Chapter XXXI: Part 31

After queen Gulnare had received them with all imaginable honour, and made them sit down upon a sofa, the queen her mother addressed herself to her: Daughter, said she, I am overjoyed to see you again after so long an absence; and I am confident that your brother and your relations are no less so. Your leaving us without acquainting any body with it, involved us in inexpressible concern; and it is impossible to tell you how many tears we have shed upon that account. We know of no other reason that could induce you to take such a surprising resolution, but what your brother told us of the conversation that passed between him and you. The advice he gave you seemed to him at that time very advantageous for settling you handsomely in the world, and very suitable to the then posture of our affairs. If you had not approved of his proposal, you ought not to have been so much alarmed; and, give me leave to tell you, you took the thing in a quite different light from what you ought to have done. But no more of this discourse; it serves only to renew the occasion of our sorrow and complaint, which we and you ought to bury for ever in oblivion: give us now an account of all that has happened to you since we saw you last, and of your present situation; but especially let us know if you are satisfied.

Queen Gulnare immediately threw herself at her mother’s feet; and after rising and kissing her hand, Madam, said she, I own I have been guilty of a very great fault, and I am indebted to your goodness for the pardon which you are pleased to grant me. What I am going to say, in obedience to your commands, will soon convince you, that it is very often in vain for us to have an aversion for certain measures, I have myself experienced, that the only thing I had an abhorrence to, is just that to which my destiny has led me. She related the whole of what had befallen her since she quitted the sea in a violent passion for the earth. As soon as she had made an end, and had acquainted them with her having been sold to the king of Persia, in whose palace she was at present; Sister, said the king her brother, you have been very much to blame to suffer so many indignities, but you can blame nobody but yourself; you have it in your power now to free yourself; and I cannot but admire your patience, that you could endure so long a slavery. Rise, and return with us into my kingdom, that I have reconquered from the proud usurper who had made himself master of it.

The king of Persia, who heard these words from the closet where he stood, was in the utmost alarm. Ah! said he to himself. I am ruined; and if my queen, my Gulnare, hearkens to this advice, and leaves me, I shall surely die; for it is impossible for me to live without her, and they want to deprive me of her. Queen Gulnare soon put him out of his fears.

Brother, said she smiling, what I have just now heard gives me a greater proof than ever I had of the sincerity of your friendship for me: I could not brook your proposing to me a match with a prince of the earth; now I can scarce forbear being angry with you for advising me to break the engagement I have made with the most puissant and most renowned monarch in the world. I do not speak here of any engagement between a slave and her master; it would be easy to return the ten thousand pieces of gold that I cost him; but I speak now of a contract between a wife and a husband, and a wife who has not the least reason to complain. He is a religious, wise, and temperate king, and has given me the most essential demonstrations of his love. What can be a greater instance of the violence of his passion, than sending away all his women (of which he had a great number) immediately upon my arrival, and confining himself only to me? I am now his wife, and he has lately declared me queen of Persia, to share with him in his councils; besides, I am pregnant, and if Heaven permits me to give him a son, that will be another motive to engage my affections to him the more.

So that, brother, continued the queen Gulnare, instead of following your advice, you see I have all the reason in the world, not only to love the king of Persia as passionately as he loves me, but also to live and die with him, more out of gratitude than duty. I hope then neither my mother, nor you, nor any of my cousins, will disapprove of the resolution or the alliance I have made, which will be an equal honour to the kings of the sea and earth. Excuse me for giving you the trouble of coming hither from the bottom of the deep, to communicate it to you, and for the pleasure of seeing you after so long a separation.

Sister, replied king Saleh, the proposal I made you of going back with us into my kingdom, upon the recital of your adventures, (which I could not hear without concern,) was only to let you see how much we all love you, and how much I in particular honour you, and that nothing in the world is so dear to me as your happiness. Upon the same account then, for my own part, I cannot condemn a resolution so reasonable and so worthy of yourself, after what you have told us of the king of Persia, your husband, and the great obligations you have to him; and I am persuaded that the queen our mother will be of the same opinion.

The queen confirmed what her son had just spoken, and addressing herself to queen Gulnare, said, I am very glad to hear you are pleased; and I have nothing else to add to what your brother has just said to you. I should have been the first to have condemned you, if you had not expressed all the gratitude you owe to a monarch that loves you so passionately, and has done such great things for you.

As the king of Persia, who was still in the closet, had been extremely concerned for fear of losing his beloved queen, so now he was transported with joy at her resolution never to forsake him; and having no room to doubt of her love after so open a declaration, he began to love her more than ever, and resolved to express his gratitude in every possible way.

