When the young prince heard the above, he, under the direction of the old man, repaired to the place of the monster’s resort, resolved to conquer him or die.  Scarcely had he reached it, when the princess approached it, splendidly habited, but with a dejected head, and drowned in tears.  He made a respeftful salute, which she returned, saying, “Hasten, young man, from this spot, for a monster will soon appear, to whom, by my unhappy fate, I am destined.  Should he discover thee, he will tear thee in pieces.”  “Princess,” replied he, “I know the circumstance, and am resolved to become a ransom for thy beauty.”

The prince had hardly uttered these words, when a column of dust arose; from which with dreadful howlings and fury the monster issued, lashing his gigantic sides with his thick tail.  The princess shrieked, and wept in the agonies of fear; but the prince drawing his sabre, put himself in the way of the savage monster; who, enraged, snorted fire from his wide nostrils, and made a spring at the prince.  The gallant youth with wonderful agility evaded his talons, and darting from side to side of the monster, watched his opportunity, till rushing upon him, he cleft his head asunder just between his eyes, when the huge creature fell down and growled his last in a tremendous roar.

The princess, on seeing the monster expire, ran to her deliverer, wiped the dust and sweat from his face with her veil, uttering grateful thanks, to which he replied, “Return to thy lamenting parents;” but she would not, and said, “My lord, and light of my eyes, thou must be mine and I thine.”  “That is perhaps impossible,” rejoined the prince; and hastening from her, he returned to the city, where he took up his lodging in an obscure corner.  She now repaired to the palace.  On her entrance, the sultan and her mother were astonished, and inquired in alarm the cause of her return; fearing that she had escaped from the monster, who would in revenge destroy the city.

The princess related the story of her deliverance by a handsome youth:  upon which, the sultan, with his attendants, and most of the inhabitants of the place, repaired to view the monster, whom they found extended dead on the earth.  The whole city was now filled with grateful thanksgivings and universal rejoicing.  The sultan, eager to shew his gratitude to the gallant youth, said to the princess, “Shouldst thou know thy deliverer wert thou to see him again?” “Certainly!” replied she; for love had impressed his image on her mind too strongly to be ever erased.

The sultan, upon this, issued a proclamation, commanding every male in the city to pass under the windows of his daughter’s apartment; which was done successively for three days; but she did not recognize her beloved champion.  The sultan then inquired if all the men of the city had obeyed his commands, and was informed that all had done so, except a young man at a certain serai, who was a foreigner, and therefore had not attended.  The sultan ordered him to appear; and he had no sooner approached the window than the princess threw down upon his head an embroidered handkerchief, exclaiming, “This is our deliverer from the fangs of the monster.”