He then gently drew off a fine ring the princess had on her finger, and immediately put on one of his own in its place.  After this he turned his back, and was not long before he fell into a profounder sleep than before, through the enchantment of the genii.

As soon as prince Camaralzaman was sound asleep, Danhasch transformed himself into a flea likewise in his turn, and went and bit the princess so rudely on the lower lip, that she forthwith awoke, started, clapped herself upon her breech, and opening her eyes, was not a little surprised to see a man lying by her.  From surprise she proceeded to admiration, and from admiration to real joy, which she conceived at finding him so beautiful and young.

What! cried she, is it you the king my father has designed me for a husband?  I am, indeed, most unfortunate at not knowing it before, for then I should not have put my lord and father in a rage, nor been so long deprived of a husband, whom I cannot forbear loving with all my heart.  Wake, then, wake, my dear love, proceeded she; for it does not sure become a man that is married, to sleep so soundly the first night of his nuptials.

So saying, she took prince Camaralzaman by the arm, and shook him so violently, as had been enough to have awaked the profoundest sleeper, had not Maimoune at that instant increased his sleep, and augmented his enchantment.  She renewed this shaking several times, and finding it did not awake him, she cried out, What is come to thee, my dear!  What jealous rival, envying thy happiness and mine, has had recourse to magic, to throw thee into this profound and insurmountable drowsiness; from whence I think thou wilt never recover?  Then she snatched his hand, and kissing it eagerly, perceived he had a ring upon his finger which greatly resembled her’s, and which she found to be her own.  As soon as she saw that she had another on her finger instead of it, she could not comprehend how this exchange could be made; but yet she did not doubt but it was a certain token of their marriage.  At length, being tired with her fruitless endeavours to awake the prince, yet well assured that he could not escape her when he awoke, she said, Since I find it is not in my power to awake thee, I will not trouble myself any further about it, but bid thee good night, and then compose myself to rest.  At these words, after having given him a hearty kiss on the cheeks and lips, she turned her back, and went again to sleep.

When Maimoune saw that she could speak without fear of awaking the princess, she cried to Danhasch, Ah, cursed genius! dost thou not now see what thy contest is come to?  Art thou not now convinced how much thy princess is inferior to my prince in charms?  At this she turned to Cascheasch; and having thanked him for his trouble, bid him, in conjunction with Danhasch, take the princess, and convey her back again to her bed, from whence he had taken her.  Danhasch and Cascheasch did as they were commanded, and Maimoune retired to her well.