tent from the Lady Peri-Banu, but Allah only knoweth how she will now act, and whether this fresh request will or will not rouse her wrath.  Howbeit I know that she will on no wise deny me any boon I may ask of her.”  So after much hesitation Prince Ahmad made reply, “O my lord the King, I have no power to do aught in this matter, which resteth only with my spouse the Princess; yet will I petition her to give the water; and, if she vouchsafe consent I will bring it straight to thee.  Indeed I cannot promise thee such boon with all certainty:  I would gladly do my endeavour in all and everything that can benefit thee, but to ask her for this water is a work more weighty than asking for the tent.”  Next day the Prince took his departure and returned to Peri-Banu; and after loving embraces and greetings quoth he, “O my lady and light of my eyes, the Sultan my sire sendeth thee his grateful thanks for the granting of his wish; to wit, the pavilion; and now he adventureth himself once more and, certified of thy bounty and beneficence, he would pray from thy hand the boon of a little water from the Lions’ Spring.  Withal I would assure thee that an the giving of this water please thee not, let the matter be clean forgotten; for to do all thou willest is my one and only wish.”  Peri-Banu made reply, “Methinks the Sultan, thy sire, would put both me and thee to the test by requiring such boons as those suggested to him by the Sorceress.” —­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

       The end of the Six Hundred and Sixty-third Night.

Then said she:—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that Peri-Banu said further to Prince Ahmad, “Natheless I will grant this largesse also as the Sultan hath set his mind upon it, and no harm shall come therefrom to me or to thee, albe ’tis a matter of great risk and danger, and it is prompted by not a little of malice and ungraciousness.  But give careful heed to my words, nor neglect thou aught of them, or thy destruction is certain-sure.  I now will tell thee what to do.  In the hall of yonder castle which riseth on that mountain is a fountain sentinelled by four lions fierce and ravening; and they watch and ward the path that leadeth thereto, a pair standing on guard whilst the other two take their turn to rest, and thus no living thing hath power to pass by them.  Yet will I make known to thee the means whereby thou mayest win thy wish without any hurt or harm befalling thee from the furious beasts.”  Thus saying she drew from an ivory box a clew of thread and, by means of a needle one of those wherewith she had been plying her work, made thereof a ball.  This she placed in the hands of her husband, and said, “First, be thou careful that thou keep about thee with all diligence this ball, whose use I shall presently explain to thee.  Secondly, choose for thyself two horses of great speed, one for thine own riding, whilst on the other thou shalt load the carcass of a freshly slaughtered sheep cut into four quarters.