"Queen of women," said the architect, "what can I do to please you?"
"I want you to build me a marvellous palace of pure gold, with ten doors of diamonds and a thousand windows of crystal. Build me a palace supported by a hundred columns of rubies and emeralds. I want it to be so resplendent that the neighboring kings and princes will stand amazed when they behold it."
The builders went to work, and in the course of a year the masterpiece of architecture was completed. One day the sisters of the princess passed that way. They were going to see their parents, and a joyous escort accompanied them, playing on a thousand instruments in order to make the journey pleasant.
"My gentle pages," exclaimed the eldest, perceiving the palace, "to whom does this magnificent building belong? Is it the home of the fairies?"
"Gracious queen," responded one of the pages, "no one knows."
"Go, then," said the princess, "and find out, and say that we desire to visit this wonderful palace."
When the messengers announced to Mirza the wishes of the princess, she exclaimed, rapturously:
"These are my sisters—the children of my mother—who come to visit me. Happy day! Pages, return and tell them that I await them."
But the pages did not move. Each one seemed to be petrified with surprise and admiration. While Mirza was speaking the most beautiful and fragrant roses fell from her lips, and at her feet hundreds of precious stones, pearls, rubies, amethysts, and diamonds sparkled and glittered. Finally the messengers returned to the princesses, and when the latter found that this beautiful palace belonged to their younger sister, they could not refrain from shedding tears of joy. Immediately they made their way to the palace, and soon they had the pleasure of embracing the sister whom they had long given up for lost.
The two princesses stayed a long time at the grand palace, their eyes dazzled at everything they saw. They were much astonished at the magnificent gifts showered on them by their sister. They went away from the palace with regret, and they were very sorry they could not carry away with them, in addition to their gifts, pieces of the precious stones with which the courtyard was paved.