strengthening of his body refreshed
his spirits. In gaining tranquillity of mind and body, his sorrows
passed away, and he fell asleep in his cage. He awoke at midnight: the
slave had come to speak to him.

"If you will promise with a holy oath," said he to Jussuf, "that you
will not place me in danger by your conduct, but will talk with me
quietly, for the time of our conversation, I will let you out of the
cage."

"By the beard of the Prophet!" swore Jussuf, "I will be very quiet,
and will not put you in any danger."

At this oath, the slave climbed up a small ladder and opened the cage,
which was fastened very cunningly without a lock, but so that nobody
could open it unless he knew the secret. He helped Jussuf down, and
went with him into the garden, the door of which stood open. There
they seated themselves, and Jussuf asked,

"Why am I imprisoned? What is the reason that I am held up in this
scandalous manner as a show, and shut up in a cage like a wild beast?"

To these questions the slave replied, "The King and the inhabitants of
this city are worshippers of a snake; their idol is a great serpent,
to whom they have erected a large and magnificent temple, where he is
attended by a great number of priests: the priests mislead the people,
and what they wish takes place. Now, the King has one Princess--the
daughter of his wife by a former marriage--she is black like a
negress; but she has learned from her mother to know and to venerate
the Prophet. The King loves this black Princess dearly as an only
daughter; but the priests have misled him, and persuaded him to send
her away from the Court and city, and to keep her confined in a palace
built under a stream; for they have a prophecy, according to which, at
the time when the white summit of that mountain, which lies to the
north-east from the tower of the palace and from the cupola of the
temple, can be seen to smoke, a man shall come to the kingdom who
shall marry the King's daughter, and put all the worshippers of the
serpent to fire and sword. Now," he continued, "the mountain has begun
to smoke: the King has therefore, by the advice of his priests, given
commandment to his servants to seize all the foreigners they meet,
that they may be sacrificed to their idol. So you were found, and are
now destined to be a victim. The priests know of your imprisonment,
and are making preparations for a very grand sacrifice, which is to
last seven days."

"What!" crie