Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/57

Slave that had got no Damage, brought her: She took it, and after pronouncing ſome Words over it, threw it upon me, laying, If thou art become an Ape by Inchantmont, change thy Shape and take that of a Man which thou hadſt before. Theſe Words were hardly utter’d till I became a Man, as I was before, one Eye only excepted.

I was preparing my ſelf to give Thanks to the Princeſs, but ſhe prevented me, by addreſſing her ſelf to her Father thus, Sir, I have got the Victory over the Genie, as your Majeſty may ſee; but it’s a Victory that coſts me dear; I have but a few Moments to live, and you will not have the Satisfaction to make the Match you intended, the Fire has pierced me during the terrible Combat, and I find it conſumes me by degrees: This would not have happen’d had I perceived the laſt of the Pomgranate Seed, and ſwallow’d it as I did the other, when I was chang’d into a Cock: The Genie had fled thither as to his laſt Intrenchment, and upon that the Succeſs of the Combat depended, which would have been ſucceſsful and without Danger to me. This lip oblig’d me to have recourſe to Fire, and to fight with thoſe mighty Arms as I did between Heaven and Earth, in your Preſence; for in ſpite of all his redoubtable Art and Experience, I made the Genie to know that I underſtand more than he, I have conquer’d and reduc’d him to Aſhes, but I cannot eſcape Death which is approaching.

Here Scheherazade broke off the Story of the ſecond Callender, and ſaid to the Sultan, Sir, Day-light appears which forbids me to ſay any more; but if your Majeſty thinks fit to let me live till to-morrow, you ſhall hear the End of this Story. Schahriar conſented and got up according to Cuſtom, to take care of the Affairs of his Empire.

DInarzade awaking ſome Time before Day, called upon the Sultaneſs, and ſaid, My dear Siſter, if you be not aſleep, I would pray you to finiſh the Story of the ſecond Callender. Scheherazade reſum’d her Diſcourſe; and went on as follows: