Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/315

281 in a black and desert country, full of black rocks and stones, as it were a piece of hell; and the prince said to the genie, “What is the name of this land?” “It is called the Black Country,” answered the other, “and belongs to one of the Kings of the Jinn, by name Dhoul Jenahain, against whom none of the other kings may prevail, neither may any enter his dominions without his leave; so abide thou here, whilst I go ask it. So saying, he went away and returning after awhile, they fared on again, till they came to a spring of water welling forth of a black rock, and the King’s son of the Jinn bade the prince alight and drink. So he lighted down and drank of the spring, and no sooner had he done so than, by God’s grace, he became a man as before.” [sic] At this he was beyond measure rejoiced and said to the genie, “O my brother, how is this spring called?” Quoth the other, “It is called the Women’s Spring, for that no woman drinks thereof but she becomes a man: wherefore do thou praise God the Most High and thank Him for thy restoration and mount.” So the prince prostrated himself in gratitude to God the Most High, after which he mounted again and they fared on diligently all that day, till they came to the genie’s palace, where the prince passed the night in all delight and solace of life.

They spent the next day in eating and drinking till nightfall, when the genie said to the prince, “Hast thou a mind to return to thy people?” “Yes,” replied he; “for indeed I long for them.” Then the king’s son of the Jinn called one of his father’s slaves, Rajiz by name, and said to him, “Take this young man on thy shoulders and let not the day dawn ere he be with his wife and father-in-law.” “I hear and obey,” answered the slave, and withdrawing awhile, reappeared in the form of an Afrit. When the prince saw this, he lost his senses for affright, but the genie said to him, “Fear not; no harm