When the pretended Fatima came, Alla ad Deen said, “Come hither, good mother; I am glad to see you here at so fortunate a time; I am tormented with a violent pain in my head, and request your assistance, by the confidence I have in your good prayers, and hope you will not refuse me that favour which you do to so many persons afflicted with this complaint.”  So saying, he arose, but held down his head.  The counterfeit Fatima advanced towards him, with his hand all the time on a dagger concealed in his girdle under his gown; which Alla ad Deen observing, he seized his hand before he had drawn it, pierced him to the heart with his own dagger, and then pushed him down on the floor.

“My dear husband, what have you done?” cried the princess in surprise.  “You have killed the holy woman.”  “No, my princess,” answered Alla ad Deen, with emotion, “I have not killed Fatima, but a villain, who would have assassinated me, if I had not prevented him.  This wicked wretch,” added he, uncovering his face, “has strangled Fatima, whom you accuse me of killing, and disguised himself in her clothes with intent to murder me:  but that you may know him better, he is brother to the African magician.”  Alla ad Deen then informed her how he came to know these particulars, and afterwards ordered the dead body to be taken away.

Thus was Alla ad Deen delivered from the persecution of two brothers, who were magicians.  Within a few years afterwards, the sultan died in a good old age, and as he left no male children, the princess Buddir al Buddoor, as lawful heir of the throne, succeeded him, and communicating the power to Alla ad Deen, they reigned together many years, and left a numerous and illustrious posterity.

Adventure of the caliph Haroon al
Rusheed.

The caliph Haroon al Rusheed was one day suffering from depression of spirits, when his faithful and favourite grand vizier Jaaffier came to him.  This minister finding him alone, which was seldom the case, and perceiving as he approached that he was in a very melancholy humour, and never lifted up his eyes, stopped till he should vouchsafe to look at him.

At last the caliph turned his eyes towards him, but presently withdrew them again, and remained in the same posture motionless as before.

The grand vizier, observing nothing in the caliph’s eyes which regarded him personally, took the liberty to speak to him, and said, “Commander of the faithful, will your majesty give me leave to ask whence proceeds this melancholy, of which you always seemed to me so little susceptible?”

“Indeed, vizier,” answered the caliph, brightening up his countenance, “I am very little subject to it, and had not perceived it but for you, but I will remain no longer in this hippish mood.  If no new affair brought you hither, you will gratify me by inventing something to dispel it.”

“Commander of the faithful,” replied the grand vizier, “my duty obliged me to wait on you, and I take the liberty to remind your majesty, that this is the day which you have appointed to inform yourself of the good government of your capital and its environs; and this occasion very opportunely presents itself to dispel those clouds which obscure your natural gaiety.”