WHEN the prince, having left this dangerous wilderness with victory and success, had travelled some days’ journey, a great city, adorned with mag­nificent buildings, appeared in view; upon which, in hopes that after such painful toil and hazardous passage thro’ the perilous haunts of evil genii and wild beasts, he should once more reach population, he, like the flower, raised his head from the collar of gladness, and, as the turtle-dove in a grove of cypress, uttered the symphony of thanks­giving. Committing his steps to the path of expedition, he advanced speedily to the gate, through which he beheld a city of such extent and grandeur, that Canaan would have owned itself inferior to its smallest street, and, in comparison with its humblest edifice, the palaces of Cæsar and pavilion of Nomaan* shrunk into contempt. The houses were ele­gantly arranged as the eyebrows of moon-shining damsels, and the mianrets justly proportioned as the stature of the beautiful of just height. The buildings of the squares accorded with each other as the sentences of elegant prose; and the shops were equally ranged as the measure of soul-delighting verse. Not the shadow, however, of a mortal struck the mirror of the eye, nor did any inhabitants appear.

The prince, on perceiving these cir­cumstances, became environed by the chain of alarm, and from motives of caution dispatched his companions to the different quarters of the city; that, passing through the markets and streets, they might explore the track of man. Much as they walked about, and exam­ined all parts with the ken of search, they found every place, house, and win­dow, like the eye of the blind, unblessed by the sight of human beauty: but, what was more wonderful, in each habitation and chamber that they entered, they found the richest effects. Preparations for festivity, the most elegant furniture, eatables and drinkables, apparel, beds, culinary apparatus, &c. were so arranged, that you would have supposed the occu­piers had only moved to different cham­bers of the dwellings. Upon this, dread seized the minds of all, and appre­hension prevailed, lest the city might be the abode of Afreets, or the residence of Peries, and some calamity occur. They were confounded, and in great alarm returning, informed the prince of the strange appearance of the city.

The prince observed, “Certainly the population of this capital must have been destroyed by the Afreet Hullul; clearing, therefore, the pages of our hearts from dread, and the retirement of our minds from apprehension, let us examine the royal palace, as there, either a ghole or human being may meet us.” When they entered the edifice, they found it empty; but the buildings were most magnificent, and the gardens in high bloom and fragrance, so that, tempted by the beauty of the place, the fine views and elegant pavilions scattered here and there, they walked on, till they came to a most splendid hall, after admiring which, they passed thro’ shady allies adorned with fountains, till at length they reached the royal haram.

The princess Peri-nuzzade now sud­denly began to lament, after the manner of mourners, and shed scorching tears from the veils of her eyes upon her pallid cheeks. The prince, astonished at the sudden change in her appearance, suspected that some injury had happened to her from the fiery spirits that might have taken up their abode in these desolated mansions, as he could not divine any other reason for her complaints.

The gentle princess, beautiful as Venus, though from the agitations of sorrow and distress of grief she had scarcely the power of utterance, yet regarded the dues of respect to the prince, and said, “O chief of royalty and dis­penser of glory to the crown and throne, whose auspicious footstep gives dignity to the empire of the world, the cause of my emotion and lamenta­tion is this. The shrub of my existence was nurtured by the air and water of this garden, where now, instead of the melody of the nightingale and Azzar, the hooting of the owl and scream of the bat greet the ear. In this heaven-resembling palace was I cherished, amid thousands of endear­ments and luxuries, on the couch of prosperity; but now, alas! ruin batters upon its walls and gates. When the remembrance of all my former enjoyments, the glory of my state and attendance, and of the sul­taun who, like the phœnix, spread the shadow of bounty over a world, occurred to my mind, and here I saw no traces remaining, the wounds of my soul opened afresh, and the flood of grief issued from my breast.”

