faith and never play him false, but [FN#93] would bring him the
damsel with all continence. Then the King of the Jinn delivered
him the mirror and said to him, "O my son, take this mirror
whereof I bespoke thee, and now depart." Accordingly Zein ul
Asnam and Mubarek arose and calling down blessings upon the King,
returned upon their steps till they came to the lake, where they
sat a little and behold, up came the boat which had brought them
and the genie rowing therein, whose head was as [FN#94] the head
of an elephant. Now this was by the commandment of the King of
the Jinn; so they embarked with the genie and crossed with him to
the other shore; after which they returned to Cairo and entering
Mubarek's house, abode there awhile till they were rested from
the fatigue of the journey.

Then Zein ul Asnam turned to Mubarek and said to him, "Come, let
us go to the city of Baghdad, so we may seek for a girl who shall
be according to the requirement of the King of the Jinn." And
Mubarek said to him, "O my lord, we are in Cairo, the city of
cities and the wonder of the world. [FN#95] I shall without fail
find a girl here and it needeth not that we go to a far city."
"Thou sayst sooth, O Mubarek," rejoined the prince; "but how
shall we set about the matter and how shall we do to come
by [FN#96] a girl like this and who shall go seeking her for us?"
"O my lord," replied Mubarek, "concern not thyself [FN#97] for
that, for I have with me here an old woman (upon her, [to speak]
figuratively, [FN#98] be the malediction [of God] [FN#99]) who is a
mistress of wiles and craft and guile and not to be baulked by
any hindrance, however great." Then he sent to fetch the old
woman and telling her that he wanted a damsel fifteen years old
and fair exceedingly, so he might marry her to the son of his