for it; and for the second, I must tell you that what the sultan your father requests is a trifle; as upon occasion I can do him more important service.  Therefore be easy in your mind, and persuaded that far from thinking myself importuned I shall always take real pleasure in performing whatever you can desire.”  Perie Banou then sent for her treasurer, to whom, when she came, she said, “Noor-Jehaun” (which was her name), “bring me the largest pavilion in my treasury.”  Noor-Jehaun returned presently with a pavilion, which could not only be held, but concealed in the palm of the hand, when it was closed, and presented it to her mistress, who gave it prince Ahmed to look at.

When prince Ahmed saw the pavilion, which the fairy called the largest in her treasury, he fancied she had a mind to banter him, and his surprise soon appeared in his countenance; which Perie Banou perceiving, she burst out a laughing.  “What! prince,” cried she, “do you think I jest with you?  You will see that I am in earnest.  Noor-Jehaun,” said she to her treasurer, taking the tent out of prince Ahmed’s hands, “go and set it up, that he may judge whether the sultan his father will think it large enough.”

The treasurer went out immediately with it from the palace, and carried it to such a distance, that when she had set it up, one end reached to the palace.  The prince, so far from thinking it small, found it large enough to shelter two armies as numerous as that of the sultan his father; and then said to Perie Banou, “I ask my princess a thousand pardons for my incredulity:  after what I have seen, I believe there is nothing impossible to you.”  “You see,” said the fairy, “that the pavilion is larger than your father may have occasion for; but you are to observe that it has one property, that it becomes larger or smaller, according to the extent of the army it is to cover, without applying any hands to it.”

The treasurer took down the tent again, reduced it to its first size, brought it and put it into the prince’s hands.  He took it, and without staying longer than till the next day, mounted his horse, and went with the usual attendants to the sultan his father.

The sultan, who was persuaded that such a tent as he had asked for was beyond all possibility, was in great surprise at the prince’s speedy return.  He took the tent, but after he had admired its smallness, his amazement was so great that he could not recover himself when he had set it up in the great plain before-mentioned, and found it large enough to shelter an army twice as large as he could bring into the field.  Regarding this excess in its dimension as what might be troublesome in the use, prince Ahmed told him that its size would always be proportionable to his army.