me first what you think of this hall."

Upon this question, the counterfeit Fatima surveyed the hall from one
end to the other. When he had examined it well, he said to the princess,
"As far as such a solitary being as I am, who am unacquainted with what
the world calls beautiful, can judge, this hall is truly admirable;
there wants but one thing." "What is that, good mother?" demanded the
princess; "tell me, I conjure you. For my part, I always believed, and
have heard say, it wanted nothing; but if it does, it shall be
supplied."

"Princess," said the false Fatima, with great dissimulation, "forgive me
the liberty I have taken; but my opinion is, if it can be of any
importance, that if a roc's egg were hung up in the middle of the dome,
this hall would have no parallel in the four quarters of the world, and
your palace would be the wonder of the universe."

"My good mother," said the princess, "what is a roc, and where may one
get an egg?" "Princess," replied the pretended Fatima, "it is a bird of
prodigious size, which inhabits the summit of Mount Caucasus; the
architect who built your palace can get you one."

After the princess had thanked the false Fatima for what she believed
her good advice, she conversed with her upon other matters; but could
not forget the roc's egg, which she resolved to request of Aladdin when
next he should visit his apartments. He did so in the course of that
evening, and shortly after he entered, the princess thus addressed him:
"I always believed that our palace was the most superb, magnificent, and
complete in the world: but I will tell you now what it wants, and that
is a roc's egg hung up in the midst of the dome." "Princess," replied