ster, without whose verbal consent it shall be treasonable to have
recourse to blows; and I further require of my liege subjects that they
engage in no war with neighbouring states without taking their wives to
battle."

This speech was very much applauded, and the white mule, being
unaccustomed to the surroundings, commenced braying so loudly that
Mobarec got up from his throne and said--

"Listen to the voice of my minister; he bids you all be silent while you
pay him homage."

Then one by one they passed before the mule, bowing to him; and when
this ceremony was finished Mobarec informed them that all real kings
were of his colour, but that he had resolved on marrying the daughter of
Xisto, false king of Andalusia; and, therefore, he commanded twenty of
his subjects to proceed to that kingdom, and bring back with them the
fair Princess Zeyn, which was the name of the princess he loved.

"If they ask you what I am like, say that you have never seen one like
me, and that my wisdom is only approached by that of my chief minister,"
said Mobarec.

At the end of a month the twenty men returned with the lovely princess,
who, until her marriage-day, was lodged in another palace.

Great preparations were made for the occasion, excepting in one borough
of the city, which was deserted, for it had been assigned to all
quarrelsome wives.

The princess was naturally very anxious to see her future husband, but
etiquette forbade her doing so. Often had she thought of her runaway
slave and lover. Absence had made her fonder of him, and little by
little he had grown less black to her imagination.

At last the wedding-day arrived. Mobarec, attended by all his court,
proceeded to the princess's palace, dressed in magnificent apparel, his
strong black arms bare, but with splendid gold bracelets round them, and
a belt of the same metal round his waist. His coat of mail was
interwoven with threads of gold; but his heart required no gold to set
it off, it was purity itself.

As soon as the princess saw him she recognized her former slave, and,
hurrying to meet him, threw her arms round his neck, exclaiming--

"I am not worthy to marry so good a man; but if you will have me, I am
yours."

"Princess," exclaimed Mobarec, "if I before was thy slave, I am none the
less so now; for since the first man was created, beautiful woman has
made all men captives. If I have aught to ask of thee now, 'tis that thy
dominion over thy new subje