but beware not to offend with her and do villainy, and if thou
keep not faith and promise with me bear in mind that thou shalt
lose thy life." Hereupon the Prince made a stable and solemn pact
with the King, a covenant of the sons of the Sultans which may
never be violated.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Sixth 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 the Prince Zayn al-Asnam made
a stable and trustworthy compact to keep faith with the King of
the Jann and never to play traitor thereto, but to bring the maid
en tout bien et tout honneur to that potentate who made over to
him the mirror saying, "O my son, take this looking-glass whereof
I bespake thee and depart straightway." Thereupon the Prince and
Mubarak arose and, after blessing him, fared forth and journeyed
back until they made the lakelet, where they sat but a little ere
appeared the boat which had brought them bearing the Jinni with
elephantine head and leonine body, and he was standing up ready
for paddling.[FN#45] The twain took passage with him (and this by
command of the King of the Jann) until they reached Cairo and
returned to their quarters, where they abode whilst they rested
from the travails of travel. Then the Prince turned to his
companion and said, "Arise with us and wend we to
Baghdad[FN#46]-city that we may look for some damsel such as the
King describeth!" and Mubarak replied, "O my lord, we be in
Cairo, a city of the cities, a wonder of the world, and here no