280
“It was thy father’s vizier who brought this thing upon thee, for he is the only man alive that knows of this spring: but mount thou behind me and come with me to my dwelling, for thou art my guest this night.” “Tell me first who thou art,” said the prince; and the other answered, saying, “I am a king’s son of the Jinn, as thou a king’s son of mankind; so take heart and be of good courage, for I will surely do away thy grief and trouble; and this is an easy thing unto me.”
So the prince mounted behind the stranger, and they rode on, leaving the troops, from the first of the day till midnight, when the King’s son of the Jinn said to the prince, “Knowest thou how many days’ travel we have accomplished in this time?” “Not I,” answered the prince, and the other, “We have a come a full year’s journey for a swift horseman.” The prince marvelled at this and said, “How shall I do to return to my people?” “That is not thine affair, but mine,” replied the genie. “As soon as thou art quit of thy trouble, thou shalt be with thy people in less than the twinkling of an eye; for that is an easy matter to me.” When the prince heard this, he well-nigh lost his wits for excess of joy; it seemed to him as he were in the mazes of a dream, and he exclaimed, “Glory be to Him who can restore the wretched to happiness!” They fared on all that night, and on the morrow they found themselves in a green and smiling country, full of towering trees and warbling birds and excellent fair gardens and splendid palaces and running waters and odoriferous flowers. Here the King’s son of the Jinn alighted and bidding the prince do the like, took him by the hand and carried him into one of the palaces, where he found a great and puissant king and abode with him all that day, eating and drinking.
As soon as it was night, the King’s son of the Jinn mounted his courser and taking the prince up behind him, fared on swiftly till morning, when they found themselves
