210 ole - The Story of

In the meantime, while we were vieing with each other in grief,
the princess cried, ‘I burn! I burn!’ She found that the fire
which consumed her had at last seized upon her whole body, which
made her still cry ‘I burn,’ until death had. made an end of her
intolerable pains. The effect of that fire was so extraordinary that
in a few moments she was wholly reduced to ashes, like the genie. -

How grieved I was at so dismal a spectacle! I had rather all
my life have continued an ape or a dog than to have seen my
benefactress thus miserably perish. The sultan, being afflicted
beyond all that can be imagined, cried out piteously, and beat.
himself on his head, until being quite overcome with grief, he
fainted away, which made me fear for his life. In the meantime
the officers came running at the sultan’s cries, and with very much
ado brought him to himself again. There was no need for him and
me to give them a long narrative of this adventure, in order to
convince them of their great loss. The two heaps of ashes, into
which the princess and the genie had been reduced, were sufficient
demonstration. The sultan was hardly able to stand, but had to be
supported till he could get to his apartment.

When the news of the tragical event had spread through the
palace and the city, all the people bewailed the misfortune of the
princess, the Lady of Beauty, and were much affected by the sultan’s
affliction. Every one was in deep mourning for seven days, and many
ceremonies were performed. The ashes of the genie were thrown
into the air, but those of the princess were gathered into a precious
urn to be kept, and the urn was set in a stately tomb which was
built for that purpose on the same place where the ashes had lain.

The grief which the sultan. felt for the loss of his. daughter
threw him into a fit of illness, which confined him ‘to his chamber for
a whole month. . He had not fully recovered. strength when he sent
for me: ‘ Prince,’ said he, ‘hearken to the orders that I now give you; .
it will cost you your life if you do not put them into execution” I