mant, which was sticking through
the lock.

After waiting some time, and becoming alarmed at the long absence of the
Afrite, the sorceress sent for the key of the tower, and opened the
door. But when it slowly swung open, and the body of her favorite swung
with it,--the point of the sword emerging from the middle of his
back,--she fainted away. Coming to her senses in a few minutes, she
ordered him to be drawn off and carried to her room, where, after again
locking the tower door, she followed, in the hopes of reviving, by means
of proper magical remedies, whatever vitality might be left in the
unfortunate and indispensable Afrite.

Trumkard and the Prince journeyed so rapidly that their horses fell,
utterly exhausted, at the end of the first day's journey; and, not being
able to procure others, they were obliged to go the rest of the way on
foot. You may be sure that the Prince did not lag by the way, and poor
Trumkard was obliged to do his very best to keep up with him at all.
Therefore, when, near the end of the second day, they arrived at the
Giant's castle, they were tired and warm enough. Entering the great gate
(to the hinge of which little Ting-a-ling once tied his butterfly), they
approached the castle, and perceived the Giant sitting in his front
porch, with his feet in immense slippers, comfortably resting against
one of the great pillars before the door. The Prince, who had never seen
him before, was struck with astonishment at his great size; but Trumkard
assured him that a nobler or more true-hearted being never breathed, for
all he was so big.

When Tur-il-i-ra perceived them, he arose and welcomed them heartily,
remembering Trumkard as an old friend. He caused them to be seated on
the porch, and ordered water to be brought that they might free
themselves from the dust of the journey. Then he called to his
attendants to spread a table, and to bring some cold meat and some game,
some curries and hashes, some minced meat, some pepper-pot, some
mutton-chops, omelettes, bacon and eggs; some broiled steaks, some
spare-ribs, toast, butter, cheese, pickles, and salad; some macaroni,
vermicelli, chowder, mullagatawny, lobsters, clams, oysters, mussels,
and shrimps; also some tripe, kidneys, liver, and sausages, and
calves'-foot-jelly, and stewed cranberries; also frangipanni tarts and a
Charlotte-Russe, with bottles of orgeat, sherbet, and iced wines,
together with mead and mineral water.

When his guests ha