“Why, are we not at Grand Cairo?” said Mobarec. “Shall we not there find beautiful maidens?”
“You are in the right,” answered the prince; “but how shall we learn where they are?”
“Do not trouble yourself about that,” answered Mobarec. “I know a very shrewd old woman, whom I will intrust with the affair, and she will acquit herself well.”
Accordingly, the old woman found means to show King Zeyn a considerable number of beautiful maidens of twenty years of age; but when he had viewed them, and came to consult his glass, it always appeared sullied. All the maidens in the court and city who were in their twentieth year underwent the trial one after another, but the glass never remained bright and clear.
When Zeyn and Mobarec saw there were no maidens to be found in Cairo who did not wish to be married, they went to Bagdad, where they hired a magnificent palace, and soon made acquaintance with the chief people of the city.
There lived at Bagdad at this time an imaum[[2]] of much repute and noted for his charity. His name was Boubekir Muezin. To him Mobarec went and offered a purse of five hundred gold pieces, in the name of Prince Zeyn, to distribute among the poor. On the next day, Boubekir Muezin waited on Prince Zeyn to return to him his thanks; and on hearing the purpose of his visit to Bagdad, told him of a young maiden, the daughter of a former vizier of the Sultan of Bagdad, whom he was assured would fulfil the terms required by Prince Zeyn, and offered to ask her from her father as the wife of the prince if he would go with him to her father’s mansion. The prince accompanied the imaum to the vizier’s; and the vizier, as soon as he was acquainted with the prince’s birth and design, called his daughter and made her take off her veil. Never had the young Sultan of Bussorah beheld such a perfect and striking beauty. He pulled out his glass, which remained bright and unsullied.
[2]. Imaum: The officer in Mohammedan mosques who recites the prayers and leads the devotions.
When he perceived he had at length found such a person as he desired, he entreated the vizier to grant her to him. Immediately the cadi was sent for, the contract signed, and the marriage prayer said. After this ceremony, Zeyn conducted the vizier to his house, where he treated him magnificently and gave him considerable presents. Next day he sent a vast quantity of jewels by Mobarec, who conducted the bride home, where the wedding was celebrated with all the pomp that became Zeyn’s rank and dignity. When all the company was dismissed Mobarec said to his master: “Let us begone, sir, let us not stay any longer at Bagdad, but return to Cairo. Remember the promise you made the Sultan of the Genii.”