removed (as is not hidden from thy Highness) was ever taken under
thy protection and I, like him, come to thee sueing the same
safeguard."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Fourth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy,
tell us one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the
waking hours of this our night," and quoth Shahrazad:--It hath
reached me, O King of the Age, that Mubarak fell to lessoning
Zayn al-Asnam how he should salute the King of the Jinns, and
pursued, "Likewise, O my lord, if he hail us with gladsome face
of welcome he will doubtless say thee, 'Ask whatso thou wantest
of me!' and the moment he giveth thee his word do thou at once
prefer thy petition saying, O my lord, I require of thy Highness
the Ninth Statue than which is naught more precious in the world,
and thou didst promise my father to vouchsafe me that same." And
after this Mubarak instructed his master how to address the King
and crave of him the boon and how to bespeak him with pleasant
speech. Then he began his conjurations and fumigations and
adjurations and recitations of words not understanded of any and
but little time elapsed before cold rain down railed and
lightning flashed and thunder roared and thick darkness veiled
earth's face. Presently came forth a mighty rushing wind and a
voice like an earthquake, the quake of earth on Judgment
Day.[FN#40] The Prince, seeing these horrors and sighting that
which he had never before seen or heard, trembled for terror in
every limb; but Mubarak fell to laughing at him and saying, "Fear
not, O my lord: for that which thou dreadest is what we seek, for