1 827.] The Adventures of Prince Hassan. 369 



B. stop in the midst of a grove, which was the place appropriated for their 

 festivities. Thousands of savages were stretched on the turf, and large 

 bowls full of blood were ranged at equal distances : the most exquisite 

 wines, even nectar itself, was not so delicious to them as this beverage. 

 The newly-elected king was placed on a throne covered with lions' skins; 

 and, to commence the feast, he had seized the young stranger, and with a 

 dagger he was prepared to pierce his throat when, all on a sudden, the 

 dagger fell from his hand, and the king fell dead at his feet. The people, 

 surprised, turned their eyes with astonishment on the unknown ; but all 

 the barbarians experienced the same fate, and fell weltering in the blood 

 which flowed from the vases which they had overturned in expiring. 



It is impossible to describe the astonishment of the young man, at the 

 sight of a whole people, whom an invisible hand had exterminated in a 

 moment. These barbarians were extended on the earth, with all the hor- 

 rors of death depicted on their countenances : their eyes, turned towards 

 heaven, seemed to accuse the gods of their deaths ; their open mouths 

 seemed to blaspheme them ; and their arms, that the coldness of death had 

 stiffened and held stretched out, seemed yet to menace them. 



The unknown then, quickly arming himself from the spoils of the king, 

 and passing through the midst of the dead bodies, plunged into the forest. 

 He gained a rock, from whence issued a spring of water, which, falling 

 from rock to rock, augmented by its noise the horrors of this desert. There 

 the stranger, reflecting on his misfortunes, abandoned himself to despair. 

 He could not reflect without shuddering on all he had suffered since he 

 had departed from the Isle of Brilliants, where his father reigned as sove- 

 reign. Rocks of crystals and emeralds formed the boundaries; the hills 

 were sprinkled with precious stones; the trees were loaded with fruit, the 

 colour of rubies ; and the superb towers of diamonds which formed the gates 

 of the capital city, dazzled the eyes. It was an entire year since he had 

 quitted it, and had been wandering on the seas. All that had befallen him 

 appeared before him at that moment. Ho could not refrain from tears when 

 lie reflected that he was for ever separated from the king his father. 



He recollected at length that the king, at parting, had given him a little 

 box, which he charged him not to open till a year after his departure. 

 The time having now expired, the prince opened it, and found a paper, 

 which he read with eagerness. It was in the handwriting of the king ; 

 and it was in these terms that tho unfortunate father informed him of the 

 cause of his misfortunes : 



" I wish in vain, my dear son, to hide from you the evils that threaten 

 " you. The gods are my witnesses of all that I have done to assuage their 

 " wrath ; but the fairy Noirjabarbe, enemy of this island, destined you 

 " to the most cruel trials from your birth. Why did she not deprive you 

 " of life ? I should then have been more easy, and it would have been a 

 " lesser pain to me! That cruel fairy arrived in my kingdom at a time 

 " when the other fairies came to bestow on you all the gifts necessary to 

 tl you an accomplished prince. They wished by these presents to prevent 

 " the fairy Noirjabarbe from hurting you. But what will not cruelty and 

 " barbarity imagine to be revenged. Tho fairy, not being able to deprive 

 " you of the gifts the others had bestowed, wished to render you tho 

 " horror of the universe, and condemned you to kill on the spot all those 

 " who looked at you after you had attained the age of twenty years. 



M. M. New Series. VOL. IV. No. 22. 3 B 



