Strona 180 z 1116

The King's son asked, "Who art thou?" and she answered, "I am

daughter to a King among the Kings of Hind, and I was travelling

with a caravan in the desert when drowsiness overcame me, and I

fell from my beast unwittingly whereby I am cut off from my

people and sore bewildered." The Prince, hearing these words,

pitied her case and, mounting her on his horse's crupper,

travelled until he passed by an old ruin [FN#95], when the damsel

said to him, "O my master, I wish to obey a call of nature": he

therefore set her down at the ruin where she delayed so long that

the King's son thought that she was only wasting time; so he

followed her without her knowledge and behold, she was a

Ghulah,[FN#96] a wicked Ogress, who was saying to her brood, "O

my children, this day I bring you a fine fat youth, [FN#97] for

dinner;" whereto they answered, "Bring him quick to us, O our

mother, that we may browse upon him our bellies full." The Prince

hearing their talk, made sure of death and his side muscles

quivered in fear for his life, so he turned away and was about to

fly.