neighbouring bush, and
cried, "Good night."
As she passed over the flowers of the bush, she disappeared from
Jussuf's eyes, and he saw only the butterfly flying. When he returned
to the palace, his servants were much rejoiced. They had waited for
him since noon, and had searched for him in the gardens, as an embassy
had been sent from the capital to bring him news that the Princess had
suddenly fallen ill. He caused the messengers to be brought before
him, to learn from them all the attendant circumstances. He
discovered from them that she had retired to rest early the preceding
evening, and had risen quite well in the morning after a peaceful
slumber; but hardly had the sun shone half an hour, when she fell, and
was obliged to be carried to her apartments. She soon came to herself,
but felt very weak, and informed her sorrowing father that she must
die. Jussuf was very thoughtful, for he remembered her warning about
the talisman, and also recollected that it was exactly the same hour
in which the maiden had taken it from the folds of his turban. He
resolved early the next morning to desire the talisman from her
earnestly, and then to hasten to the city; and commanded the embassy
to return at sunrise the next day, to announce his arrival in the
evening. In the loneliness of night he felt angry with himself. But
the loss of the talisman, which exceedingly disquieted him, was not
the only reason: it was a mortifying feeling to him that he had passed
the whole day in childish sports, according to the caprice of his
playfellow. He thought over all the words they had spoken, and found
nothing in them but excessive frivolity.
He arose the next morning by daybreak, and at sunrise he again stood
in the garden. Scarcely had the sun's rays dried the dew, when the
beautiful butterfly hovered over the beds. Once more it settled on a
poppy. Jussuf covered it with his turban--the change was again
completed--the maiden once more stood before him. He immediately
demanded of her the little bag with the talisman.
She mocked him with a mischievous laugh, and said, "You shall not have
it to-day: perhaps to-morrow, if you are polite."
Then they again began their sports, and Jussuf soon forgot in their
amusements everything else, and played and sported with her. She gave
him, in the same manner as yesterday, honey to drink from a flower,
after she had sipped a little herself, and knew how to draw him round
the gardens in her sports,
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