While the king was indulging incredible pleasure, queen Gulnare clapped her hands, and presently in came some of her slaves, whom she had ordered to bring in a collation; as soon as it was served up, she invited the queen her mother, the king her brother, and her cousins, to sit down and take part of it. They began to reflect, that without asking leave, they were got into the palace of a mighty king, who had never seen nor heard of them, and that it would be a great piece of rudeness to eat at his table without him. This reflection raised a blush in their faces, and in their emotion their eyes glowing like fire, they breathed flames at their mouths and nostrils.

This unexpected sight put the king of Persia, who was totally ignorant of the cause of it, into a dreadful consternation. Queen Gulnare suspecting this, and understanding the intention of her relations, rose from her seat, and told them she would be back in a moment. She went directly to the closet, and by her presence recovered the king of Persia from his surprise. Sir, said she, I doubt not but that your majesty is well pleased with the acknowledgment I have lately made of the many favours for which I am indebted to you. I might have complied with the wishes of my relations, and gone back with them into their dominions; but I am not capable of such ingratitude, for which I should have been the first to have condemned myself. Ah! my queen, cried the king of Persia, speak no more of your obligations to me; you have none: I am under so great to you, that I shall never be able to repay or express them. I never thought it possible you could have loved me so tenderly as you do, and as you have made appear to me in the most expressive manner. Ah! sir, replied the queen Gulnare, could I do less than I have done? I fear I have not done enough, considering all the honours that your majesty has heaped upon me; and it is impossible for me to remain insensible of your love, after so many convincing proofs as you have given me.

But sir, continued queen Gulnare, let us drop this, and give me leave to assure you of the sincere friendship that the queen my mother, and the king my brother, are pleased to honour you with; they earnestly desire to see you, and tell you so themselves; I intended to have some conversation with them by ordering a banquet for them, before I introduced them to your majesty, but they are very impatient to pay their respects to you; and therefore I desire your majesty would be pleased to walk in, and honour them with your presence.

Madam, said the king of Persia, I should be very glad to salute persons that have the honour to be so nearly related to you, but I am afraid of the flames that they breathe at their mouths and nostrils. Sir, replied the queen, laughing, you need not in the least be afraid of those flames, which are nothing but a sign of their unwillingness to eat in your palace, without your honouring them with your presence, and eating with them.

The king of Persia, encouraged by these words, rose up, and went into the chamber with his queen Gulnare. She presented him to the queen her mother, to the king her brother, and to her other relations, who instantly threw themselves at his feet, with their faces to the ground. The king of Persia ran to them, and lifting them up, embraced them one after another. After they were all seated, king Saleh began: Sir, said he to the king of Persia, we are at a loss for words to express our joy, to think that the queen my sister, in her disgrace, should have the happiness of falling under the protection of so powerful a monarch. We can assure you she is not unworthy of the high rank you have been pleased to raise her to; and we have always had so much love and tenderness for her, that we could never think of parting with her to any of the puissant princes of the sea, who have often demanded her in marriage before she came of age. Heaven has reserved her for you, sir, and we have no better way of returning thanks to it for the favour it has done her, than beseeching it to grant your majesty a long and happy life with her, and to crown you with prosperity and satisfaction.

Certainly, replied the king of Persia, Heaven reserved her purely for me, as you observe. I love her with so tender and violent a passion, that I am satisfied I never loved any woman till I saw her. I cannot sufficiently thank either the queen her mother, or you, prince, or your whole family, for the generosity with which you have consented to receive me into an alliance so glorious to me as yours. So saying, he invited them to take part of the collation, and he and his queen sat down at the table with them. After the collation was over, the king of Persia conversed with them till it was very late; and when they thought it convenient to retire, he waited upon them himself to the several apartments he had ordered to be prepared for them.

The king of Persia treated his illustrious guests with continual feasts; in which he omitted nothing that might show his grandeur and magnificence, and insensibly prevailed with them to stay with him till the queen was brought to bed. When the time of her lying-in drew near, he gave particular orders that nothing should be wanting that was necessary upon such an occasion. At night she was brought to bed of a son, to the great joy of the queen her mother, who assisted at the labour; and as soon as he was dressed in swaddling-clothes, which were very magnificent, went and presented him to the king.

The king of Persia received this present with a joy easier to be imagined than expressed. The young prince being of a beautiful countenance, he thought no name so proper for him as that of _Beder_, which in the Arabian language signifies the _Full Moon_. To return thanks to Heaven, he was very liberal in his alms to the poor, and caused the prison doors to be set open, and gave all his slaves of both sexes their liberty. He distributed vast sums among the ministers and holy men of his religion. He also gave large donations to his courtiers, besides a great deal that was thrown amongst the people; and by proclamation ordered rejoicing for several days to be kept through the whole city.

