tenderly, and King Beder did the same. As soon as they had sat
down, 'Well,' said Abdallah to the king, 'how have you been, and
how have you passed your time with that infidel sorceress?'

'Hitherto,' answered King Beder, 'I must needs own she has been
extraordinarily kind to me, but I observed something last night
which gives me just reason to suspect that all her kindness
hitherto is but dissimulation.' He related to Abdallah how and
after what manner he had seen her make the cake; and then added,
'Hitherto, I must needs confess I had almost forgotten, not only
you, but all the advice you gave me concerning the wickedness of
this queen; but this last action of hers gives me reason to fear
she does not intend to observe any of her promises or solemn oaths
to you. I thought of you immediately, and I esteem myself happy in
that I have obtained permission to come to you.'

'You are not mistaken,' replied old Abdallah with a smile, which
showed he did not himself believe she would have acted otherwise,
'nothing is capable of obliging a treacherous person to amend. But
fear nothing. I know the way to make the mischief she intends for
you fall upon herself. You are alarmed in time; and you could not
have done better than to have recourse to me. It is her ordinary
practice to keep her lovers only forty days, and after that time,
instead of sending them home, to turn them into animals, to stock
her forests and parks; but I thought of measures yesterday to
prevent her doing you the same harm. The earth has borne this
monster long enough, and it is now high time she should be treated
as she deserves.'

So saying, Abdallah put two cakes into King Beder's hands, bidding