Daughter, answered the queen, you surprise me; I know nothing of what you talk.  Then the princess lost all manner of respect for the queen, and replied, in a great passion, The king my father and you have all along persecuted me about marrying when I had no mind to it, and, now I have a mind, you would fain oppose me; but I must tell you, madam, I will have this young man I speak of for my husband, or I will kill myself!

Here the queen endeavoured to calm the princess by soft words.  Daughter, said she, you know well you was alone in this apartment; how then could any man come to you?  This must be mere fancy or a dream; for—­Here the princess interrupted her, and was so far from hearkening to what she said, that she flew out into such extravagances as obliged the queen to leave her, and retire, in great affliction, to inform her lord in what condition their daughter was.

The king, hearing it, had a mind likewise to be satisfied in person; and, therefore, coming to his daughter’s apartment, demanded of her to say if what he had just heard was true.  Sir, replied the princess, let us talk no more of that; I only beseech your majesty to grant me the favour that I may marry the young cavalier I lay with last night.

What! said the king, has any one lain with you last night?  How, sir! replied the princess, without giving the king leave to go on; do you ask me if any one lay with me last night?  Your majesty knows that but too well.  He was the finest and best made cavalier the sun ever saw:  I desire him of you for my husband by all means, sir; and I beg you will not refuse me.  But that your majesty may no longer doubt whether I have seen this cavalier, whether he has lain with me, whether I have caressed him, or whether I did my utmost to awake him without succeeding, see, if you please, this ring!  She then reached forth her hand, and showed the king a man’s ring upon her finger.  The king did not know what to make of all this; but, as he had confined her as mad, so now he began to think her more so than ever.  Therefore, without saying any thing more, for fear she might do violence to herself or somebody else, had her chained, and shut up more closely than ever, allowing her only the nurse to wait on her, with a good guard at the door.

The king, being exceedingly concerned at the indisposition of his daughter, sought all possible means to get her cured.  He assembled his council, and, after having acquainted them with her condition, he proffered any one of them that would undertake her cure the succession to his kingdom after his death, if successful..

The desire of enjoying a young and beautiful princess, and the hope of governing one day so powerful a kingdom as that of China, had a strange effect on an old emir, already advanced in age, who was then present in council.  As he was well skilled in magic, he offered the king to cure his daughter, and flattered himself with success.  Very well, said the king; but I forgot to tell you one thing; and that is, that if you do not succeed, you shall lose your head.  It would not be reasonable that you should have so great a reward, and yet run no risk on your part.  And what I say to you, continued the king, I say to all others that shall come after you, to let them consider be- forehand what they undertake.