The Arabian Nights Entertainments, vol 3 | Page 6

understanding, like yourself, whom her evil destiny had
condemned to be a slave, ought to think herself very happy in meeting
with a king for her master."
"Sire," replied the lady, "whatever the slave be, as I have already

observed to your majesty, there is no king on earth can tyrannize over
her will. When indeed you speak of a slave mistress of charms
sufficient to captivate a monarch, and induce him to love her; if she be
of a rank infinitely below him, I am of your opinion, she ought to think
herself happy in her misfortunes: still what happiness can it be, when
she considers herself only as a slave, torn from a parent's arms, and
perhaps from those of a lover, her passion for whom death only can
extinguish; but when this very slave is in nothing inferior to the king
who has purchased her, your majesty shall judge yourself of the rigour
of her destiny, her misery and her sorrow, and to what desperate
attempts the anguish of despair may drive her."
The king of Persia, astonished at this discourse, "Madam," said he, "can
it be possible that you are of royal blood, as by your words you seem to
intimate? Explain the whole secret to me, I beseech you, and no longer
augment my impatience. Let me instantly know who are the happy
parents of so great a prodigy of beauty; who are your brothers, your
sisters, and your relations; but, above all, tell me your name?"
"Sire," said the fair slave, "my name is Gulnare of the Sea: and my
father, who is dead, was one of the most potent monarchs of the ocean.
When he died, he left his kingdom to a brother of mine, named Saleh,
and to the queen, my mother, who is also a princess, the daughter of
another puissant monarch of the sea. We enjoyed profound peace and
tranquillity through the whole kingdom, till a neighbouring prince,
envious of our happiness, invaded our dominions with a mighty army;
and penetrating as far as our capital, made himself master of it; and we
had but just time to save ourselves in an impenetrable and inaccessible
place, with a few trusty officers, who did not forsake us in our distress.
"In this retreat my brother was not negligent in contriving means to
drive the unjust invaders from our dominions. One day taking me into
his closet, 'Sister,' said he, 'the events of the smallest undertakings are
always dubious. For my own part, I may fail in the attempt I design to
make to recover my kingdom; and I shall be less concerned for my own
disgrace than what may possibly happen to you. To secure you from all
accident, I would fain see you married. But in the present miserable
condition of our affairs, I see no probability of matching you to any of
the princes of the sea; and therefore I should be glad if you would
concur in my opinion, and think of marrying one of the princes of the

earth. I am ready to contribute all that lies in my power towards
accomplishing this; and am certain there is not one of them, however
powerful, but, considering your beauty, would be proud of sharing his
crown with you.'
"At this discourse of my brother's, I fell into a violent passion.
'Brother,' said I, 'you know that I am descended, as well as you, from
the kings and queens of the sea, without any mixture of alliance with
those of the earth; therefore I do not design to marry below myself, and
I have taken an oath to that effect. The condition to which we are
reduced shall never oblige me to alter my resolution; and if you perish
in the execution of your design, I am prepared to fall with you, rather
than follow the advice I so little expected from you.'
"My brother, who was still earnest for my marriage, however improper
for me, endeavoured to make me believe that there were kings of the
earth who were no ways inferior to those of the sea. This put me into a
more violent passion, which occasioned him to say several bitter
reflecting things, that nettled me to the quick. He left me, as much
dissatisfied with myself as he could possibly be with me; and in this
peevish mood I gave a spring from the bottom of the sea up to the
Island of the Moon.
"Notwithstanding the violent discontent that made me cast myself upon
that island, I lived content in retirement. But in spite of all my
precautions, a person of distinction, attended by his servants, surprised
me sleeping, and carried me to his own house. He expressed much love
to me, and omitted nothing which he