road which leads to the great city of Deryabar, of which I am
sovereign; and if you think fit, you shall be lodged in my
palace, till the prince your husband comes to claim you."

The Saracen lady accepted the offer, and the next day followed
the sultan my father, who found all his retinue upon the skirts
of the wood, they having spent the night in searching for him,
and being very uneasy because they could not find him. They were
no less rejoiced to meet with, than amazed to see him with a
lady, whose beauty surprised them. He told them how he had found
her, and the risk he had run in approaching the hut, where he
must certainly have lost his life had the giant discovered him.
One of his servants took up the lady behind him, and another
carried the child.

Thus they arrived at the palace of my father, who assigned the
beautiful Saracen lady an apartment, and caused her child to be
carefully educated. The lady was not insensible of the sultan's
goodness to her, and expressed as much gratitude as he could
desire. She had at first appeared very uneasy and impatient that
her husband did not claim her; but by degrees she lost that
uneasiness. The respect my father paid her dispelled her
impatience; and I am of opinion she would at last have blamed
fortune more for restoring her to her kindred, than she did for
removing her from them.

In the mean time the lady's son grew up; he was very handsome,
and not wanting ability, found means to please the sultan my
father, who conceived a great friendship for him. All the
courtiers perceived it, and guessed that the young man might in