Never since the day when the sun first shone on this poor earth of ours, never since the golden stars sparkled in the firmament, has such a scene been presented to the human eye as that which Prince Erian saw before him. An immense hall, inlaid with thousands of glistening diamonds, sapphires as blue as the sky, and opals with their changing hues, lay spread out before the King's son, who stood dumb with astonishment and admiration. There were soft carpets everywhere, unmatchable pictures, and bright-colored flowers. Silver perfuming-pans swinging from their golden chains, and filling the air with rich incense, burned incessantly in this enchanted place. There were twelve windows in this wonderful hall, and in each window a young girl stood, a living picture in a frame. All were so beautiful and so graceful that the young Prince was dazed. Never in his wildest dreams had he caught a glimpse of fairies quite so beautiful, and even the water-nymphs that he had seen disporting themselves on the water's edge were not so charming. Dazed and delighted as he was, there was, nevertheless, a mystery that puzzled the young Prince. In the first of the twelve windows stood a young girl whose head was covered with a gauze veil. She alone had not turned when the King's son entered. Prince Erian stepped to her side and removed the veil. "Why do you look at me?" she asked, sadly. "Because," he replied, "you are the most charming of all the marvellous beauties that surround you; because you are like the moon among the stars—like the rose among the flowers of a garden." "What do you desire of me?" the young girl asked. "Something that makes me tremble to say it," responded Prince Erian. "I want to make you my Queen, and live at your side." "Alas! to marry me you must rescue me. I am the prisoner of the most powerful magician of the earth. I am held captive by Magor, the King of the Sorcerers." "No matter!" cried the young Prince. "I shall rescue you. I shall die if I do not make you mine." "May you be victorious over my deadly enemy; but, unfortunate that I am!" sighed the beautiful prisoner, "I fear you will share the sad fate of the many gallant young princes who have wished to deliver me from my bonds." Quite happy, Prince Erian returned to his father. "Well," said the King, "did you meet the lady of your dreams?" "Yes, my father." "Tell me: which did you choose?" "The most beautiful of all," exclaimed the Prince; "the fairest of the stars, the rose that perfumes the gardens." "The stars are all brilliant," said the King, "and each flower sheds its perfume. Answer me, my son; which is the lady of your choice?" "My father, it is the veiled lady." "Unfortunate boy, you are lost!" cried the monarch. "It is the Queen of Golconda, the prisoner of Magor, the King of the Magicians, that you have chosen. My poor son! to make her your queen you must take her away from that terrible sorcerer."