Prince little boy; and other tales of fairy-land
Silas Weir Mitchell
Paperback
(RareBooksClub.com, Sept. 13, 2013)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ..."Shortly afterwards they carried the gourd to the market. Here they made a goodly fortune by running pins into Mustapha that he might cry out for the amusement of the bystanders. "Before long all Bagdad flocked to see and hear this wonderful gourd, and at last an officer of the Caliph's household arrived, paid a great sum for the gourd, and, putting it in a basket, carried it away to the palace. "By and by Mustapha found himself in a superb room of the palace, where, surrounded by her ladies, the Princess lay upon a couch. "Suddenly, Mustapha the gourd, as he lay in his basket, heard the voice of his beloved Lelie, who was fanning the Princess. "This so moved poor Mustapha that he cried aloud,' Allah! I hear my love!' and so saying rolled from the basket and fell at Lelie's feet. "' Mahomet!' cried the Princess. 'The thing is bewitched! Take it away!' "But as for Lelie the words were as sweet music to her, and, seizing the gourd, she placed it tenderly in the basket and carried it to her room. Here she implored it with tears to speak again, but in vain; so that at last she was forced to leave it and return to the Princess. "Soon after she had gone Mustapha was aware of a rosecolored cloud in the room, out of which grew into shape the form of a huge Genie, which thus addressed him: "' Know, frail mortal, that I am your guardian spirit. I have heard with pity of your sad fate and am come to give you a chance for life again. Perhaps what I shall do for you may render your position better. Unluckily, I cannot give to you once more your mortal shape.' "With these words the figure inclined towards him gravely, and touched his yellow cheek. He shuddered and lost consciousness. "What next was...