One of the birds saw him and said to the woman, "Don't open
the door." The prince heard the bird speak, and returned to the palace
without saying a word. An old woman was called to cast spells over him, and
said to the King:
"He could not see a woman he has never seen."
The prince spoke and said to her: "If you will come with me, I will bring
her here." They arrived.
The old dame called the young woman, "Come out, that we may see you."
She said to the bird, "I am going to open the door."
The bird answered: "If you open the door you will meet the same fate as Si
El-Ahcen. He was reading with many others in the mosque. One day he found
an amulet. His betrothed went no longer to school, and as she was old
enough he married her. Some days after he said to his father, 'Watch over
my wife.' 'Fear nothing,' answered the father.
"He started, and came back. 'Watch over my wife,' he said to his father
again. 'Fear nothing,' repeated his father. The latter went to the market.
On his return he said to his daughter-in-law, 'There were very beautiful
women in the market,' 'I surpass them all in beauty,' said the woman; 'take
me to the market.
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