One day, after the queen was up again, as the king of Persia, queen Gulnare herself, the queen her mother, king Saleh, her brother, and the princesses their relations, were discoursing together in her majesty’s bedchamber, the nurse came in with the young prince Beder in her arms. King Saleh no sooner saw him, but he ran to embrace him; and taking him in his arms, fell to kissing and caressing him with the greatest demonstration of tenderness. He took several turns with him about the room, dancing and tossing him about, when all of a sudden, through a transport of joy, the window being open, he sprung out, and plunged with him into the sea.

The king of Persia, who expected no such sight, set up a hideous cry, verily believing he should either see the dear prince his son no more, or else that he should see him drowned; he was like to have died of grief and affliction. Sir, said queen Gulnare, (with a quiet and undisturbed countenance, the better to comfort him,) let your majesty fear nothing; the young prince is my son as well as yours, and I do not love him less than you do. You see I am not alarmed; neither in truth ought I to be so. He runs no risk, and you will soon see the king his uncle appear with him again, and bring him back safe and sound. Although he was born of your blood, he is equally of mine, and will have the same advantage his uncle and I have, of living equally in the sea and upon the land. The queen his mother, and the princesses his relations, confirmed the same thing; yet all they said had no effect on the king’s fright, from which he could not recover till he saw prince Beder appear again before him.

The sea at length became troubled, when immediately king Saleh arose with the young prince in his arms, and holding him up in the air, he re-entered at the same window he went out at. The king of Persia being overjoyed to see prince Beder again, and astonished that he was as calm as before he lost sight of him; king Saleh said, Sir, was not your majesty in a great fright, when you first saw me plunge into the sea with the prince my nephew? Alas! prince, answered the king of Persia, I cannot express my concern. I thought him lost from that very moment, and you now restore life to me by bringing him again. I thought as much, replied king Saleh, though you had not the least reason to apprehend any danger; for, before I plunged into the sea with him, I pronounced over him certain mysterious words which were engraven on the seal of the great Solomon, the son of David. We practise the like in relation to all those children that are born in the regions at the bottom of the sea, by virtue whereof they receive the same privileges that we have over those people who inhabit the earth. From what your majesty has observed, you may easily see what advantage your son prince Beder has acquired by his birth on the part of his mother, queen Gulnare my sister, for as long as he lives, and as often as he pleases, he will be at liberty to plunge into the sea, and traverse the vast empires it contains in its bosom.

Having so spoke, king Saleh, who had restored prince Beder to his nurse’s arms, opened a box he had fetched from his palace in the little time he had disappeared, which was filled with three hundred diamonds, as large as pigeons’ eggs, a like number of rubies of extraordinary size, as many emerald wands, each half a foot long, and with thirty strings or necklaces of pearl, consisting each of ten feet. Sir, said he to the king of Persia, presenting him with this box, when I was first summoned by the queen my sister, I knew not what part of the earth she was in, or that she had the honour to be married to so great a monarch. This made us come empty-handed. As we cannot express how much we have been obliged to your majesty, I beg you to accept this small token of gratitude in acknowledgment of the many particular favours you have been pleased to show her, wherein we take equal interest.

It is impossible to express how greatly the king of Persia was surprised at the sight of so much riches, inclosed in so little compass. What! prince, cried he, do you call so inestimable a present a small token of your gratitude, when you never have been indebted to me? I declare once more, you have never been in the least obliged to me, neither the queen your mother, nor you. I esteem myself but too happy in the consent you have given to the alliance I have contracted with you. Madam, continued he, turning to Gulnare, the king your brother has put me into the greatest confusion; and I would beg of him to permit me to refuse his present, were I not afraid of disobliging him: do you therefore endeavour to obtain his leave that I may be excused accepting it.

Sir, replied king Saleh, I am not at all surprised that your majesty thinks this present so extraordinary. I know you are not accustomed upon earth to see precious stones of this quality and quantity; but if you knew, as I do, the mines whence these jewels were taken, and that it is in my power to form a treasure greater than those of all the kings of the earth, you would wonder we should have the boldness to make you a present of so small a value. I beseech you, therefore, not to regard it in that respect, but on account of the sincere friendship which obliges us to offer it to you, and not give us the mortification of refusing it. These engaging expressions obliged the king of Persia to accept the present; for which he returned many thanks both to king Saleh and the queen his mother.

