When the wife of Mazin heard this, she said, “Good heavens! your words, my dear nurse, recall a gleam of comfort that last night struck across my mind from a voice, which said, ‘Be comforted, O wife of Mazin, for thy deliverance is near.’” Upon this the old woman replied, “Thou shalt indeed be comforted, for thy husband is at my abode, and will speedily release thee.”  The unfortunate prisoner, overcome with joy, fainted away, but was soon restored by the nurse’s sprinkling water upon her face, when she opened her eyes and said, “I conjure thee by heaven, my dear nurse, inform me if thou speakest truth, or dissemblest.”  “I not only speak truth,” answered the nurse, “but by God’s help thou shalt meet thy husband this day.”  After this she left her.

The nurse, upon her return home, inquired of Mazin if he had skill to take his wife away, provided he was admitted into the dungeon at night.  He replied, “Yes.”  When night was set in, she conducted him to the spot where she was confined, left him near the gate, and went her way.  He then put on his cap of invisibility, and remained unperceived all night by any one.  Early in the morning the queen, his wife’s eldest sister, advanced, opened the gate of the prison, and entered, when he followed unseen behind her, and seated himself in a corner of the apartment.  The queen went up to her sister, and beat her cruelly with a whip, while her children wept around her, till the blood appeared upon her body, when she left her hanging by her hair from a pillar, went out, and locked the door of the dungeon.  Mazin now arose, unloosed his wife’s hair, and pulling off the cap, appeared before her, when she exclaimed, “From whence didst thou come?” They then embraced each other, and he said.  “Ah, why didst thou act thus, leave me in such affliction, and plunge thyself into such distress, which, indeed, thy conduct hath almost deserved?” “It is true,” replied she; “but what is past is past, and reproach will not avail, unless thus canst effect our escape:”  upon which he exclaimed, “Does thy inclination really lead thee to accompany me to my own country?” She answered,

“Yes; do with me what thou choosest.”

They remained in endearment with their children until evening, when the keeper of the dungeon approaching, Mazin put on his cap of invisibility.  The keeper having set down the provisions for the night, retired into a recess of the dungeon and fell asleep; when Mazin and his family sat down and refreshed themselves.  Perceiving the keeper asleep, Mazin tried the door and found it unlocked; upon which, he, with his wife and children, left the prison, and travelled as quickly as possible all night.  When the queen, in the morning, was informed of her sister’s escape she was enraged, and made incantations, on which seven thousand genii attended, with whom she marched out in pursuit, resolved to cut the fugitives in pieces.