I who wrought for them such work[FN#299] am rewarded with the
contrary thereof; withal the power is unto Allah." And suddenly
he heard the sound of speaking at some little distance beside
him, and the voice was saying, "O Black of Head, who hath come
amongst us?" and his comrade responded, "By Allah, this youth is
the son of the Sultan and his best beloved, and the same hath
released his brothers from sorcery and was carrying them to their
homes when they played him false and cast him into this well.
However, he hath a signet-ring with a bezel which if he rub
'twill bespeak him with whatso he desireth, and will do what he
may wish." So the Prince said in his mind, "I bid the Servant of
this Ring to take me out;" after which he rubbed it and the Jinni
appeared and cried, "Yea verily, O son of the Sultan, what is it
thou requirest of me?"--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I should relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Ring-bezel said to him, "What dost thou require of me?" and said