d, and at length only three of her former
wooers remained--Baldschi, Jagdschi, and Firedschi. Still she held
herself apart, thought herself better and lovelier than other women,
when, on a certain evening, her eyes were opened at last to the truth.
She was sitting before her mirror, combing her curls, when amongst her
raven locks she found a long white hair!

'At this dreadful sight her heart gave a jump, and then stood still.

'"I am growing old," she said to herself, "and if I do not choose a
husband soon, I shall never get one! I know that either of those men
would gladly marry me to-morrow, but I cannot decide between them. I
must invent some way to find out which of them is the best, and lose
no time about it."

'So instead of going to sleep, she thought all night long of different
plans, and in the morning she arose and dressed herself.

'"That will have to do," she muttered as she pulled out the white hair
which had cost her so much trouble. "It is not very good, but I can
think of nothing better; and--well, they are none of them clever, and
I dare say they will easily fall into the trap." Then she called her
slave and bade her let Jagdschi know that she would be ready to
receive him in an hour's time. After that she went into the garden and
dug a grave under a tree, by which she laid a white shroud.

'Jagdschi was delighted to get the gracious message; and, putting on
his newest garments, he hastened to the lady's house, but great was
his dismay at finding her stretched on her cushions, weeping bitterly.

'"What is the matter, O Fair One?" he asked, bowing low before her.

'"A terrible thing has happened," said she, her voice choked with
sobs. "My father died two nights ago, and I buried him in my garden.
But now I find that he was a wizard, and was not dead at all, for his
grave is empty and he is wandering about somewhere in the world."

'"That is evil news indeed," answered Jagdschi; "but can I do nothing
to comfort you?"

'"There is one thing you can do," replied she, "and that is to wrap
yourself in the shroud and lay yourself in the grave. If he should not
return till after three hours have elapsed he will have lost his power
over me, and be forced to go and wander elsewhere."

'Now Jagdschi was proud of the trust reposed in him, and wrapping
himself in the shroud, he stretched himself at full length in the
grave. After some time Baldschi arrived in his turn, and found the
lady groaning and lame