advantage your son Prince Beder has acquired by his birth, for as
long as he lives, and as often as he pleases, he will be at liberty
to plunge into the sea, and traverse the vast empires it contains
in its bosom.'

Having so spoken, King Saleh, who had restored Prince Beder to his
nurse's arms, opened a box he had fetched from his palace in the
little time he had disappeared. It was filled with three hundred
diamonds, as large as pigeons' eggs, a like number of rubies of
extraordinary size, as many emerald wands, each half a foot long,
and thirty strings or necklaces of pearl, consisting each of ten
feet. 'Sir,' said he to the King of Persia, presenting him with
this box, 'when I was first summoned by the queen my sister, I knew
not what part of the earth she was in, or that she had the honour
to be married to so great a monarch. This made us come empty
handed. As we cannot express how much we have been obliged to your
majesty, I beg you to accept this small token of gratitude, in
acknowledgment of the many particular favours you have been pleased
to show her.'

It is impossible to express how greatly the King of Persia was
surprised at the sight of so much riches, enclosed in so little
compass. 'What! Prince,' cried he, 'do you call so inestimable a
present a small token of your gratitude? I declare once more, you
have never been in the least obliged to me, neither the queen your
mother nor you. Madam,' continued he, turning to Gulnare, 'the king
your brother has put me into the greatest confusion; and I would
beg of him to permit me to refuse his present, were I not afraid of
disobliging him; do you therefore endeavour to obtain his leave
that I may be excused accepting it.'