Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/178

162 advanced, attended by a troop of ladies, who were scarcely less magnificently dressed than their mistress.

As soon as Ahmed perceived the lady, he hastened to pay his respects; but the lady, addressing him first, said, "Enter, Prince Ahmed, you are welcome."

After these words the lady led Prince Ahmed into a grand hall. She then sat down on a sofa; and when the prince, at her entreaty, had seated himself by her, she continued, "You know that the world is inhabited by genii as well as men; I am Perie Banou, the daughter of one of the most powerful of these genii. I am no stranger to your loves or your travels. The artificial apple which you bought at Samarcand, the carpet which Prince Houssain purchased at Bisnagar, and the tube which Prince Ali brought from Shiraz were of my contrivance. You seemed to me worthy of a better fate than to marry the Princess Nouronnihar; and that you might attain to it, I caused your arrow to fly out of sight, and to strike against the rocks near which you found it. It is in your power to avail yourself of the favorable