The sultan and I expected nothing but death, when we heard a
cry of "Victory, victory!" and instantly the princess appeared in her
natural shape; but the genie was reduced to a heap of ashes.
The princess approached us and hastily called for a cupful of water,
which the young slave, who had received no hurt, brought her. She took
it, and after pronouncing some words over it, threw it upon me,
saying, "If thou art become an ape by enchantment, change thy shape,
and take that of a man, which thou hadst before." These words were
hardly uttered when I again became a man in every respect as I was
before my transformation, excepting the loss of my eye.
I was preparing to return the princess my thanks, but she prevented me
by addressing herself to her father: "Sire, I have gained the victory
over the genie; but it is a victory that costs me dear. I have but a
few minutes to live; the fire has pierced me during the terrible
combat, and I find it is gradually consuming me. This would not have
happened had I perceived the last of the pomegranate seeds, and
swallowed it, as I did the others when I was changed into a cock; the
genie had fled thither as to his last intrenchment, and upon that the
success of the combat depended. This oversight obliged me to have
recourse to fire, and to fight with those mighty arms as I did,
between heaven and earth, in your presence; for in spite of all, I
made the genie know that I understood more than he; I have conquered,
and reduced him to ashes, but I cannot escape death, which is
approaching.
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