ess to death himself. The
pupils set off at once, wondering at the strangeness of their errand,
and still more at the holiness of the jogi to whom such secrets were
revealed.

[Illustration: The Princess released from the box]

It happened that, as the next morning was dawning, the gallant young
prince of Dilaram was hunting by the banks of the river, with a great
following of wazirs, attendants, and huntsmen, and as he rode he saw
floating on the river a large chest, which came slowly along, bobbing
and turning in the tide. Raising himself in his saddle, he gave an
order, and half a dozen men plunged into the water and drew the chest
out on to the river bank, where every one crowded around to see what it
could contain. The prince was certainly not the least curious among
them; but he was a cautious young man, and, as he prepared to open
the chest himself, he bade all but a few stand back, and these few to
draw their swords, so as to be prepared in case the chest should hold
some evil beast, or djinn, or giant. When all were ready and expectant,
the prince with his dagger forced open the lid and flung it back, and
there lay, living and breathing, the most lovely maiden he had ever seen
in his life.

Although she was half stifled from her confinement in the chest, the
princess speedily revived, and, when she was able to sit up, the prince
began to question her as to who she was and how she came to be shut up
in the chest and set afloat upon the water; and she, blushing and
trembling to find herself in the presence of so many strangers, told him
that she was the princess of Rahmatabad, and that she had been put into
the chest by her own father. When he on his part told her that he was
the prince of Dilaram, the astonishment of the young people was
unbounded to find that they, who had been betrothed without ever having
seen one another, should have actually met for the first time under such
strange circumstances. In fact, the prince was so moved by her beauty
and modest ways that he called up his wazirs and demanded to be married
at once to this lovely lady who had so completely won his heart. And
married they were then and there upon the river bank, and went home to
the prince's palace, where, when the story was told, they were welcomed
by the old rajah, the prince's father, and the remainder of the day was
given over to feasting and rejoicing. But when the banquet was over, the
bride told her husband that now, on the