early morning the breeze blew free and fair so they loosed sail and made for the back[FN#169] of the sea and voyaged safely for the first day and the second.  But on the third about mid-afternoon a furious gale came out against them; whereby the sails were torn to tatters and the masts fell overboard; so the crew made certain of death, and the ship ceased not to be tossed upwards and to settle down without mast or sail till midnight, all the folk lamenting one to other, as did the maidens and their mother, till the wreck was driven upon an island and there went to pieces.  Then he whose life-term was short died forthright and he whose life-term was long survived; and some bestrode planks and others butts and others again bulks of timber whereby all were separated each from other.  Now the mother and two of the daughters clomb upon planks they chanced find and sought their safety; but the youngest of the maidens, who had mounted a keg,[FN#170] and who knew nothing of her mother and sisters, was carried up and cast down by the waves for the space of five days till she landed upon an extensive sea-board where she found a sufficiency to eat and drink.  She sat down upon the shore for an hour of time until she had taken rest and her heart was calmed and her fear had flown and she had recovered her spirits:  then she rose and paced the sands, all unknowing whither she should wend, and whenever she came upon aught of herbs she would eat of them.  This lasted through the first day and the second till the forenoon of the third, when lo and behold! a Knight advanced towards her, falcon on fist and followed by a greyhound.  For three days he had been wandering about the waste questing game either of birds or of beasts, but he happened not upon either when he chanced to meet the maiden, and seeing her said in his mind, “By Allah, yon damsel is my quarry this very day.”  So he drew near her and salam’d to her and she returned his salute; whereupon he asked her of her condition and she informed him of what had betided her; and his heart was softened towards her and taking her up on his horse’s crupper he turned him homewards.  Now of this youngest sister (quoth Shahrazad) there is much to say, and we will say it when the tale shall require the telling.  But as regards the second Princess, she ceased not floating on the plank for the space of eight days, until she was borne by the set of the sea close under the walls of a city; but she was like one drunken with wine when she crawled up the shore and her raiment was in rags and her colour had wanned for excess of affright.  However, she walked onwards at a slow pace till she reached the city and came upon a house of low stone walls.  So she went in and there finding an ancient dame sitting and spinning yarn, she gave her good evening and the other returned it adding, “Who art thou, O my daughter, and whence comest thou?” She answered, “O my aunt, I’m fallen from the skies and have been met by the earth:  thou needest not question me of aught, for my heart is