The king
did not know what to make of all this; but as he had shut her up as
mad, he began to think her more mad than ever: therefore, without
saying anything more to her, for fear she might do violence to
herself or somebody about her, he had her chained, and shut up more
closely than before, allowing her only the nurse to wait on her,
with a good guard at the door.
The king, exceedingly concerned at this indisposition of his
daughter, sought all possible means to get her cured. He assembled
his council, and after having acquainted them with the condition
she was in, 'If any of you,' said he, 'is capable of undertaking
her cure, and succeeds, I will give her to him in marriage, and
make him heir to my dominions and crown after my decease.'
The desire of marrying a handsome young princess, and the hopes of
one day governing so powerful a kingdom as that of China, had a
strange effect on an emir, already advanced in age, who was present
at this council. As he was well skilled in magic, he offered to
cure the king's daughter, and flattered himself he should succeed.
'I consent,' said the king, 'but I forgot to tell you one thing,
and that is, that if you do not succeed you shall lose your head.
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