quickly hinder her from doing you the least harm, if she should be
perfidious enough to attempt it. You may depend upon me; and,
provided you follow exactly the advice I shall give you before I
hand you over to her, she shall have no more power over you than
she has over me.'

The magic queen did not fail to pass by the old man's shop the next
day, with the same pomp as the day before, and Abdallah waited for
her with great respect. 'Father,' cried she, stopping just before
him, 'you may judge of my impatience to have your nephew with me,
by my punctual coming to put you in mind of your promise. I know
you are a man of your word, and I cannot think you will break it
with me.'

Abdallah, who fell on his face as soon as he saw the queen
approaching, rose up when she had done speaking; and as he wanted
nobody to hear what he had a mind to say to her, he advanced with
great respect as far as her horse's head, and then said softly,
'Powerful queen! I am persuaded your majesty will not be offended
at my seeming unwillingness to trust my nephew with you yesterday,
since you cannot be ignorant of the reasons I had for it; but I
implore you to lay aside the secrets of that art which you possess
in so wonderful a degree. I regard my nephew as my own son; and
your majesty would reduce me to despair if you should deal with him
as you have done with others.'

'I promise you I will not,' replied the queen; 'and I once more
repeat the oath I made yesterday, that neither you nor your nephew
shall have any cause to be offended with me. I see plainly,' added
she, 'you are not yet well enough acquainted with me; you never saw