which of them can best make a
kaftan and pair of trousers.'

The king laughed. 'No, no, that will never do. Do you suppose my son
would compete with that crazy tailor as to which could make the best
clothes? Oh, dear, no, that won't do at all.'

But the queen claimed his promise, and as he was a man of his word the
king gave in at last. He went to his son and begged that he would humour
his mother, who had set her heart on his making a kaftan.

The worthy Labakan laughed to himself. 'If that is all she wants,'
thought he, 'her majesty will soon be pleased to own me.'

Two rooms were prepared, with pieces of material, scissors, needles and
threads, and each young man was shut up in one of them.

The king felt rather curious as to what sort of garment his son would
make, and the queen, too, was very anxious as to the result of her
experiment.

On the third day they sent for the two young men and their work. Labakan
came first and spread out his kaftan before the eyes of the astonished
king. 'See, father,' he said; 'see, my honoured mother, if this is not a
masterpiece of work. I'll bet the court tailor himself cannot do better.

The queen smiled and turned to Omar: 'And what have you done, my son?'

Impatiently he threw the stuff and scissors down on the floor. 'I have
been taught how to manage a horse, to draw a sword, and to throw a lance
some sixty paces, but I never learnt to sew, and such a thing would have
been thought beneath the notice of the pupil of Elfi Bey, the ruler of
Cairo.'

'Ah, true son of your father,' cried the queen; 'if only I might embrace
you and call you son! Forgive me, my lord and husband,' she added,
turning to the king, 'for trying to find out the truth in this way.
Do you not see yourself now which is the prince and which the tailor?
Certainly this kaftan is a very fine one, but I should like to know what
master taught this young man how to make clothes.'

The king sat deep in thought, looking now at his wife and now at
Labakan, who was doing his best to hide his vexation at his own
stupidity. At last the king said: 'Even this trial does not satisfy me;
but happily I know of a sure way to discover whether or not I have been
deceived.'

He ordered his swiftest horse to be saddled, mounted, and rode off alone
into a forest at some little distance. Here lived a kindly fairy called
Adolzaide, who had often helped the kings of his race with her good
advice, and to her he betook himsel