cautiously, and beheld the princess in a magnificent hall, reposing on a splendid bed; near which hung her bird in a cage of gold wire strung with valuable jewels.  He approached gently, and wrote upon the palm of her hand, “I am Alla ad Deen, son of a sultan of Yemen.  I have seen thee sleeping, and taken away thy bird.  Shouldst thou love me, or wish to recover thy favourite, come to my father’s capital.”  He then departed from the palace, and having reached the plain, stopped to repose till morning.

The prince being refreshed, at day-light having invoked Allah to protect him from discovery, travelled till sunset, when he discovered an Arab encampment, to which he repaired and requested shelter.  His petition was readily attended to by the chief; who seeing him in possession of the bird, which he knew, said to himself, “This hyoung man must be a favourite of heaven, or he could not have obtained a prize for which so many potent sultans, princes, and viziers, have vainly fallen sacrifices.”  He entertained him with hospitality, but asked no questions, and in the morning dismissed him with prayers for his welfare, and a present of a beautiful horse.  Alla ad Deen having thanked his generous host took leave, and proceeded unceasingly till he arrived within sight of his father’s capital.  On the plain he was again overtaken by his two brothers, returning from their unsuccessful expedition, who seeing the bird and splendid cage in his possession, dragged him suddenly from his horse, beat him cruelly, and left him.  They entered the city, and presenting the cage to their father, framed an artful tale of danger and escapes that they had undergone in procuring it; on hearing which, the sultan loaded them with caresses and praises, while the unfortunate Alla ad Deen retired bruised and melancholy to his unhappy mother.

The young prince informed his mother of his adventures, complained heavily of his loss, and expressed his resolves to be revenged upon his envious brothers.  She comforted him, entreated him to be patient, and wait for the dispensations of Allah; who, in proper season, would shew his power in the revealment of justice.  We now return to the princess who had lost her bird.

When she awoke in the morning, and missed her bird, she was alarmed; but on perceiving what was written upon her palm still more so.  She shrieked aloud; her attendants ran in, and finding her in a frantic state, informed the sultan; who, anxious for her safety, hastened to the apartment.  The princess being somewhat recovered, related the loss of her bird, shewed the writing on her hand, and declared that she would marry no one but him who had seen her asleep.  The sultan finding remonstrances vain, agreed to accompany his daughter in search of the prince, and issued orders for his army to prepare for a march to Yemen.