“Now we may talk,” said Mobarec. “The island we are in belongs to the King of the Genii. Look around you, prince. Can there be a more delightful spot? Behold the fields adorned with all sorts of flowers and plants. Admire those beautiful trees, whose branches bend down to the ground. Hear those harmonious songs from a thousand birds of as many various sorts, unknown in other countries.”
Zeyn could not sufficiently admire the beauties with which he was surrounded, and still found something new as he advanced farther into the island.
At length they came before a palace built of emeralds, encompassed by a wide moat, on the banks whereof, at certain distances, were planted such tall trees that they shaded the whole palace. The gate was of massy gold and was approached by a bridge. At the entrance to the bridge stood a company of very tall genii, who guarded the portals of the castle with great clubs of steel.
“Let us at present proceed no farther,” said Mobarec, “or these genii will destroy us; and in order to prevent their coming to us, we must perform a magic ceremony.”
Then Mobarec laid on the ground two large mats, on the edges whereof he scattered some precious stones, musk, and amber. Afterwards he sat down on one of the mats, and Zeyn on the other, and Mobarec said to the prince: “I shall now conjure the Sultan of the Genii, who lives in the palace that is before us. If our coming into this island is displeasing to him, he will appear in the shape of a dreadful monster; but if he approves of your design, he will show himself in the shape of a handsome man. As soon as he appears before us, you must rise and salute him, without going off your mat; for you would certainly perish should you stir from it. You must say to him, ‘Lord of the Genii, I wish your majesty may protect me, as you always protected my father; and I most humbly beg you to give me the ninth statue.’”
Mobarec, having thus instructed Prince Zeyn, began his conjuration. Immediately their eyes were dazzled by a long flash of lightning, which was followed by a clap of thunder. The whole island was covered with a thick darkness, a furious storm of wind blew, a dreadful cry was heard, the island felt a shock as if of an earthquake, and the Sultan of the Genii appeared in the shape of a very handsome man, yet there was something terrific in his air.
As soon as King Zeyn had prostrated himself and spoken as he had been taught by Mobarec, the Sultan of the Genii, smiling, answered: “My son, I loved your father, and every time he came to pay me his respects, I presented him with a statue, which he carried away with him. I have no less kindness for you. I obliged your father, some days before he died, to write that which you read on the piece of white satin. I promised him to receive you under my protection, and to give you the ninth statue, which in beauty surpasses those you have already. I had begun to perform my promise to him, for it was I whom you saw in a dream in the shape of an old man. I caused you to open the underground place where the urns and the statues are deposited. I know the motive that brought you hither. You shall obtain what you desire on certain conditions. You must return with Mobarec, and you must swear to come again to me, and to bring with you a young maiden who has reached her twentieth year, and who has never entertained a wish to be married. She must also be perfectly beautiful; and you so much a master of yourself as not to determine to keep her for your wife, as you are conducting her hither. I will give you a looking-glass, which will clearly reflect no other image than that of the young maiden you are in search of. Now swear to me to observe these conditions and keep your oath like a man of honor. Otherwise I will take away your life, notwithstanding the kindness I have for you.”
Zeyn Alasnam accepted the conditions and swore that he would faithfully keep his word. The Sultan of the Genii then delivered to him a looking-glass, saying: “My son, you may return when you please. There is the glass you are to use.”
Zeyn and Mobarec took leave of the Sultan of the Genii and went towards the lake. The boatman with the elephant’s head brought the boat and ferried them over the lake as he had done before. They joined their servants and returned with them to Cairo.
The young sultan rested a few days at Mobarec’s house and then said to him, “Let us go to Bagdad, to seek a maiden for the Sovereign of the Genii.”