yet to ask of you; after
which, I shall expect nothing more from your obedience, nor your
interest with your wife. This request is, to bring me a man not
above a foot and a half high, whose beard is thirty feet long,
who carries upon his shoulders a bar of iron of five hundred
weight, which he uses as a quarter-staff, and who can speak."

Prince Ahmed, who did not believe that there was such a man in
the world as his father had described, would gladly have excused
himself; but the sultan persisted in his demand, and told him the
fairy could do more incredible things.

Next day the prince returned to the subterraneous kingdom of
Perie Banou, to whom he related his father's new demand, which,
he said, he looked upon to be a thing more impossible than the
two first. "For," added he, "I cannot imagine there is or can be
such a man in the world; without doubt he has a mind to try
whether I am silly enough to search, or if there is such a man he
seeks my ruin. In short, how can we suppose that I should lay
hold of a man so small, armed as he describes? what arms can I
use to reduce him to submission? If there are any means, I beg
you will tell me how I may come off with honour this time also."

"Do not alarm yourself, prince," replied the fairy: "you ran a
risk in fetching the water of the fountain of the lions for your
father; but there is no danger in finding this man. It is my
brother Schaibar, who is so far from being like me, though we
both had the same father, that he is of so violent a nature, that
nothing can prevent his giving bloody marks of his resentment for
a slight offence; yet, on the other hand, is so liberal as to
oblige any one in whatever they desire. He is made exactly as the
sultan your father has described him; and has no other arms than
a bar of iron of five hundred pounds weight, without which he
never stirs, and which makes him respected. I will send for him,
and you shall judge of the truth of what I tell you; but prepare
yourself not to be alarmed at his extraordinary figure." "What!
my queen," replied prince Ahmed, "do you say Schaibar is your
brother? Let him be ever so ugly or deformed I shall be so far
from being frightened at his appearance, that I shall love and
honour him, and consider him as my nearest relation."

The fairy ordered a gold chafing-dish to be set with a fire in it
under the porch of her palace, with a box of the same metal: out
of the latter she took some incense, and th