46
with four wings, to whom said he, Carry this damsel to the city of Julnar of the Sea and her mother Ferasheh, for they two are the most powerful magicians on the face of the earth.’ And he said to the damsel, ‘When thou comest thither, tell them that King Bedr Basim is Queen Lab’s captive.’
Then the Afrit took her up and flying off with her, set her down, in a little while, upon the roof of Queen Julnar’s palace. So she descended and going in to the queen, kissed the earth and told her what had befallen her son, whereupon Julnar rose to her and thanked her and entreated her with honour. Then she let beat the drums in the city and acquainted her people and the grandees of her realm with the good news that King Bedr was found; after which she and her mother Ferasheh and her brother Salih assembled the tribes of the Jinn and the warriors of the sea; for the kings of the Jinn obeyed them, since the taking of King Es Semendel. Then they all flew up into the air and lighting down on the city of the sorceress, sacked the town and the palace and slew all the misbelievers therein in the twinkling of an eye.
Then said Julnar to the damsel, ‘Where is my son?’ And the girl brought her the cage and showing her the bird within, said, ‘This is thy son.’ So Julnar took him forth of the cage and sprinkled him with water, saying, ‘Quit this form for that wherein thou wast aforetime.’ Nor had she made an end of her speech ere he shook and became a man as before; whereupon his mother embraced him and he wept sore. On like wise did his uncle Salih and his grandmother and the daughters of his uncle and fell to kissing his hands and feet. Then Julnar sent for Abdallah and thanking him for his kind dealing with her son, married him to the damsel, whom he had despatched to her with news of him, and made him king of the city. Moreover, she summoned those
