it you.'One day he so pressed to know what would pleasure the
prince, that the latter said: 'I have only one wish, and that I will
name to you in private.' The king at once commanded every one to
withdraw, and then Prince Almas said: 'The desire of my life is to
know what the rose did to the cypress, and what meaning there is in the
words.' The king was astounded. 'In God's name! if anyone else had said
that to me I should have cut off his head instantly.' The prince heard
this in silence, and presently so beguiled the king with pleasant talk
that to kill him was impossible.

Time flew by, the king again and again begged the prince to ask some
gift of him, and always received this same reply: 'I wish for your
Majesty's welfare, what more can I desire?'One night there was a
banquet, and cupbearers carried round gold and silver cups of sparkling
wine, and singers with sweetest voices contended for the prize. The
prince drank from the king's own cup, and when his head was hot with
wine he took a lute from one of the musicians and placed himself on the
carpet border and sang and sang till he witched away the sense of all
who listened. Applause and compliments rang from every side. The king
filled his cup and called the prince and gave it him and said: 'Name
your wish! it is yours.' The prince drained off the wine and answered:
'O king of the world! learn and know that I have only one aim in life,
and this is to know what the rose did to the cypress.'

'Never yet,' replied the king, 'has any man come out from that question
alive. If this is your only wish, so be it; I will tell you. But I will
do this on one condition only, namely, that when you have heard you will
submit yourself to death.' To this the prince agreed, and said: 'I set
my foot firmly on this compact.'

The king then gave an order to an attendant; a costly carpet overlaid
with European velvet was placed near him, and a dog was led in by a
golden and jewelled chain and set upon the splendid stuffs. A band of
fair girls came in and stood round it in waiting.

Then, with ill words, twelve negroes dragged in a lovely woman, fettered
on hands and feet and meanly dressed, and they set her down on the bare
floor. She was extraordinarily beautiful, and shamed the glorious sun.
The king ordered a hundred stripes to be laid on her tender body; she
sighed a long sigh. Food was called for and table-cloths were spread.
Delicate meats were set before the dog, and water