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'Alas！' replied the gazelle； 'he is lying in the forest； for on
our way here we were met by robbers； who； after beating and
robbing him； took away all his clothes。 And he is now hiding
under a bush； lest a passing stranger might see him。'
The sultan； on hearing what had happened to his future
son…in…law； turned his horse and rode to the palace； and bade a
groom to harness the best horse in the stable and order a woman
slave to bring a bag of clothes； such as a man might want； out of
the chest； and he chose out a tunic and a turban and a sash for
the waist； and fetched himself a gold…hilted sword； and a dagger
and a pair of sandals； and a stick of sweet…smelling wood。
'Now；' said he to the gazelle； 'take these things with the
soldiers to the sultan； that he may be able to come。'
And the gazelle answered： 'Can I take those soldiers to go and
put my master to shame as he lies there naked？ I am enough by
myself； my lord。'
'How will you be enough；' asked the sultan； 'to manage this horse
and all these clothes？'
'Oh； that is easily done；' replied the gazelle。 'Fasten the
horse to my neck and tie the clothes to the back of the horse；
and be sure they are fixed firmly； as I shall go faster than he
does。'
Everything was carried out as the gazelle had ordered； and when
all was ready it said to the sultan： 'Farewell； my lord； I am
going。'
'Farewell； gazelle；' answered the sultan； 'when shall we see you
again？'
'To…morrow about five；' replied the gazelle； and； giving a tug to
the horse's rein； they set off at a gallop。
The sultan watched them till they were out of sight： then he
said to his attendants； 'That gazelle comes from gentle hands；
from the house of a sultan； and that is what makes it so
different from other gazelles。' And in the eyes of the sultan
the gazelle became a person of consequence。
Meanwhile the gazelle ran on till it came to the place where its
master was seated； and his heart laughed when he saw the gazelle。
And the gazelle said to him； 'Get up； my master； and bathe in the
stream！' and when the man had bathed it said again； 'Now rub
yourself well with earth； and rub your teeth well with sand to
make them bright and shining。' And when this was done it said；
'The sun has gone down behind the hills； it is time for us to
go'： so it went and brought the clothes from the back of the
horse； and the man put them on and was well pleased。
'Master！' said the gazelle when the man was ready； 'be sure that
where we are going you keep silence； except for giving greetings
and asking for news。 Leave all the talking to me。 I have
provided you with a wife； and have made her presents of clothes
and turbans and rare and precious things； so it is needless for
you to speak。'
'Very good； I will be silent；' replied the man as he mounted the
horse。 'You have given all this； it is you who are the master；
and I who am the slave； and I will obey you in all things。'
'So they went their way； and they went and went till the gazelle
saw in the distance the palace of the sultan。 Then it said；
'Master； that is the house we are going to； and you are not a
poor man any longer： even your name is new。'
'What IS my name； eh； my father？' asked the man。
'Sultan Darai；' said the gazelle。
Very soon some soldiers came to meet them； while others ran off
to tell the sultan of their approach。 And the sultan set off at
once； and the viziers and the emirs； and the judges； and the rich
men of the city； all followed him。
Directly the gazelle saw them coming； it said to its master：
'Your father…in…law is coming to meet you； that is he in the
middle； wearing a mantle of sky…blue。 Get off your horse and go
to greet him。'
And Sultan Darai leapt from his horse； and so did the other
sultan； and they gave their hands to one another and kissed each
other； and went together into the palace。
The next morning the gazelle went to the rooms of the sultan； and
said to him： 'My lord； we want you to marry us our wife； for the
soul of Sultan Darai is eager。'
'The wife is ready； so call the priest；' answered he； and when
the ceremony was over a cannon was fired and music was played；
and within the palace there was feasting。
'Master；' said the gazelle the following morning； 'I am setting
out on a journey； and I shall not be back for seven days； and
perhaps not then。 But be careful not to leave the house till I
come。'
And the master answered； 'I will not leave the house。'
And it went to the sultan of the country and said to him： 'My
lord； Sultan Darai has sent me to his town to get the house in
order。 It will take me seven days； and if I am not back in seven
days he will not leave the palace till I return。'
'Very good；' said the sultan。
And it went and it went through the forest and wilderness； till
it arrived at a town full of fine houses。 At the end of the
chief road was a great house； beautiful exceedingly； built of
sapphire and turquoise and marbles。 'That；' thought the gazelle；
'is the house for my master； and I will call up my courage and go
and look at the people who are in it； if any people there are。
For in this town have I as yet seen no people。 If I die； I die；
and if I live； I live。 Here can I think of no plan； so if
anything is to kill me； it will kill me。'
Then it knocked twice at the door； and cried 'Open；' but no one
answered。 And it cried again； and a voice replied：
'Who are you that are crying 〃Open〃？'
And the gazelle said； 'It is I； great mistress； your grandchild。'
'If you are my grandchild；' returned the voice； 'go back whence
you came。 Don't come and die here； and bring me to my death as
well。'
'Open； mistress； I entreat； I have something to say to you。'
'Grandchild；' replied she； 'I fear to put your life in danger；
and my own too。'
'Oh； mistress； my life will not be lost； nor yours either； open；
I pray you。' So she opened the door。
'What is the news where you come from； my grandson；' asked she。
'Great lady； where I come from it is well； and with you it is
well。'
'Ah； my son； here it is not well at all。 If you seek a way to
die； or if you have not yet seen death； then is to…day the day
for you to know what dying is。'
'If I am to know it； I shall know it；' replied the gazelle； 'but
tell me； who is the lord of this house？'
And she said： 'Ah； father！ in this house is much wealth； and
much people； and much food； and many horses。 And the lord of it
all is an exceeding great and wonderful snake。'
'Oh！' cried the gazelle when he heard this； 'tell me how I can
get at the snake to kill him？'
'My son；' returned the old woman； 'do not say words like these；
you risk both our lives。 He has put me here all by myself； and I
have to cook his food。 When the great snake is coming there
springs up a wind； and blows the dust about； and this goes on
till the great snake glides into the courtyard and calls for his
dinner； which must always be ready for him in those big pots。 He
eats till he has had enough； and then drinks a whole tankful of
water。 After that he goes away。 Every second day he comes； when
the sun is over the house。 And he has seven hea