id, "She is down there."

He went to his mother, who asked him why he came to seek her.

He replied, "My father sent me."

"Return," said the mother, "and say to your father to lift up the beam
which is on the hearth." The prince went to his father. "My mother bids you
take up the beam which is above the hearth." The King raised it and found a
treasure.

"If you are the son of the King," he added, "bring me someone a foot high
whose beard measures two feet." The prince began to weep.

"Why do you weep," asked his wife, "you whom destiny has given me?"

The prince answered her, "My father said to me, 'Bring me someone a foot
high whose beard measures two feet."

"Return to your father," she replied, "and ask him for the book of the
grandfather of your grandfather."

His father gave him the book and the prince brought it to his wife.

"Take it to him again and let him put it in the assembly place, and call a
public meeting." A man a foot high appeared, took up the book, went around
the city, and ate up all the inhabitants.

* * * * *

MAHOMET-BEN-SOLTAN

A certain sultan had a son who rode his horse through the city where his
father reigned, and killed everyone he met. The inhabitants united and
promised a flock to him who should make him leave the city. An old woman
took it upon herself to realize the wishes of her fellow-citizens. She
procured some bladders and went to the fountain to fill them with the cup
of an acorn. The old man came to water his horse and said to the old woman:

"Get out of my way."

She would not move. The young man rode his horse over the bladders and
burst them.

"If you had married Thithbirth, a cavalier," cried the old woman, "you
would not have done this damage. But I predict that you will never marry
her, for already seventy cavaliers have met death on her account."

The young man, pricked to the quick, regained his horse, took provisions,
and set out for the place where he should find the young girl. On the way
he met a man. They journeyed together. Soon they perceived an ogress with a
dead man at her side.

"Place him in the earth," said the ogress to them; "it is my son; the
Sultan hanged him and cut off his foot with a sword."

They took one of the rings of the dead man and went on their way. Soon they
entered a village and offered the ring to the governor, who asked them for
another like it. They went away from there, returned throu