26 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

As soon as he was informed of the king’s illness, and that the
physicians had given him up, he dressed himself as neatly as
possible, and obtained permission to be presented to the king.
“ Sire” said he, “I know that all the physicians who have
attended your majesty have been unable to remove your leprosy ;
but if you will do me the honour to accept of my services, | will
engage to cure you without either internal doses, or outward
applications.” The king, pleased with this proposition, replied,
“Tf you are really so skilful as you pretend, I promise to confer
affluence on you and your posterity ; and without reckoning the
presents you will have, you shall be my first favourite ; but do
you assure me, then, that you will remove my leprosy without
making me swallow any potion, or applying any remedy exter-
nally ?” “Yes, sire,” replied the physician, “I flatter myself I
shall succeed ; and to-morrow I will begin my operations.”

Douban returned to his house, and made a sort of racket or
bat, with a hollow in the handle, to admit the drug he meant to
use ; that being done, he also prepared a sort of round ball, or
bowl, in the manner he intended, and the following day he pre-
sented himself before the king, and, prostrating himself at his
feet, kissed the ground.

Douban then arose, and having made a profound reverence,
told the king that he must ride on horseback to the place where
he was accustomed to play at bowls. The king did as he was
desired ; and when he had reached the bowling-green, the phy-
sician approached him, and putting into his hand the bat which
he had prepared, “ Sire,” said he, “exercise yourself with strik-
ing that bowl about with this bat till you find yourself in a
profuse perspiration. When the remedy I have enclosed in its
handle is warmed by your hand, it will penetrate through your
whole body; you may then leave off, for the drug will have
taken effect; and when you return to your palace, get into a
warm bath, and be well rubbed and washed; then go to bed,
and to-morrow you will be quite cured.”

The king took the bat, and spurred his horse after the bowl
till he struck it; it was sent back again to him by the officers,
who were playing with him, and he struck it again; and thus
the game continued for a considerable time, till he found his
hand as well as his whole body in a perspiration, which made
the remedy in the bat operate as the physician had said ; the