“Then, since thou wouldst grant my heart’s desire, O, my father! build me a crystal kiosk beside this sea which stretches before us. All the divans shall be of gold set with diamonds, and the chairs and tables gilded. My heart so longs for this that, unless it be granted, I fear that death will come with my longing for it.”
But the king became sad. He felt that evil was [[208]]upon him. “Alas, my girl!” he cried at first. “Still, let the kiosk be made, according to your wish.”
Thereupon he summoned the workers in crystal, who set about building the kiosk. At the end of a year, at exactly the hour of the day when the command was given, the work was finished. Word was sent to the king, who went to look at the completed structure and found it so brilliant as to dazzle the eyes of all beholders. The wonder was that his workmen had not become blind during the year. Only the colored glasses, which they wore suspended before their eyes, had protected them. All the country about was illumined with the brilliance of this kiosk, which no tongue could describe.
When the king returned to the rose garden and sat down beside his daughter, she knew, by his face and the manner in which he regarded her, that her request of a year before was fulfilled. Kneeling before him, she kissed his hand; whereupon he said to her:
“Your crystal kiosk is finished, my daughter. And since it is your wish to leave the palace, choose a number of servants from among those most faithful, and go, dwell there! And may peace and happiness attend all your days therein!”
The princess knelt before her father again, kissed his hands three times, then, rising, summoned her [[209]]maidens, and, entering into the kiosk, took up her abode. There, surrounded by these maidens, she lived. And most of all, she loved their daily walks beside the sea.
Let these now stay here, happy day and night, while we turn away to take notice of the outer world.
Every day people came—some in boats and some in litters—all to see the wonderful kiosk. The fame of it reached far away—even into other lands.
So it came to pass that the son of the king of Yemen heard of it and was astonished at the wonderful descriptions, which all who gave them insisted were in no degree comparable with the real splendor.
All this wrought upon the young man’s mind until he went to the king and said: “My revered and beloved father! the Sultan of Stamboul has built a crystal kiosk beside the sea, which is so beautiful that it has become one of the wonders of the world. May it be your high pleasure that I should go and view this marvel, which has been accomplished by man. It will not require great length of time. Within three or four months I shall return.”