The surprise of King Beder, at the sight of this purse, was not
small. 'Good woman,' said he, 'do you not perceive I have been
bantering you all this while? I assure you my mare is not to be
sold.'

The old man, who had been witness to all that was said, now began
to speak. 'Son,' quoth he to King Beder, 'it is necessary you
should know one thing, which I find you are ignorant of; and that
is, that in this city it is not permitted to any one to tell a lie,
on any account whatsoever, on pain of death. You cannot refuse
taking this good woman's money, and delivering your mare, when she
gives you the sum according to the agreement; and this you had
better do without any noise, than expose yourself to what may
happen.'

King Beder, sorely afflicted to find himself thus trapped by his
rash offer, alighted with great regret. The old woman stood ready
to seize the bridle, and immediately unbridled the mare, and taking
some water in her hand, from a stream that ran in the middle of the
street, she threw it in the mare's face, uttering these words,
'Daughter, quit that strange shape, and re-assume thine own.' The
transformation was effected in a moment, and King Beder, who
swooned as soon as he saw Queen Labe appear, would have fallen to
the ground, if the old man had not caught him.

The old woman, who was mother to Queen Labe, and had instructed her
in all her magic secrets, had no sooner embraced her daughter, than
to show her fury, she whistled. Immediately rose a genie of
gigantic form and stature. This genie took King Beder on one
shoulder, and the old woman with the magic queen on the other, and