it seemed best to allow himself to be caught. So he played about
the girl and let her catch him by the neck. A leash was brought,
fruits were given, and it was caressed with delight. It was
taken to the palace and tied at the foot of the Lady Jamila's
raised seat, but she ordered a longer cord to be brought so that
it might be able to jump up beside her.

When the nurse went to fix the cord she saw tears falling from
its eyes, and that it was dejected and sorrowful 'O Lady Jamila!
this is a wonderful deer, it is crying; I never saw a deer cry
before.' Jamila darted down like a flash of lightning, and saw
that it was so. It rubbed its head on her feet and then shook it
so sadly that the girl cried for sympathy. She patted it and
said: 'Why are you sad, my heart? Why do you cry, my soul? Is
it because I have caught you? I love you better than my own
life.' But, spite of her comforting, it cried the more. Then
Jamila said: 'Unless I am mistaken, this is the work of my wicked
sister Latifa, who by magic art turns servants of God into beasts
of the field.' At these words the deer uttered sounds, and laid
its head on her feet. Then Jamila was sure it was a man, and
said: ' Be comforted, I will restore you to your own shape.' She
bathed herself and ordered the deer to be bathed, put on clean
raiment, called for a box which stood in an alcove, opened it and
gave a portion of what was in it to the deer to eat. Then she
slipped her hand under her carpet and produced a stick to which
she said something. She struck the deer hard, it pirouetted and
became Prince Almas.

The broidered kerchief and the jewels lay upon the ground. The
prince prostrated himself in thanks to heaven and Jamila, and