ght,
reflected a gloomy horror upon their despairing faces. Urad shuddered
at the sight of them, though so well concealed, and dared hardly peep
out of her hole--so difficult is it to forget our former fears. The
gang resolved to spend the rest of the night in that place, and
therefore unloaded their wallets, and spread their wine and provisions
on the banks of the spring, grumbling and cursing each other all the
time for their unfortunate search.

Urad heard them lamenting their ill fortune with the utmost horror and
indignation, and praised continually the gracious Allah who had
rescued her from such inhuman wretches; while they with singing and
drinking spent the greatest part of the night, and wishing that their
comrades in the other part of the forest had been with them; at length
falling into drunkenness and sleep, they left the world to silence and
peace.

Urad, finding them fast asleep, crawled out of her hole, and going to
the first, she stung him in each eye, and thus she went round to them
all.

The poison of the little pismire working in their eyes, in a short
time occasioned them to awake in the utmost tortures; and perceiving
they were blind, and feeling the pain, they each supposed his
neighbour had blinded him in order to get away with the booty. This so
enraged them that, feeling about, they fell upon one another, and in a
short time almost the whole gang was demolished.

Urad beheld with astonishment the effect of her stings, and at a wish
resumed her pristine form, saying at the same time to herself, "I now
perceive that Providence is able by the most insignificant means to
work the greatest purposes."

Continuing her journey through the forest, she was terribly afraid of
meeting with the second band of robbers, and therefore she directed
her steps with the greatest caution and circumspection.

As she walked forward, and cast her eyes all around, and stopped at
every motion of the wind, she saw the son of Houadir coming to meet
her in the path in which she was travelling.

At this sight Urad ran toward him, and with joy begged her old
governess would unmask herself, and entertain her with instruction and
persuasion.

"No, my dear child," answered the son of Houadir, "that I cannot do at
present; the time is not as yet come. I will first, as you have been
tried, lead you to the palace of the Genii of the Forest, and present
your unspotted innocence before them; for, O my sweet Urad, my
heav