us both the art of fashioning all kinds of
ornaments in the precious metals. But beside his son Omeda, my uncle
had also a daughter, Bebee, who was one of the most beautiful girls man
can possibly imagine. From the time we were all children together I
had entertained the hope or dream of one day making her my wife.
Therefore, when I was already seventeen years of age and a good
workman, I ventured to ask my uncle to give me Bebee, my cousin, for my
wife. But my uncle was very wroth, and said--

"'My daughter, who is fourteen, and more beautiful than any young girl
for fifty miles round, may expect to be the wife of a rajah or even of
a sovereign prince, and not of a young workman without ten pieces of
silver.'

"With that, Amanoolla, fearing to have me any longer so near his
daughter, bade me begone and earn my living by my craft in some other
part of the country.

"I departed, therefore, and leaving with sorrow my uncle and Omeda, and
especially the neighbourhood of the charming Bebee, I travelled until I
came to a town twenty days' journey from them, and there I remained
working at my trade, very taciturn, very lonely, and unable to forget
my disappointment.

"In the town in which I had settled there lived a wealthy Rajah, Gholab
Khan, for whom I often made various ornaments both of gold and of
silver.

"Thus it came to pass that Sojah, his principal wife, saw me through a
lattice window on several occasions when I carried the ornaments I had
made to the palace of the Rajah. And, unhappily, she took a most
violent fancy to me.

"One day, as I sat at my work, a female slave entered, and said--

"'Hunoman, happy man that you are, listen to me. My mistress, who is
no other than Sojah, the wife of Gholab Khan himself, has seen you and
likes you. She has sent me, therefore, to say, to-morrow morning about
the time of morning prayer two slaves will come to you bringing with
them a large basket with hangings for one of the rooms in the palace.
Get into the basket and fear nothing, for the slaves will bring you to
me.'

"When the messenger from Sojah had gone I could do no more work that
day for thinking of the adventure which awaited me on the morrow. I
went out and wandered about the town until late, but even when at last
I lay down for a long time I could get no sleep. However, when it
became light I at last fell asleep, and so heavily that it was late
when I woke.

"I was scarcely dressed, and it was