AHMED AND PARI-BANOU. 469

terest in my preservation, I conjure you’to assist me with your
advice.”

The grand vizier was not less attached to his sovereign than
zealous to acquit himself with honour in his administration of
the public affairs of the state; and in reflecting upon the differ-
ent methods by which he endeavoured to lessen the affliction
of his master, he remembered to have heard some extraordinary
accounts of a celebrated enchantress. He proposed therefore
to the sultan to send for and consult her. The sultan con-
sented, and the grand vizier, after inquiring where she was to
be found, brought her with him.

The sultan addressed the enchantress as follows :—* The afflic-
tion I have been in since the nuptials of my son Prince Ali
with the Princess Nourounnihar, on account of the absence of
Prince Ahmed, is so public and well known, that you, without
doubt, are not ignorant of it. Can you, then, by your skill in
magic, inform me what is become of him? whether he be still
alive? where he is ? what he is doing? and whether I may ever
expect to see him again?” In order to answer all the ques-
tions of the sultan, the enchantress replied :—“ However skilful,
sire, I may be in my profession, it is nevertheless impossible for
me to satisfy your majesty immediately upon the subject of
your inquiries ; but if you will allow me till to-morrow, I will
give your majesty an answer.” The sultan granted her this
delay, and dismissed her with the promise of recompensing
her very handsomely, if her answer was at all adequate to his
wishes.

The enchantress returned the next morning, and the grand
vizier again presented her to the sultan. “ Notwithstanding all
the diligence I have exerted,” said the enchantress, addressing
herself to the sultan, “according to the rules of my art, in en-
deavouring to comply with your majesty’s wishes, I have only
been able to discover one thing ; and thatis, that Prince Ahmed
is not dead. Of this fact your majesty may rest assured. But
IT have been unable to find out in what place he is.” The sultan
of India was obliged to be satisfied with this answer, which left
him nearly in the same distressing situation, respecting the fate
of his son, as he was before.

Let us now return to Prince Ahmed. He so frequently
turned the conversation he had with the fairy towards the sul-