and he went up to the gate and found it a slab of beautifully
worked marble, and that near it there lay sleeping, with his head
on a stone, a negro whose face was so black that it made darkness
round him. His upper lip, arched like an eyebrow, curved upwards
to his nostrils and his lower hung down like a camel's. Four
millstones formed his shield, and on a box- tree close by hung
his giant sword. His loin-cloth was fashioned of twelve skins of
beasts, and was bound round his waist by a chain of which each
link was as big as an elephant's thigh.

The prince approached and tied up his horse near the negro's
head. Then he let fall the Bismillah from his lips, entered the
garden and walked through it till he came to the private part,
delighting in the great trees, the lovely verdure, and the
flowery borders. In the inner garden there were very many deer.
These signed to him with eye and foot to go back, for that this
was enchanted ground; but he did not understand them, and thought
their pretty gestures were a welcome. After a while he reached a
palace which had a porch more splendid than Caesar's, and was
built of gold and silver bricks. In its midst was a high seat,
overlaid with fine carpets, and into it opened eight doors, each
having opposite to it a marble basin.

Banishing care, Prince Almas walked on through the garden, when
suddenly a window opened and a girl, who was lovely enough to
make the moon writhe with jealousy, put out her head. She lost
her heart to the good looks of the prince, and sent her nurse to
fetch him so that she might learn where he came from and how he
had got into her private garden where even lions and wolves did
not venture. The nurse went, and was struck with amazement at