A few days after, king Saleh gave the king of Persia to understand, that the queen his mother, the princesses his relations, and himself, could have no greater pleasure than to spend their whole lives at his court; but that having been so long absent from their own kingdom, where their presence was absolutely necessary, he begged of him not to take it ill if they took leave of him and queen Gulnare. The king of Persia assured them he was very sorry that it was not in his power to return their visit in their own dominions; but added, As I am verily persuaded you will not forget queen Gulnare, but come and see her now and then, I hope I shall have the honour to see you again more than once.

Many tears were shed on both sides upon their separation. King Saleh departed first, but the queen his mother, and the princesses his relations, were fain to force themselves, in a manner, from the embraces of queen Gulnare, who could not prevail with herself to let them go. This royal company were no sooner out of sight, but the king of Persia said to queen Gulnare, Madam, I should have looked upon the person that had pretended to pass those upon me for true wonders, of which I myself have been eye-witness from the time I have been honoured with your illustrious family at my court, as one who would have abused my credulity. But I cannot refuse to believe my own eyes, and shall remember it as long as I live, and never cease to bless heaven for directing you to me, in preference to any other prince.

Young prince Beder was brought up and educated in the palace, under the care of the king and queen of Persia, who both saw him grow and increase in beauty, to their great satisfaction. He gave them yet greater pleasure as he advanced in years, by his continual sprightliness, by his agreeable manners, and by the justness and vivacity of his wit in whatever he said; and this satisfaction was the more sensible, because king Saleh his uncle, the queen his grandmother, and the princesses his relations, came from time to time to partake of it.

He was easily taught to read and write, and was instructed with the same facility in all the sciences that became a prince of his rank.

When he arrived at the age of fifteen, he acquitted himself in all his exercises with infinitely better address and grace than his masters. He was withal very wise and prudent. The king, who had almost from his cradle discovered in him these virtues, so necessary for a monarch, and who moreover began to perceive the infirmities of old age coming upon himself every day, would not stay till death gave him possession of his throne, but purposed to resign it to him. He had no great difficulty to make his council consent to it; and the people heard this resolution with so much the more joy, as they conceived prince Beder worthy to govern them. In a word, as the king had not for a long time appeared in public, they had all the opportunity to observe he had not that disdainful, proud, and crabbed air, which most princes have, who look upon all below them with scorn and contempt. They saw, on the contrary, that he treated all mankind with that goodness which invited them to approach him; that he heard favourably all who had any thing to say to him; that he answered every body with a goodness that was peculiar to him; and that he refused nobody any thing that had the least appearance of justice.

The day for the ceremony was appointed; when, in the midst of the whole assembly, which was then more numerous than ordinary, the king of Persia then sitting on his throne, came down from it, took the crown from off his head, put it on that of prince Beder, and having seated him in his place, kissed his hand, as a token that he resigned his authority to him. After which he took his place among the crowd of viziers and emirs below the throne.

Hereupon the viziers, emirs, and other principal officers, came immediately and threw themselves at the new king’s feet, taking each the oath of fidelity according to their rank. Then the grand vizier made a report of divers important matters, on which the young king gave judgment with that admirable prudence and sagacity, that surprised all the council. He next turned out several governors convicted of mal-administration, and put others in their room, with that wonderful and just discernment, as exacted the acclamations of every body; which were so much the more honourable, as flattery had no share in them. He at length left the council, accompanied by the late king his father, and went to wait on his mother, queen Gulnare, at her apartment. The queen no sooner saw him coming with his crown upon his head, but she ran to him, and embraced him with a great deal of tenderness, wishing him a long and prosperous reign.

The first year of his reign king Beder acquitted himself of all his royal functions with great assiduity. Above all, he took care to inform himself of the state of his affairs, and all that might in any way contribute towards the happiness of his people. Next year, having left the administration to his council, under the direction of the old king his father, he went out of his capital city, under pretence of diverting himself with hunting; but his real intention was to visit all the provinces of his kingdom, that he might reform all abuses there, establish good order and discipline every where, and take from all ill-minded princes, his neighbours, any opportunities of attempting any thing against the security and tranquillity of his subjects, by showing himself on his frontiers.

It required no less than a whole year for this young king to execute a design so worthy of him. Soon after his return, the old king his father fell so dangerously ill, that he knew at once he should never recover. He waited for his last moment with great tranquillity, and his only care was to recommend to the ministers, and other lords of his son’s court, to persevere in the fidelity they had sworn to him; and there was not one but willingly renewed his oath as freely as at first. He died, at length, to the great grief of king Beder and queen Gulnare, who caused his corpse to be borne to a stately mausoleum, worthy of his rank and dignity.

