The fishes became men, women, and
children; Mahometans, Christians, Persians, or Jews, freemen or
slaves, ns they were before; every one having recovered their
natural form. The houses and shops were immediately filled with
their inhabitants, who found all things as they were before the
enchantment. The sultan's numerous retinue, who found themselves
encamped in the largest square, were astonished to see
themselves, in an instant, in the middle of a large, fine, and
well-peopled city.
To return to the enchantress: As soon as she had made this
wonderful change, she returned with all diligence to the Palace
of Tears, that she might reap the fruits of it. My dear lord,
cries she, as she entered, I come to rejoice with you for the
return of your health; I have done all that you required of me;
then pray rise, and give me your hand. Come near, says the
sultan, still counterfeiting the language of the blacks. She did
so. You are not near enough, replies he; come nearer. She obeyed.
Then he rose up, and seized her by the arm so suddenly, that she
had not time to know who it was, and with a blow of his scimitar
cut her in two, so that the one half fell one way, and the other
another. This being done, he left the carcase upon the place,
and, going out of the Palace of Tears, he went to seek the young
king of the Black Isles, who waited for him with a great deal of
impatience; and when he found him, Prince, says he, embracing
him, rejoice, you have nothing to fear now; your cruel enemy is
dead.
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