loveliness, the perfection of brilliancy and in shape very
symmetry. Moreover the youngest Princess told her sisters how
Bahram the Magian had made them of the Ghuls and Demons and
Satans,[FN#43] and they sware that they would surely slay him.
Next year the accursed Guebre again made his appearance, having
with him a handsome young Moslem, as he were the moon, bound hand
and foot and tormented with grievous tortures, and alighted with
him below the palace-walls. Now Hasan was sitting under the trees
by the side of the stream; and when he espied Bahram, his heart
fluttered,[FN#44] his hue changed and he smote hand upon
hand.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Hasan the goldsmith saw the Magian, his heart fluttered, his hue
changed and he smote hand upon hand. Then he said to the
Princesses, "O my sisters, help me to the slaughter of this
accursed, for here he is come back and in your grasp, and he
leadeth with him captive a young Moslem of the sons of the
notables, whom he is torturing with all manner grievous torments.
Lief would I kill him and console my heart of him; and, by
delivering the young Moslem from his mischief and restoring him
to his country and kith and kin and friends, fain would I lay up
merit for the world to come, by taking my wreak of him.[FN#45]
This will be an almsdeed from you and ye will reap the reward
thereof from Almighty Allah." "We hear and we obey Allah and
thee, O our brother, O Hasan," replied they and binding
chin-veils, armed themselves and slung on their swords: after