ens."

"Happy," said all the sages, humbling themselves before the Sultan
Misnar, "happy is our Sultan, the favourite of Allah!"

"That, O sages," replied Misnar, "is too much for even the Sultan of
the East to hear. But, may the all-righteous Allah approve of my
thoughts and actions; so shall the infernal powers destroy the
wretches that employ them, and the dark poisoned arrow recoil upon him
that blew it forth. But, O sages, though your numbers are reduced,
your integrity is more tried and approved; therefore let your Sultan
partake of the sweetness of your counsels, and learn from aged
experience the wisdom of the sons of earth. Say, then, what doth the
peace and security of my throne require from me concerning my brother
Ahubal, the issue of the mighty Dabulcombar?"

"Far be it from me," said the sage Carnakan, "to presume to utter my
words as oracles before the Prince; but may not the security of the
East require that the Prince thy brother be not enlarged, as my Sultan
is, to do whatsoever seemeth good in his heart? Should not the younger
be as servant to the first-born of his father, and are not all the
Princes the vassals of the Sultans of the East? Let, therefore, the
Prince Ahubal enjoy the pleasure of life; but let him be removed from
giving pain and uneasiness to my royal Sultan Misnar. At the sources
of the springs of Ava, on the craggy rocks of Aboulfaken, is a royal
castle built by the sage Illfakircki, to which there is no passage but
through a narrow vale, which may be ever guarded by the slaves of
Misnar. Hither let the Prince be sent; and let him live there, and
enjoy life, without having any power to molest the glories of thy
reign."

The counsel of Carnakan was agreeable to the Sultan and his sages; and
Misnar gave immediate orders, that the mutes of his seraglio should
attend the Prince to the royal castle at Aboulfaken; and then
dismissing, for the present, the assembled sages, he commanded them to
attend the divan every week.

In a few days, the mutes and guards who were sent with the Prince
Ahubal being admitted into the presence of their Sultan, fell on their
faces, and cried out,

"Oh, let not the displeasure of the Sultan visit his slaves, who, in
obedience to thy royal word, journeyed toward the castle of
Aboulfaken, and, as they passed along through the deserts, a party of
five thousand horse appeared, who, setting upon us, ordered us either
to deliver up the Prince Ahubal, or defe