The eldest princess on the wreck of the ship having clung to a piece of timber, was after much distress floated on shore, where she found a man’s habit, and thinking it a safe disguise for the protection of her honour, she dressed herself in it, and proceeded to a city which appeared near the coast.  On her entrance she was accosted by a maker of cotton wallets for travelling, who observing that she was a stranger, and supposing her a man, asked if she would live with him, as he wanted an assistant.  Being glad to secure any asylum, she accepted his offer of maintenance, and daily wages of half a dirhem.  He conducted her to his house, and treated her with kindness.  The next day she entered upon her business, and so neat was the work she executed, that in a short time her master’s shop was more frequented than any other.

It happened that the shop was situated near the palace of the sultan.  One morning the princess his daughter looking through the lattice of a balcony beheld the seeming young man at work, with the sleeves of his vest drawn up to his shoulder:  his arms were white and polished as silver, and his countenance brilliant as the sun unobscured by clouds.  The daughter of the sultan was captivated in the snare of love.

The sultan’s daughter continued gazing at the supposed young man till he withdrew from work, when she retired to her apartment; but so much was she fascinated by his charms, that she became restless, and at length indisposed.  Her nurse who attended her felt her pulse, and asked her several questions, but could find no symptoms of bodily illness upon her.  She said, “My dear daughter, I am convinced that nothing has afflicted thee but desire of some youth with whom thou art in love."The princess exclaimed,” My dear mother, as thou hast discovered my secret, thou wilt, I trust, not only keep it sacred, but bring to me the man I love."The nurse replied,” No one can keep a secret closer than myself, so that you may safely confide it to my care."The princess then said,” Mother, my heart is captivated by the young man who works in the shop opposite my windows, and if I cannot meet him I shall die of grief.”

The nurse replied, “My dear mistress, he is the most beautiful youth of the age, and the women of the whole city are distracted with his charms; yet he is so bashful as to answer no advances, and shrinks from notice like a school-boy, but I will endeavour to overcome his shyness, and procure you a meeting.”  Having said thus, she went immediately to the wallet-maker’s, and giving him a piece of gold, desired he would let his assistant accompany her home with two of his best wallets.  The man was pleased with her generosity, and selecting his choicest manufacture, commanded his journeyman to accompany the nurse.

The old woman led the disguised princess through by-paths to a private passage of the palace, and introduced her into the apartments of the daughter of the sultan, who received her supposed beloved with emotions of joy too violent to be concealed.  Pretending to admire the goods, she asked some questions, and giving him twenty pieces of gold, desired him to return with more goods on the following evening, to which the seeming journeyman replied, “To hear is to obey.”