hairs, and by pronouncing three
or four words, changed it into a sharp sword, with which she cut
the lion in two through the middle.

The two parts of the lion disappeared, while the head changed
into a large scorpion. Immediately the princess turned herself
into a serpent, and fought the scorpion, who, finding himself
worsted, took the shape of an eagle, and flew away: but the
serpent at the same time took also the shape of an eagle, that
was black and much stronger, and pursued him, so that we lost
sight of them both.

Some time after they had disappeared, the ground opened before
us, and out of it came forth a black and white cat, with her hair
standing on end, and mewing in a frightful manner; a black wolf
followed close after her, and gave her no time to rest. The cat,
being thus hard pressed, changed into a worm, and being near a
pomegranate accidentally fallen from a tree on the side of a
canal which was deep, but not broad, pierced the pomegranate in
an instant, and hid itself, but the pomegranate swelled
immediately, and became as big as a gourd, which, mounting up to
the roof of the gallery, rolled there for some time backward and
forward; it then fell down again into the court, and broke into
several pieces.

The wolf had in the meanwhile transformed itself into a cock, and
now fell to picking up the seeds of the pomegranate one after
another; but finding no more, he came towards us with his wings
spread, making a great noise, as if he would ask us whether there
were any more seed. There was one lying on the brink of the
canal, which the cock perceiving as he went back, ran speedily
thither; but just as he was going to pick it up, the seed rolled
into the river, and turned into a little fish.

The cock leaped into the river, turned into a pike, and pursued
the small fish; they continued both under water above two hours,
and we knew not what was become of them, but suddenly we heard
terrible cries, which made us tremble, and a little while after
we saw the genie and princess all in flames. They threw flashes
of fire out of their mouths at each other, till they came to
close combat; then the two fires increased, with a thick burning
smoke which mounted so high that we had reason to apprehend it
would set the palace on fire. But we very soon had a more
pressing occasion of fear, for the genie having got loose from
the princess, came to the gallery where we stood, and blew flames
of fire upon us. We must