beneath my club.' Then he hurled his club at the prince's head,
but it fell harmless because the prince had quickly spurred his
horse forward. The chief, believing he had hit him, was looking
down for him, when all at once he came up behind and cleft him to
the waist and sent him straight to hell.

The king-lion greatly praised the dashing courage of Prince
Almas. They went together into the Castle of Clashing Swords and
found it adorned and fitted in princely fashion. In it was a
daughter of Taram taq, still a child She sent a message to Prince
Almas saying, 'O king of the world! choose this slave to be your
handmaid. Keep her with you; where you go, there she will go! '
He sent for her and she kissed his feet and received the
Mussulman faith at his hands. He told her he was going a long
journey on important business, and that when he came back he
would take her and her possessions to his own country, but that
for the present she must stay in the castle. Then he made over
the fort and all that was in it to the care of the lion, saying:
'Guard them, brother! let no one lay a hand on them.' He said
goodbye, chose a fresh horse from the chief's stable and once
again took the road.

After travelling many stages and for many days, he reached a
plain of marvellous beauty and refreshment. It was carpeted with
flowers--roses, tulips, and clover; it had lovely lawns, and
amongst them running water. This choicest place of earth filled
him with wonder. There was a tree such as he had never seen
before; its branches were alike, but it bore flowers and fruit of
a thousand kinds. Near it a reservoir had been fashioned of four
sorts of stone--touchstone, pure stone, marble, and loadstone.