ething very precious," thought he, "or my
wife would not wear it on her person with so much care."

In truth it was a talisman which the Queen of China had given her
daughter, telling her it would ensure her happiness as long as she
carried it about her.

The better to examine the stone the prince stepped to the open doorway
of the tent. As he stood there holding it in the open palm of his
hand, a bird suddenly swooped down, picked the stone up in its beak and
flew away with it.

Imagine the prince's dismay at losing a thing by which his wife
evidently set such store!

The bird having secured its prey flew off some yards and alighted on
the ground, holding the talisman it its beak. Prince Camaralzaman
advanced, hoping the bird would drop it, but as soon as he approached
the thief fluttered on a little further still. He continued his
pursuit till the bird suddenly swallowed the stone and took a longer
flight than before. The prince then hoped to kill it with a stone, but
the more hotly he pursued the further flew the bird.

In this fashion he was led on by hill and dale through the entire day,
and when night came the tiresome creature roosted on the top of a very
high tree where it could rest in safety.

The prince in despair at all his useless trouble began to think whether
he had better return to the camp. "But," thought he, "how shall I find
my way back? Must I go up hill or down? I should certainly lose my
way in the dark, even if my strength held out." Overwhelmed by hunger,
thirst, fatigue and sleep, he ended by spending the night at the foot
of the tree.

Next morning Camaralzaman woke up before the bird left its perch, and
no sooner did it take flight than he followed it again with as little
success as the previous day, only stopping to eat some herbs and fruit
he found by the way. In this fashion he spent ten days, following the
bird all day and spending the night at the foot of a tree, whilst it
roosted on the topmost bough. On the eleventh day the bird and the
prince reached a large town, and as soon as they were close to its
walls the bird took a sudden and higher flight and was shortly
completely out of sight, whilst Camaralzaman felt in despair at having
to give up all hopes of ever recovering the talisman of the Princess
Badoura.

Much cast down, he entered the town, which was built near the sea and
had a fine harbour. He walked about the streets for a long time, not
knowing where to