14- Ins al Wujjood and Wird al Ikmaum

THE STORY OF INS AL WUJJOOD AND WIRD AL IKMAUM, DAUGHTER OF IBRAHIM, VIZIER TO SULTAN SHAMIKH.

Many ages past there was a very powerful sultan who had a vizier
named Ibrahim, and this minister had a daughter the most
beautiful of her sex and accomplished of her age, so that she
became distinguished by the appellation of Wird al Ikmaum, or the
rose among flowers. It was the custom of sultan Shamikh to hold
annually a general assembly of all the nobles of his kingdom, and
persons eminent for science or the arts, during which they were
magnificently entertained at the royal expense. The former
displayed their prowess in martial exercises before the
sovereign, and the latter the productions of their genius and
skill; when valuable prizes were bestowed by the arbitration of
appointed judges on those who deserved them. On one of the days
of this festival, the vizier's daughter from a latticed balcony
of the palace, in which she sat to view the sports, was so struck
with the manly figure and agility of a young nobleman named Ins
al Wujjood (or the perfection of human nature), that love took
possession of her mind. She pointed him out to a female
confidant, and gave her a letter to convey to the object of her
affections. The young nobleman, who had heard her praises, was
enraptured by his good fortune, and the next day, having obtained
as full a sight of her beauties as could be had through the
golden wires of the balcony, retired overcome by love. Letters
now passed daily, and almost hourly, between them; but they were
impatient (or a meeting, which was at length planned; but the
note fixing the place and time was unfortunately dropped by the
confidant and carried to the vizier; who, alarmed for the honour
of his family, sent his daughter the same night to a far distant
castle belonging to himself, and situated on an island in a vast
lake, surrounded by mountainous deserts thinly inhabited. The
unfortunate lady was obliged to submit to her fate, but before
her departure contrived to write on the outside of her balcony
the following words, "They are carrying me off, but I know not
where." In the morning her lover repairing, as usual, in hopes of
seeing his mistress in the balcony, read the unwelcome
intelligence, which for a time deprived him of his senses. When
somewhat recovered he resolved to leave the court, though then
the chief favourite of the sultan, and go in search of his
beloved. Having put on the habit of a wandering devotee, he, on
the following evening, quitted the city, and recommending himself
to Providence, set out, but knew not whither. Many weeks did he
travel, but could find no traces of his beloved object; when
suddenly, passing through a thick forest, there met him a