Bright-Wits, Prince of Mogadore | Page 3

rug, forgetting that it is unseemly in a maiden to point the way to the possession of her charms."
To which Bright-Wits quickly replied, "Learn then, O Garrofat, that I would fain solve the riddle of the rug, and do proclaim my willingness to be whipped forth from the gates of your city, if seven days hence I have not accomplished the task."
"Bright eyes stir dull wits," sneered Garrofat. "Let us pray to Allah that your skin is as thick as your vanity is great; for my slaves have stout arms and heavy whips. Know then that I accept your offer and warn thee against failure. Now enter with me into the palace, where you will find refreshment; and on the morrow I will have the rug conveyed to the apartment which you shall occupy while you dwell with us, that you may begin your task without delay."
During the week which followed, Bright-Wits, and Ablano the Brahman, made numerous excursions into the city and even out into the surrounding country. At every opportunity the prince sought the society of Azalia; and as the holy Brahman Ablano was ever present at their meetings, Garrofat could offer no objection, much as he frowned on their ripening friendship.
On these occasions Azalia told her new friends of many suspicious acts of the crafty vizier; which clearly indicated that he was plotting to secure the hand of the princess for himself, and the entire control of the kingdom into the bargain. "He has assumed the royal red robes," said Azalia, "and he has issued orders that he be addressed only as rajah. He has elevated his cunning brother Doola to be head of the Council of Emirs with the rank of vizier; and has given him the richest province of my father's kingdom to govern." When relating these things the princess would give way to her grief.
But Ablano comforted her, saying, "Peace, my child. Be not disheartened. Always must thou remember that as happiness passeth away so passeth away anxiety and sorrow."
At last on the evening of the sixth day, Garrofat summoned the prince to his presence and warned him to be in attendance in the great hall of the palace on the morrow. Now when morning came, Bright-Wits was escorted by a strong guard of slaves to the Hall of Audience from which he was to emerge victorious as the accepted suitor for the hand of Azalia, or with the whips of Garrofat's stout slaves singing in his ears and stinging his shoulders.
Entering boldly, Bright-Wits found Garrofat seated upon the royal throne, while at his right stood the eight governors of the provinces. The prince easily distinguished Doola from Azalia's description. Like his brother, he was beardless; while a golden crown surmounted by a red cone shaped hat was perched above his rust coloured hair.
As Bright-Wits advanced to the throne, Garrofat cried out with derision, "Comes the Prince of Boasters to receive his reward? My slaves are impatient to stretch their whips across your shoulders."
"My business is neither with slaves nor whips," answered the prince with scorn. "I come to announce that I have solved the riddle of the rug." Then salaaming deeply, he presented to Garrofat a small roll of parchment. "On this," he said, "you will find a plan of the rug, so that should it by any mischance come apart again it may be readily repaired."
Two slaves now entered bearing the rug; and when they had spread it upon the floor, it was found to be perfectly put together.
"By Allah!" gasped Garrofat, "he must be a genie."
Doola was the first to recover from the general surprise, and stepping quickly to his brother's side he whispered in his ear. Now the counsel must have been pleasing; for Garrofat chuckled and thus addressed the prince. "Let me congratulate you," he said with a grin, "but before I can consider you as a suitor for the hand of Azalia, I must have further proof that you are as wise as you pretend. Else, would I be false to my duty as her guardian.
"Now just before your entrance we were considering a question of grave importance to the welfare of the kingdom. You will observe that there hangs on the wall beside you what appear to be four charts, but which are really the parts of one chart. Know then that this kingdom consists of eight provinces; ruled over by the eight emirs you see here assembled. Now these eight emirs are so jealous of each other that fierce battles occur whenever two of them chance to meet upon the road. Only our presence now restrains them. Anxious to put an end to these disgraceful brawls within the kingdom, the great Rajah Onalba had drawn yonder plan of the eight provinces. On it as you see