e excellencies I have heard from this faithful animal, if thou
canst deign to accept of the heart of Almurah, thy Sultan will be the
happiest of mankind; but I swear, by my unalterable will, that no
power on earth shall force or distress you."

"Oh," sighed Urad, "royal Sultan, you honour your poor slave too much;
yet happy should I be were Houadir here!"

As she spoke, the genius Houadir entered the room: the face of the
sage instructress still remained, but a glowing splendour surrounded
her, and her walk was majestic and commanding. Almurah bowed to the
ground, Urad made obeisance, and the rest fell prostrate before her.

"My advice," said Houadir, "is necessary now, O Urad, nor ought young
virgins to enter into such engagements without counsel and the
approbation of those above them, how splendid and lucrative soever the
union may appear. I, who know the heart of Almurah, the servant of
Mahomet, know him to be virtuous: some excesses he has been guilty of,
but they were chiefly owing to his villanous Vizier, Mussapulta."
(Here the lion gave a dreadful roar.) "Against your command, Almurah,
did he wound this animal, which I endowed with speech for the service
of Urad, to teach her that strength and nobleness of soul would always
support the innocent.

"Mussapulta having wounded him, commanded his slave to put the royal
beast to death; but I gave the slave bowels of mercy, and he carried
him home to his cottage till the wound was healed, when the lion,
faithful to his trust, came towards you as you were hunting, and being
endowed with speech, declared the iniquity of Mussapulta--but he is no
more.

"Now, Urad, if thy mind incline to Almurah, receive his vows, but give
not thine hand where thy heart is estranged, for no splendour can
compensate the want of affection."

"If Almurah, my gracious lord," answered Urad, "will swear in three
things to do my desire, his handmaid will be happy to serve him."

"I swear," answered the fond Almurah. "Hadst thou three thousand
desires, Almurah would satisfy them or die."

"What strange things," said Houadir, "has Urad to ask of the Sultan
Almurah?"

"Whatever they are, gracious genius," said Almurah, "Urad, the lovely
Urad, may command me."

"Then," said Urad, "first I require that the poor inhabitants of the
forest be restored to their native lands, whence thou hast driven
them."

"By the great Allah, and Mahomet the Prophet of the just," answered
Almurah, "the dee