elephant. Now this was by the commandment of the King of the
Jinn; so they embarked with the genie and crossed with him to the other
shore; after which they returned to Cairo and entering Mubarek's
house, abode there awhile till they were rested from the fatigue of the
journey.

Then Zein ul Asnam turned to Mubarek and said to him, "Come, let us go
to the city of Baghdad, so we may seek for a girl who shall be according
to the requirement of the King of the Jinn." And Mubarek said to him,
"O my lord, we are in Cairo, the city of cities and the wonder of the
world. [95] I shall without fail find a girl here and it needeth not
that we go to a far city." "Thou sayst sooth, O Mubarek," rejoined the
prince; "but how shall we set about the matter and how shall we do to
come by [96] a girl like this and who shall go seeking her for us?" "O
my lord," replied Mubarek, "concern not thyself [97] for that, for I
have with me here an old woman (upon her, [to speak] figuratively, [98]
be the malediction [of God] [99]) who is a mistress of wiles and craft
and guile and not to be baulked by any hindrance, however great." Then
he sent to fetch the old woman and telling her that he wanted a damsel
fifteen years old and fair exceedingly, so he might marry her to the
son of his lord, promised her largesse galore, an she did her utmost
endeavour in the matter; whereupon, "O my lord," answered she, "be easy;
I will accomplish unto thee thy desire beyond thy wish; for that under
my hand are damsels unpeered in grace and goodliness and all of them
daughters of men of condition." But, O King of the time, [100] the old
woman had no knowledge of the affair of the mirror.

Then she arose and went out to go round about in the city and to run
along its ways, [101] seeking [102] the girl for Prince Zein ul Asnam,
and whenassoever she saw a fair damsel, accomplished in beauty, she
proceeded to bring her to Mubarek; but, when he looked at her in the
mirror, he would see her image troubled exceedingly and would leave her;
so that the old woman brought him all the damsels of Cairo, but there
was not found among them one whose image in the mirror was clear;
wherefore he bethought him to go to Baghdad, since he found not one in
Cairo who pleased him [or] who was a clean maid, like as the King of the
Jinn had enjoined him. So he arose and equipping himself, [set out and]
journeyed, he and Zein ul Asnam, till they came to the city of Baghdad,
where they hir