The funeral obsequies ended, king Beder found no difficulty to comply with that ancient custom in Persia to mourn for the dead a whole month, and not to be seen by any body during all that time. He had mourned the death of his father his whole life, had he hearkened to his excessive affliction, and had it been right for a great prince thus to abandon himself to it. During this interval, the queen, mother to queen Gulnare, and king Saleh, together with the princesses their relations, arrived at the Persian court, and took a great part of their affliction, before they offered any consolation.

When the month was expired, the king could not refuse admittance to the grand vizier and the other lords of his court, who besought him to lay aside his mourning, to show himself to his subjects, and take upon him the administration of affairs as before.

He showed so great reluctance to their request, that the grand vizier was forced to take upon him to say to him, Sir, it were needless to represent to your majesty, that it belongs only to women to persist in perpetual mourning. We doubt not but you are fully convinced of that, and that it is not your intention to follow their example. Neither our tears nor yours are capable of restoring life to the good king your father, though we should lament him all our days. He has undergone the common law of all men, which subjects them to pay the indispensable tribute of death. Yet we cannot say absolutely that he is dead, since we see him in your sacred person. He did not himself doubt, when he was dying, but he should revive in you; and to your majesty it belongs to show that he was not deceived.

King Beder could no longer oppose such pressing instances: he laid aside his mourning habit immediately; and, after he had resumed the royal habit and ornaments, he began to provide for the necessities of his kingdom and subjects with the same assiduity as before his father’s death. He acquitted himself with universal approbation; and as he was exact in maintaining the ordinances of his predecessor, the people did not perceive they had changed their sovereign.

King Saleh, who was returned to his dominions in the sea with the queen his mother and the princesses, no sooner saw that king Beder had resumed the government, but he, at the end of the year, came alone to visit him; and king Beder and queen Gulnare were overjoyed to see him. One evening, when they rose from table, they talked of various matters.

King Saleh fell insensibly on the praises of the king his nephew, and expressed to the queen his sister how glad he was to see him govern so prudently, which had acquired him so great reputation, not only among his neighbours, but more remote princes. King Beder, who could not bear to hear himself so well spoken of, and not being willing, through good manners, to interrupt the king his uncle, turned on one side, and feigned to be asleep, leaning his head against a cushion that was behind him.

From these commendations, which regarded only the wonderful conduct and surprising genius of king Beder, king Saleh came to speak of the perfections of his body, which he extolled as prodigies, having nothing equal to them upon earth, or in all the kingdoms under the waters, with which he was acquainted.

Sister, said he, in an ecstacy, he is so handsome, as you well know, I wonder you have not thought of marrying him ere this: if I mistake not, he is in his twentieth year; and, at that age, no prince like him ought to be suffered to be without a wife. I will think of a match for him myself, since you will not, and marry him to some princess of our lower world, that may be worthy of him.

Brother, replied queen Gulnare, you call to my remembrance a thing, which I must own I have never thought of to this very moment. As he never discovered any inclination for marriage, I never thought of mentioning it to him; and I am glad you have spoken of it to me. I like your proposing one of our princesses; and I desire you to name one so beautiful and accomplished, that the king my son may be obliged to love her.

I know one that will suit, replied king Saleh, softly; but before I tell you who she is, let us see if the king my nephew be asleep or not, and I will tell you afterwards why it is necessary we should take that precaution. Queen Gulnare turned about and looked upon her son, and thought she had no reason to doubt but he was in a profound sleep. King Beder, nevertheless, far from sleeping, redoubled his attention, unwilling to lose any thing the king his uncle said with so much secrecy. There is no necessity for your speaking so low, said the queen to the king her brother; you may speak out with freedom, without fear of being heard.

It is by no means proper, replied king Saleh, that the king my nephew should as yet have any knowledge of what I am going to say. Love, you know, sometimes enters at the ear; and it is not necessary he should thus conceive a passion for this lady I am about to name. Indeed I see many difficulties to be surmounted, not on the lady’s part, as I hope, but on that of her father. --I need only mention to you the princess Giauhara, [91] daughter of the king of Samandal.

How! brother, replied queen Gulnare, is not the princess Giauhara yet married? I remember to have seen her a little before I left your palace; she was then about eighteen months old, and surprisingly beautiful, and must needs be the wonder of the world, if her charms have increased equally with her years. The few years she is older than the king my son ought not to prevent us from doing our utmost to bring the match about. Let me but know the difficulties that are to be surmounted, and we will surmount them.

