d was proposed and executed by the villain
Mussapulta! Yes, my lovely Urad shall be obeyed. But now, Urad,"
continued the Sultan, "ere you proceed in your requests, let me make
one sacrifice to chastity and justice, by vowing, in the presence of
the good genius Houadir, to dismiss my seraglio, and take thee only
for my wife."

"So noble a sacrifice," answered Urad, "demands my utmost returns;
wherefore, beneficent Sultan, I release thee from any further
compliance with my requests."

"Lovely Urad," said Almurah, "permit me, then, to dive into your
thoughts:--yes, by your kind glances on that noble beast, I perceive
you meditated to ask some bounty for your deliverer. He shall, fair
virgin, be honoured as Urad's guardian, and the friend of Almurah; he
shall live in my royal palace, with slaves to attend him; and, that
his rest may not be inglorious or his life useless, once every year
shall those who have injured the innocent be delivered up to his
honest rage."

The lovely Urad fell at the feet of her Sultan, and blessed him for
his favours; and the sage Houadir approved of Urad's request and the
promises of Almurah. The lion came and licked the feet of his
benefactors; and the genius Houadir, at parting, poured her blessings
on the royal pair.

[Illustration]

Alischar and Smaragdine.

[Illustration]

There lived once on a time, in the province of Khorassan, a rich
merchant, to whom, in his sixtieth year, a son was born, and he called
his name Alischar. Fifteen years afterwards the father died, but not
without giving his son, in the hour of death, many excellent advices
and moral instructions as to his conduct through life. Alischar buried
his father, and not long afterwards his mother also, and began to
exercise diligently the trade which his parents had bequeathed to him.
In this way a whole year was spent, without the least departure from
the wise course of behaviour which his father had prescribed for him
in his last moments. But, unfortunately, ere many weeks more were
gone, he fell into the company of certain vicious people, who seduced
him into a life of such luxury and extravagance, that in a short time
the money the old man had left him was entirely spent. Proceeding in
the same follies, he by-and-bye was obliged to part with the shop
itself,--the household furniture followed,--and, in a word, Alischar
was left without anything he could call his own, except the bare roof
over his head and th