with what mine eyes have seen." Then he addressed himself to
seeking a place wherein he might safely bestow himself and his
horse and where none should descry him, and presently behold, he
espied a-middlemost of the city a palace rising high in upper air
surrounded by a great wall with lofty crenelles and battlements,
guarded by forty black slaves, clad in complete mail and armed
with spears and swords, bows and arrows. Quoth he, "This is a
goodly place," and turned the descent-pin, whereupon the horse
sank down with him like a weary bird, and alighted gently on the
terrace-roof of the palace. So the Prince dismounted and
ejaculating "Alhamdolillah"--praise be to Allah[FN#10]--he began
to go round about the horse and examine it, saying, "By Allah, he
who fashioned thee with these perfections was a cunning
craftsman, and if the Almighty extend the term of my life and
restore me to my country and kinsfolk in safety and reunite me
with my father, I will assuredly bestow upon him all manner
bounties and benefit him with the utmost beneficence." By this
time night had overtaken him and he sat on the roof till he was
assured that all in the palace slept; and indeed hunger and
thirst were sore upon him, for that he had not tasted food nor
drunk water since he parted from his sire. So he said within
himself, "Surely the like of this palace will not lack of
victual;" and, leaving the horse above, went down in search of
somewhat to eat. Presently, he came to a staircase and descending
it to the bottom, found himself in a court paved with white
marble and alabaster, which shone in the light of the moon. He
marvelled at the place and the goodliness of its fashion, but
sensed no sound of speaker and saw no living soul and stood in
perplexed surprise, looking right and left and knowing not
whither he should wend. Then said he to himself, "I may not do