Page:Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp.djvu/292

244 the belvedere and the kiosk of jewels, with the four-and-twenty oriels, and said to him, “How deemest thou, O my Lady Fatimeh, of this wonderful pavilion?” “By Allah, O my daughter,” replied he, “it is indeed marvellous in the extreme, nor methinketh is its like found in the world; nay, it is magnificent exceedingly; but oh, for one thing which would far increase it in beauty and adornment!” And the princess said to him, “O my Lady Fatimeh, what is lacking to it and what is this thing which would adorn it? Tell me of it; I had thought that it was altogether perfect.” “O my lady,” answered the sorcerer, “that which lacketh to it is the egg of the bird Roc, which being hung in its dome, there were no like unto this pavilion in all the world.” “What is this bird.” asked the princess, “and where shall we find its egg?” And the Moor said to her, “O my lady, this is a great bird that taketh up camels and elephants in its talons and flieth with them, of its bigness and greatness; it is mostly to be found in the mountain Caf and the craftsman who builded this palace is able to bring its egg.” Then they left that talk and it was the time of the morning-meal. So the