me’

The princess, the Lady of Beauty, went into her apartment,
from whence she brought in a knife, which had some Hebrew
words engraven on the blade; she made.the sultan, the master
of the chamberlains, the’ little slave, and myself, go down into a
private court of the palace, and there left. us under a gallery that
went round it. She placed herself _in the middle of the ‘court, |
where she made a great circle, and within it she wrote several
words in Arabic. characters, some of them ancient, and others. of
those which they call the characters of Cleopatra, =

When she had finished and prepared the circle as she thought
fit, she placed. herself in the centre of it, where she began spells,
and -repeated verses out. of the Koran. The air grew insensibly