ng to offer their services; but as they all
declared that they must have payment at the end of every month, the
young man, who remembered his mother's words, declined to have
anything to say to them. At length, one morning, an Arab appeared and
begged that the prince would engage him.

'And what wages do you ask?' inquired the prince, when he had
questioned the new-comer and found him suitable.

'I do not want money,' answered the Arab; 'at the end of a year you
can see what my services are worth to you, and can pay me in any way
you like.' And the young man was pleased, and took the Arab for his
servant.

Now, although no one would have guessed it from the look of the side
of the island where the prince had landed, the other part was a
complete desert, owing to the ravages of a horrible monster which came
up from the sea, and devoured all the corn and cattle. The governor
had sent bands of soldiers to lie in wait for the creature in order to
kill it; but, somehow, no one ever happened to be awake at the moment
that the ravages were committed. It was in vain that the sleepy
soldiers were always punished severely--the same thing invariably
occurred next time; and at last heralds were sent throughout the
island to offer a great reward to the man who could slay the monster.

As soon as the Arab heard the news, he went straight to the governor's
palace.

'If my master can succeed in killing the monster, what reward will you
give him?' asked he.

'My daughter and anything besides that he chooses,' answered the
governor. But the Arab shook his head.

'Give him your daughter and keep your wealth,' said he; 'but,
henceforward, let her share in your gains, whatever they are.'

'It is well,' replied the governor; and ordered a deed to be prepared,
which was signed by both of them.

That night the Arab stole down to the shore to watch, but, before he
set out, he rubbed himself all over with some oil which made his skin
smart so badly that there was no chance of _his_ going to sleep as the
soldiers had done. Then he hid himself behind a large rock and waited.
By-and-by a swell seemed to rise on the water, and, a few minutes
later, a hideous monster--part bird, part beast, and part
serpent--stepped noiselessly on to the rocks. It walked stealthily up
towards the fields, but the Arab was ready for it, and, as it passed,
plunged his dagger into the soft part behind the ear. The creature
staggered and gave a loud cry, and t