the Wise Man and transported him across mountain and valley,
across land and sea, until he brought him to a country known as
the "Land of the Black Isles," where the treasure of the ancient
kings was hidden. The Demon showed the Magician the treasure, and
it was a sight such as man had never looked upon before or since
the days that the dark, ancient ones hid it. With his treasure
Aben Hassen built himself palaces and gardens and paradises such
as the world never saw before. He lived like an emperor, and the
fame of his doings rang through all the four corners of the
earth.

Now the queen of the Black Isles was the most beautiful woman in
the world, but she was as cruel and wicked and cunning as she was
beautiful. No man that looked upon her could help loving her; for
not only was she as beautiful as a dream, but her beauty was of
that sort that it bewitched a man in spite of himself.

One day the queen sent for Aben Hassen the Wise. "Tell me," said
she, "is it true that men say of you that you have discovered a
hidden treasure such as the world never saw before?" And she
looked at Aben Hassen so that his wisdom all crumbled away like
sand, and he became just as foolish as other men.

"Yes," said he, "it is true."

Aben Hassen the Wise spent all that day with the queen, and when
he left the palace he was like a man drunk and dizzy with love.
Moreover, he had promised to show the queen the hidden treasure
the next day.