ura,
overlooked the harbour, she saw the ship entering it and asked what
vessel it was coming in so gaily decked with flags, and was told that
it was a ship from the Island of the Idolaters which yearly brought
rich merchandise.

The princess, ever on the look out for any chance of news of her
beloved husband, went down to the harbour attended by some officers of
the court, and arrived just as the captain was landing. She sent for
him and asked many questions as to his country, voyage, what passengers
he had, and what his vessel was laden with. The captain answered all
her questions, and said that his passengers consisted entirely of
traders who brought rich stuffs from various countries, fine muslins,
precious stones, musk, amber, spices, drugs, olives, and many other
things.

As soon as he mentioned olives, the princess, who was very partial to
them, exclaimed:

"I will take all you have on board. Have them unloaded and we will
make our bargain at once, and tell the other merchants to let me see
all their best wares before showing them to other people."

"Sire," replied the captain, "I have on board fifty very large pots of
olives. They belong to a merchant who was left behind, as in spite of
waiting for him he delayed so long that I was obliged to set sail
without him."

"Never mind," said the princess, "unload them all the same, and we will
arrange the price."

The captain accordingly sent his boat off to the ship and it soon
returned laden with the fifty pots of olives. The princess asked what
they might be worth.

"Sire," replied the captain, "the merchant is very poor. Your Majesty
will not overpay him if you give him a thousand pieces of silver."

"In order to satisfy him and as he is so poor," said the princess, "I
will order a thousand pieces of gold to be given you, which you will be
sure to remit to him."

So saying she gave orders for the payment and returned to the palace,
having the jars carried before her. When evening came the Princess
Badoura retired to the inner part of the palace, and going to the
apartments of the Princess Haiatelnefous she had the fifty jars of
olives brought to her. She opened one to let her friend taste the
olives and to taste them herself, but great was her surprise when, on
pouring some into a dish, she found them all powdered with gold dust.
"What an adventure! how extraordinary!" she cried. Then she had the
other jars opened, and was more and more surpri