“Ai, my daughter!” said the king. “This youth desires to marry you. I command that you accept him.”
“My honored father,” was the reply. “I pray you give me a little time. Let me dream over the matter, and, to-morrow, you shall hear the result.”
This slight request was granted, and the king’s [[110]]daughter returned to her own apartment. When night came on and all was still in the palace, the one who had killed the dragon, stole quietly to her door and watched through the keyhole, to see what she would do.
The girl, who was arrayed in scarlet, set a golden basin, filled with various kinds of perfumed waters, in the middle of the floor. Almost immediately, a dove flew in through the open window, bathed in the water and turned into a beautiful youth, whom the girl embraced tenderly; after which the two sat down beside each other.
“Ai, my lord, light of my eyes!” said she. “To-day my father summoned me into his presence and declared that he would bestow me, in marriage, upon a youth of mean condition. I persuaded him to give me this night of grace in which to think upon the matter. In reality, I wished to consult with you.”
“My princess,” answered the youth, after he had thought for some minutes, “your father should not expect to marry you to one who is not willing to do some valiant deed to win your hand. There is a magic mirror, which the jinns have in charge. No one is capable of securing it from them. It has often been tried. Now, to-morrow, you must say that you will marry this presumptuous one, if he will bring you the magic mirror.” [[111]]
When morning returned, the youth again took on the form of a dove and disappeared through the window. After that, the one who had been watching them went away. She saw, very clearly, that the princess who wore the scarlet raiment was under an evil enchantment. And her love for the deluded one was increased by her pity.
The king’s daughter, arrayed all in scarlet, went to her father with the condition. “Verily, my king!” she said, “in a certain place, where the jinns have charge of it, is a magic mirror—into which whoever looks will thenceforth be happy. I would possess this mirror. If the youth who seeks my hand will bring it to me, then will I marry him.”
Upon this the king summoned the assistant of the cooks and said to her: “My son, it is as I told you. This foolish daughter is amusing herself. Now, before she will marry you, she demands that you bring to her a mirror, the securing of which will entail great danger.”
The reply came without hesitation: “My padisha, let it please you that I go and bring the mirror unto your daughter.”