ntinually with him and minister to him, and be his companions day and
night. For myself, I will send him one of the spirits told off for
such duties, and I will thus kindle all the more fiercely the coals of
sensual desire. After that he hath once only had intercourse with but
one of these women, if all go not as thou wilt, then disdain me for
ever, as unprofitable, and worthy not of honour but of dire punishment.
For there is nothing like the sight of women to allure and enchant the
minds of men. Listen to a story that beareth witness to my word."

XXX.

"A certain king was grieved and exceeding sad at heart, because that he
had no male issue, deeming this no small misfortune. While he was in
this condition, there was born to him a son, and the king's soul was
filled with joy thereat. Then they that were learned amongst his
physicians told him that, if for the first twelve years the boy saw the
sun or fire, he should entirely lose his sight, for this was proved by
the condition of his eyes. Hearing this, the king, they say, caused a
little house, full of dark chambers, to be hewn out of the rock, and
therein enclosed his child together with the men that nursed him, and,
until the twelve years were past, never suffered him to see the least
ray of light. After the fulfilment of the twelve years, the king
brought forth from his little house his son that had never seen a
single object, and ordered his waiting men to show the boy everything
after his kind; men in one place, women in another; elsewhere gold and
silver; in another place, pearls and precious stones, fine and
ornamental vestments, splendid chariots with horses from the royal
stables, with golden bridles and purple caparisons, mounted by armed
soldiers; also droves of oxen and flocks of sheep. In brief, row after
row, they showed the boy everything. Now, as he asked what each ox
these was called, the king's esquires and guards made known unto him
each by name: but, when he desired to learn what women were called, the
king's spearman, they say, wittily replied that they were called,
"Devils that deceive men." But the boy's heart was smitten with the
love of these above all the rest. So, when they had gone round
everywhere and brought him again unto the king, the king asked, which
of all these sights had pleased him most. "What," answered the boy,
"but the Devils that deceive men? Nothing that I have seen to-day hath
fired my heart with such love a