and he wandered away without knowing where he was going.  At length he arrived at a mountain of rock, where he saw a great serpent rising from his lair to prey on young Rokhs.  He slew the serpent with the sword of Morhagian, and the father and mother of the Rokhs arrived at the moment, and asked him to demand whatever he desired in return.  He hesitated awhile, but at length he asked them to show him the way to the upper world.  The male Rokh then told him to prepare ten quarters of mutton, to mount on his back, and to give him some of the meat whenever he should turn his head either to one side or to the other on the journey.

The prince mounted on the back of the Rokh, the Rokh stamped with his foot, and the earth opened before them wherever he turned.  They reached the bottom of the well when the Rokh turned his head, but there was no more meat left, so the prince cut off the calf of his leg and gave it to him.  When the Rokh arrived at the top of the well, the prince leaped to the ground, when the Rokh perceived [that he was lame, when he inquired the reason, and the prince explained what had happened].  The Rokh then disgorged the calf of the leg, and returned it to its place, when it grew fast, and the prince was cured immediately.

As the prince left the well, he met a peasant, and changed clothes with him, but he kept the sword, the three balls, and the horse-hair.  He went into the town, where he took lodgings with a tailor, and kept himself in retirement.  The prince gradually rose in the tailor’s esteem by letting him perceive that he knew how to sew [and all the arts of an accomplished tailor].  Presently, preparations were made for the wedding of Prince Rostam, and the tailor with whom Badialzaman lodged was ordered to prepare the fairy’s robes.  Badialzaman, who slept in the shop, took clothes from one of the balls similar to those which were already far advanced, and put them in the place of the others.  The tailor was astonished [at their fine workmanship] and wished to take the prince with him to receive a present, but he refused, alleging as an excuse that he had so lately come to the town.  When the fairies saw the clothes, they thought it a good omen.

The wedding day arrived, and they threw the jarid[FN#436] [and practised other martial exercises].  It was a grand festival, and all the shops were closed.  The tailor wished to take the prince to see the spectacle, but he put him off with an excuse.  However, he went to a retired part of the town, where he struck fire with a gun,[FN#437] and burned a little of the horse hair.  The horse appeared, and he told him to bring him a complete outfit all in red, and that he should likewise appear with trappings, jewels, &c., and a reed (jarid) of the same colour.  The prince then mounted the horse, and proceeded to the race-course, where his appearance excited general admiration.  At the close of the sports, he cut off the head of Prince Rostam, and the horsemen pursued him, but were