“There is no need for that,” retorted Maimoune; “we can satisfy ourselves in another way.  Bring your princess here and lay her down beside my prince.  We can then compare them at leisure, and decide which is in the right.”

Danhasch readily consented, and after having the tower where the prince was confined pointed out to him, and making a wager with Maimoune as to the result of the comparison, he flew off to China to fetch the princess.

In an incredibly short time Danhasch returned, bearing the sleeping princess.  Maimoune led him to the prince’s room, and the rival beauty was placed beside him.

When the prince and princess lay thus side by side, an animated dispute as to their respective charms arose between the fairy and the genius.  Danhasch began by saying: 

“Now you see that my princess is more beautiful than your prince.  Can you doubt any longer?”

“Doubt!  Of course I do!” exclaimed Maimoune.  “Why, you must be blind not to see how much my prince excels your princess.  I do not deny that your princess is very handsome, but only look and you must own that I am in the right.”

“There is no need for me to look longer,” said Danhasch, “my first impression will remain the same; but of course, charming Maimoune, I am ready to yield to you if you insist on it.”

“By no means,” replied Maimoune.  “I have no idea of being under any obligation to an accursed genius like you.  I refer the matter to an umpire, and shall expect you to submit to his verdict.”

Danhasch readily agreed, and on Maimoune striking the floor with her foot it opened, and a hideous, hump-backed, lame, squinting genius, with six horns on his head, hands like claws, emerged.  As soon as he beheld Maimoune he threw himself at her feet and asked her commands.

“Rise, Caschcasch,” said she.  “I summoned you to judge between me and Danhasch.  Glance at that couch, and say without any partiality whether you think the youth or the maiden lying there the more beautiful.”

Caschcasch looked at the prince and princess with every token of surprise and admiration.  At length, having gazed long without being able to come to a decision, he said

“Madam, I must confess that I should deceive you were I to declare one to be handsomer than the other.  There seems to me only one way in which to decide the matter, and that is to wake one after the other and judge which of them expresses the greater admiration for the other.”

This advice pleased Maimoune and Danhasch, and the fairy at once transformed herself into the shape of a gnat and settling on Camaralzaman’s throat stung him so sharply that he awoke.  As he did so his eyes fell on the Princess of China.  Surprised at finding a lady so near him, he raised himself on one arm to look at her.  The youth and beauty of the princess at once awoke a feeling to which his heart had as yet been a stranger, and he could not restrain his delight.