The prince upon hearing this aston­ishing and afflicting narrative, accom­panied by the heart-rending complaints of Peri-nuzzade, was much affected. Pouring over her unfortunate condition an offering of pearly tears from the casket of his eyes, and impelled by a compas­sionate disposition, he used every means of consolation, drying with his own hand the scorching drops from her glow­ing cheeks. He then, with great ten­derness leading her to another quarter, endeavoured to divert her sorrowful mind by turning her attention to the flowers in various parterres, the won­derful paintings on the ceilings, the ele­gant carving on the arches, and the mosaic ornaments of the windows of the apartments they passed through; till at last, on entering a splendid chamber, they to their surprize beheld a beautiful youth in royal apparel, and a crown upon his head, reposing upon the bed of death, as if just fallen asleep. Peri-nuzzade, at sight of her beloved Mano­chere in this condition, like the plaintive turtle-dove over the fallen cypress, heaved heart-rending sighs from her bosom, then shrieking aloud, tore her musky tresses, and wounded her roseate cheeks with the nails of despair; till at length falling like a withered shrub upon the earth, she became convulsed and groaned so piteously, that the nightingale was shocked at her situation, and the rose-bud shrunk with sympathy at her woes.

The prince and his companions joined in her lamentations, so that the cry of mourning resounded through the dole­ful mansion. At length the prince, recollecting himself, addressed the Messiah-like sage, saying, “For heaven’s sake assist this unfortunate struggler in the eddies of despondency, and with the water of life renovate the exhausted stores of her hope.”

The virtuous and Khizzer-like old man, complying with the orders of the prince, opened the cover of his phial, and having first uttered the words Bis­millah,* which are the talisman of the treasures of bounty, and the expanders of the portals of success, poured a few drops upon the head of the dead prince. Through the power of the self-existing Eternal, Bestower of life, Creator of the world, who from the whirlpool of chaos cast all things upon the shore of existence, the youth instantly opening his eyes from the sleep of death, began to look around. When he perceived Peri-nuz­zade, who stood like a lamp at his bed­side, from the impulse of astonishment, the nightingale of his speech became melodious with the exclamation of Sub­baun Oollah!* and with excess of joy hurried from the path of sense, he was near being bewildered in the mazes of delirium. When on one side he saw the prince, who with four other persons stroked their beards in thanksgiving, he then examined himself, and perceived that the hair of his head and his nails were grown unusually long; but he could not account for it, or divine the wonder­ful accident that had occurred. Remedi­less, after being involved in the disquiet­ing ocean of conjecture, and disturbing sea of speculation, he anxiously enquired what had happened; when the rose-formed, perie beauteous princess, draw­ing aside the veil from the face of events, informed him of every circumstance.

Manochere with rapture clasped in close embrace the cypress of the garden of beauty; they both wept at the remembrance of their past misfortunes, and from ecstacy of present bliss, which after so many trials they now enjoyed, scat­tered liquid pearls from the caskets of their eyes at each other’s feet. Then bowing the foreheads of gratitude before the prince, they thanked him for his inestimable bounty and deliverance. Manochere exclaimed, “O thou Messiah-like restorer of life, it is clear that such obligation, as conferred by thy excel­lent self upon me, sunk into the cavern of death, no one has ever experienced from the beginning of creation to the present time of this ancient world. To repay such favour is beyond human ability, though I should sacrifice life in thy service.

“If, like the world-illuming sun, out of condescension to the atom, thou wilt gladden the poor hut of thy humble dependent for some days with the splendour of thy presence, and by such high favour raise his dejected head to the summit of the sky of honour and distinction, it will be as conferring another life in addition to that already bestowed, and as unfold­ing the gates of paradise to my exhausted soul.”

The prince, having honoured his request with acceptance, agreed to make some stay; and Manochere regarding his assent as the highest favour, evinced his gratitude, and preparing afresh the accompaniments of royalty, ascended once more the throne of dominion. In a short time, this event being reported in the distant parts of his empire, such of his subjects as had escaped the depredations of the Afreet, in great numbers returned to the capital; and having offered thanksgivings to the Almighty Preserver, who brings life from death, and death from life, took up their residence, and renewed their former occupations. The various parts of the metropolis were re-inhabited, and it daily advanced towards its former splendour.