Sister, replied king Saleh, the greatest difficulty is, that the king of Samandal is insupportably vain, looking upon all others as his inferiors; it is not likely we shall easily get him to enter into this alliance. For my part, I will go to him in person, and demand of him the princess his daughter; and, in case he refuses her, we will address ourselves elsewhere, where we shall be more favourably heard. For this reason, as you may perceive, added he, it is as well for the king my nephew not to know any thing of our design, till we have got the consent of the king of Samandal, lest he should fall in love with the princess Giauhara, and we afterwards not be able to obtain her for him. They discoursed a little longer upon this point, and before they parted, agreed that king Saleh should forthwith return to his own dominions, and demand the princess Giauhara of the king of Samandal her father, for the king of Persia his nephew.

This done, queen Gulnare and king Saleh, who verily believed king Beder asleep, agreed to awake him before they retired; and he dissembled so well, that he seemed to wake from a profound sleep. He had heard every word they said, and the character they gave of the princess Giauhara had inflamed his heart with a new passion. He had conceived such an idea of her beauty, that the desire of possessing her made him pass the night very uneasy, without closing his eyes.

Next day king Saleh would take leave of queen Gulnare and the king his nephew. The young king, who knew the king his uncle would not have departed so soon but to go and promote without loss of time his happiness, changed colour when he heard him mention his departure. His passion was become so violent, it would not suffer him to wait so long time for the sight of his mistress as would be required to accomplish the marriage. He more than once resolved to desire his uncle to bring her away with him: but as he did not care to let the queen his mother understand he knew any thing of what had passed, he desired him only to stay with him one day more, that they might hunt together, intending to take an opportunity to discover his mind to him.

The day for hunting was set, and king Beder had many opportunities of being alone with his uncle to declare his mind to him; but he had not the courage to open his mouth to acquaint him with his design.

In the heat of the chase, when king Saleh was separated from him, and not one of his officers and attendants were near him, he alighted near a rivulet; and having tied his horse to a tree, which, with several others growing along the banks, afforded a very pleasing shade, he laid himself down on the grass, and gave free course to his tears, which flowed in great abundance, accompanied with many sighs. He remained a good while in this condition, absorbed in thought, without speaking a word.

King Saleh, in the mean time, missing the king his nephew, began to be much concerned to know what was become of him; but could meet no one who could give any tidings of him. He therefore left his company to go in search of him, and at length perceived him at a distance. He had observed the day before, and more plainly that day, that he was not so lively as he used to be; that he was more pensive than ordinary; and that, if he was asked a question, he either answered not at all, or nothing to the purpose; but he never in the least suspected the cause of all this alteration. As soon as he saw him lying in that disconsolate posture, he immediately guessed he had not only heard what passed between him and queen Gulnare, but was become passionately in love. He hereupon alighted at some distance from him, and having tied his horse to a tree, took a compass, and came upon him so softly, that he heard him pronounce the following words:

Amiable princess of the kingdom of Samandal, cried he aloud, I have no doubt had but an imperfect sketch of your incomparable beauty; I hold you to be still more beautiful in preference to all the princesses in the world, and to excel them as much as the sun does the moon and stars. I would this moment go and offer you my heart, if I knew where to find you: it belongs to you, and no princess shall be possessor of it but you.

King Saleh would hear no more; he advanced immediately, and discovered himself to king Beder. From what I see, nephew, said he, you heard what the queen your mother and I said the other day of the princess Giauhara. It was not our intention you should have known any thing, and we thought you were asleep. My dear uncle, replied king Beder, I heard every word, and have sufficiently experienced the effect you foretold; which it was not in your power to prevent. I detained you on purpose to acquaint you with my love before your departure; but the shame to disclose to you my weakness, if it be any to love a princess so worthy of my love, sealed up my mouth. I beseech you, then, by the friendship you profess for a prince who has the honour to be so nearly allied to you, that you would pity me, and not wait to procure me the consent of the divine Giauhara, till you have gained the consent of the king of Samandal that I may marry his daughter, unless you had rather see me die with love for her, before I have a sight of her.

These words of the king of Persia greatly embarrassed king Saleh. He represented to him how difficult it was to give him the satisfaction he desired, and that he could not well do it without carrying him along with him; which might be of dangerous consequence, since his presence was so absolutely necessary in his kingdom. He conjured him, therefore, to moderate his passion, till such time as he had put things into a train to satisfy him, assuring him he would use his utmost diligence, and would come to acquaint him in a few days. But these reasons were not sufficient to satisfy the king of Persia. Cruel uncle, said he, I find you do not love me so much as you pretended, and that you had rather see me die than grant the first request I ever made you.

