ike trance. In this
state Zelulu's slaves brought me into this vault, where I should have
continued for centuries without hope of deliverance, had not Heaven,
through you, rescued me. Thus the wicked Zelulu exercised his power
over me without any resistance. He came to me every night, asking me
whether I would love him; for the charm was so contrived that it
deprived me of the exercise of my power and of motion, without
depriving me of consciousness. I have always answered his
importunities with a loud and distinct 'No!' so that he was obliged to
depart without hope."

The fairy now took Ali by the hand, and led him out of the mosque,
through a long corridor, into the apartment of white marble. She
touched his eyelids with her sceptre, and drew aside the curtain. What
was his astonishment when, instead of his Gulhyndi, he saw an image of
wax, which had but an imperfect resemblance to his beloved! The figure
stared at him with dull, glassy eyes, like a painted corpse. He could
not conceive how it was possible to have mistaken this horrible pale
lump for his Gulhyndi. Peribanu struck the wax figure with her
sceptre, it broke, and a hideous knot of poisonous serpents rolled from
its bowels, and fled into the clefts of the rocks for fear of her wand.
Ali cast his eyes on the two metal lions which stood on either side of
the couch, and saw in amazement that they were living. They wagged
their tails, and stared with fiery eyes at him. "Flee," cried the
fairy, raising her wand, and they fled quickly, like obedient dogs.

"Go home to your father," said the good fairy, "do all he commands you,
and this shall be the means of your happiness. You will see Gulhyndi
again."

With these words she led him up the steps to an aperture, saying, "Go,
you will find yourself in a well-known spot, not far from your native
city. Remember what I have told you, and forget me not."

Saying this, she vanished. Ali stepped out, and found himself by the
brink of Ali Haymmamy's fountain. It was a fine morning, and the
rising sun cast his rays upon him. He stood for a moment and looked
down into the depth, scarcely knowing whether what he had passed
through was a dream or reality: he remarked at the same time that he
still had the talisman in his hand. He was careful not to bring it
near his bosom; but kept it as a sign of the past singular events, and
wrapped it in the folds of his turban. Now he set out on his way with
a heart