But as he went forward he
saw one of them turned out of the road at some distance, and showed by
his head and tail that he did not come to do him any harm, but only to
go before him, and that the other stayed behind to follow, he put his
sword up again in its scabbard. Guarded in this manner, he arrived at
the capital of the Indies, but the lions never left him till they had
conducted him to the gates of the Sultan's palace; after which they
returned the same way they came, though not without frightening all
that saw them, for all they went in a very gentle manner and showed no
fierceness.

A great many officers came to attend the Prince while he dismounted his
horse, and afterward conducted him into the Sultan's apartment, who was
at that time surrounded with his favorites. He approached toward the
throne, laid the bottle at the Sultan's feet, and kissed the rich
tapestry which covered his footstool, and then said:

"I have brought you, sir, the healthful water which your Majesty desired
so much to keep among your other rarities in your treasury, but at the
same time wish you such extraordinary health as never to have occasion
to make use of it."

After the Prince had made an end of his compliment the Sultan placed him
on his right hand, and then said to him: "Son, I am very much obliged
to you for this valuable present, as also for the great danger you have
exposed yourself to upon my account (which I have been informed of by
a magician who knows the Fountain of Lions); but do me the pleasure,"
continued he, "to inform me by what address, or, rather, by what
incredible power, you have been secured."

"Sir," replied Prince Ahmed, "I have no share in the compliment your
Majesty is pleased to make me; all the honor is due to the Fairy my
spouse, whose good advice I followed." Then he informed the Sultan what
those directions were, and by the relation of this his expedition let
him know how well he had behaved himself. When he had done the Sultan,
who showed outwardly all the demonstrations of great joy, but secretly
became more jealous, retired into an inward apartment, where he sent for
the magician.

The magician, at her arrival, saved the Sultan the trouble to tell her
of the success of Prince Ahmed's journey, which she had heard of before
she came, and therefore was prepared with an infallible means, as she
pretended. This means she communicated to the Sultan who declared it
the next day to the Prince, in the m