I am ready to convince your majesty, replied king Saleh, that I would do any thing to serve you; but as for carrying you along with me, I cannot do that till I have spoken to the queen your mother. What would she say of you and me? If she consents, I am ready to do all you would have me, and I will join my entreaties to yours. You cannot be ignorant, replied the king of Persia, that the queen my mother would never willingly part with me; and therefore, this excuse of yours does but farther convince me of your unkindness. If you do realty love me, as you would have me to believe you do, you must return to your kingdom immediately, and carry me along with you.

King Saleh, finding himself obliged to yield to his nephew’s importunity, drew from his finger a ring, on which were engraven the same mysterious names of God that were upon Solomon’s seal, that had wrought so many wonders by their virtue. Here, take this ring, said he, put it upon your finger, and fear neither the waters of the sea, nor their depth. The king of Persia took the ring, and when he had put it on his finger, king Saleh said to him, Do as I do. At the same time they both mounted lightly up into the air, and made towards the sea, which was not far distant, whereinto they plunged.

The sea-king was not long getting to his palace, with the king of Persia, whom he immediately carried to the queen’s apartment, and presented him to her. The king of Persia kissed the queen his grandmother’s hands, and she embraced him with great demonstrations of joy. I do not ask you how you do, said she to him; I see you are very well, and I am rejoiced at it; but I desire to know how my daughter, your mother, queen Gulnare, does? The king of Persia took great care not to let her know he came away without taking leave of her; on the contrary, he told her the queen his mother was in perfect health, and had enjoined him to pay her duty to her. Then the queen presented him to the princesses; and while he was in conversation with them, she left him and went with king Saleh into a closet, who told her how the king of Persia had fallen in love with the princess Giauhara, upon the bare relation of her beauty, and contrary to his intention; that he had brought him along with him, without being able to hinder it; and that he was going to concert measures to procure the princess for him in marriage.

Although king Saleh was, to do him justice, perfectly innocent of the king of Persia’s passion, yet the queen could hardly forgive his indiscretion in mentioning the princess Giauhara before him. Your imprudence is not to be forgiven, said she to him: can you think that the king of Samandal, whose character is so well known, will have greater consideration for you, than the many kings he has refused his daughter to, with such evident contempt? would you have him send you away with the same confusion?

Madam, replied king Saleh, I have already told you it was contrary to my intention that the king my nephew heard what I related of the beauty of the princess Giauhara to the queen my sister. The fault is committed, and we must consider what a violent passion he has for this princess, and that he will die with grief and affliction, if we do not speedily use every possible means to obtain her for him. For my part, I shall omit nothing that can contribute to it, since I was, though innocently, the cause of the malady; I will therefore do all that I can to remedy it. I hope, madam, you will approve of my resolution, to go myself and wait upon the king of Samandal, with a rich present of precious stones, and demand the princess his daughter of him for the king of Persia your grandson. I have some reason to believe he will not refuse me, but will be pleased at an alliance with one of the greatest potentates of the earth.

It were to have been wished, replied the queen, that we had not been under a necessity of making this demand, since the success of our attempt is not so certain as we could desire; but since my grandson’s peace and content depend upon it, I freely give my consent to it. But, above all, I charge you, since you well know the humour of the king of Samandal, that you take care to speak to him with due respect and in a manner that cannot possibly offend him.

The queen prepared the present herself, composing it of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and strings of pearls; all which she put into a very neat and very rich box. Next morning king Saleh took leave of her majesty and the king of Persia, and departed with a chosen and small troop of officers, and other attendants. He soon arrived at the kingdom and the palace of the king of Samandal, who delayed not to give him audience immediately upon his arrival. He rose from his throne as soon as he perceived him; and king Saleh, forgetting his character for some moments, knowing whom he had to deal with, prostrated himself at his feet, wishing him the accomplishment of all his desires. The king of Samandal immediately stooped to take him up, and after he had placed him by him on his left hand, he told him he was welcome, and asked him if there was any thing he could do to serve him.

Sir, answered king Saleh, though I should have no other motive than that of paying my respects to the most potent, most prudent, and most valiant prince in the world, feeble would be my expressions how much I honour your majesty. Could you penetrate into my inmost soul, you would be convinced of the great veneration I have for you, and the ardent desire to testify my attachment. Having spoke these words, he took the box of jewels from one of his servants, and having opened it, presented it to the king, imploring him to accept of it for his sake.

Prince, replied the king of Samandal, you would not make me such a present without you had a request proportionable to it to propose. If there be any thing in my power, you may freely command it, and I shall feel the greatest pleasure in granting it. Speak, and tell me frankly wherein I can serve you.

I must own ingenuously, replied king Saleh, I have a boon to ask of your majesty; and I shall take care to ask nothing but what is in your power to grant. The thing depends so absolutely on yourself, that it would be to no purpose to ask it of any other. I ask it then with all possible earnestness, and I beg of you not to refuse it me. If it be so, replied the king of Samandal, you have nothing to do but acquaint me what it is, and you shall see after what manner I can oblige when it is in my power.

Sir, said king Saleh, after the confidence your majesty has been pleased to encourage me to put in your good-will, I will not dissemble any longer, that I came to beg of you to honour our house with your alliance by the marriage of your honourable daughter the princess Giauhara, and to strengthen the good understanding that has so long subsisted between our two crowns.

At these words the king of Samandal burst out a laughing, falling back in his throne against a cushion that supported him, and with an imperious and scornful air, said to king Saleh, King Saleh, I have always hitherto thought you a prince of great sense, wisdom, and prudence; but what you say convinces me how much I was mistaken. Tell me, I beseech you, where was your wit or discretion, when you formed to yourself so great a chimera as you have but now proposed to me? Could you conceive a thought only of aspiring in marriage to a princess, the daughter of so great and powerful a king as I am? You ought to have considered better beforehand the great distance between us, and not run the risk of losing in a moment the esteem I always had for your person.

King Saleh was extremely nettled at this affronting answer, and had much ado to restrain his resentment; however, he replied with all possible moderation, God reward your majesty as you deserve! I have the honour to inform you, I do not demand the princess your daughter in marriage for myself: had I done so, your majesty and the princess ought to have been so far from being offended, that you should have thought it an honour done to both. Your majesty well knows I am one of the kings of the sea as well as yourself; that the kings my ancestors yield not in antiquity to any other royal families; and that the kingdom I inherit from them is no less potent and flourishing than it has ever been. If your majesty had not interrupted me, you had soon understood that the favour I ask of you was not for myself, but for the young king of Persia my nephew, whose power and grandeur, no less than his personal good qualities, cannot be unknown to you. Every body acknowledges the princess Giauhara to be the most beautiful person under heaven: but it is no less true, that the young king of Persia my nephew, is the best made and most accomplished prince on the land. Thus the favour that is asked being likely to redound both to the honour of your majesty and the princess your daughter, you ought not to doubt that your consent to an alliance so equal will be unanimously approved in all the kingdoms of the sea. The princess is worthy of the king of Persia, and the king of Persia is no less worthy of her. No king or prince in the world can dispute her with him.

The king of Samandal had not let king Saleh go on so long after this rate, had not the rage he put him in deprived him of all power of speech. He was some time longer before he could find his tongue, so much was he transported with passion. At length, however, he broke out into outrageous and injurious expressions, unworthy of a great king. Dog! cried he, dare you talk to me after this manner, and so much as mention my daughter’s name in my presence? Can you think the son of your sister Gulnare worthy to come in competition with my daughter? Who are you? Who was your father? Who is your sister? And who your nephew? Was not his father a dog, and a son of a dog, like you? Guards, seize the insolent wretch, and cut off his head!

The few officers that were about the king of Samandal were immediately going to obey his orders, when king Saleh, who was in the flower of his age, nimble and vigorous, got from them, before they could draw their sabres; and having reached the palace-gate, he there found a thousand men of his relations and friends, well armed and equipped, who were just arrived. The queen his mother having considered the small number of attendants he took with him, and moreover foreseeing the bad reception he would probably have from the king of Samandal, had sent these troops to protect and defend him in case of danger, ordering them to make haste. Those of his relations who were at the head of this troop had reason to rejoice at their seasonable arrival, when they beheld him and his attendants come running in great disorder, and pursued. Sire, cried his friends, the moment he joined them, what is the matter? We are ready to revenge you: you need only command us.

King Saleh related his case to them in as few words as he could, and putting himself at the head of a large troop, he, while some seized on the gates, re-entered the palace as before. The few officers and guards who had pursued him, being soon dispersed, he re-entered the king of Samandal’s apartment, who, being abandoned by his attendants, was soon seized. King Saleh left sufficient guards to secure his person, and then went from apartment to apartment, to search after the princess Giauhara. But that princess, on the first alarm, had, together with her women, sprung up to the surface of the sea, and escaped to the desert island.

While this passed in the palace of the king of Samandal, those of king Saleh’s attendants who had fled at the first menaces of that king, put the queen mother into terrible consternation, upon relating the danger her son was in. King Beder, who was by at that time, was the more concerned, in that he looked upon himself as the principal author of all the mischief that might ensue: therefore, not caring to abide the queen’s presence any longer, he, while she was giving the orders necessary at that conjuncture, darted up from the bottom of the sea; and, not knowing how to find his way to the kingdom of Persia, he happened to light on the same island where the princess Giauhara had saved herself.