There stood the Genie, like a flash and as red as fire. The princess screamed out and nearly fainted at the sight, and the poor king sat trembling like a rabbit. “Whosoever possesses that piece of blue crystal,” said the Genie, in a terrible voice, “him must I obey. What are thy commands?” “Take this king,” cried the prime-minister, “and take Jacob Stuck, and carry them both away into the farthest part of the desert whence the fellow came.” “To hear is to obey,” said the Genie; and instantly he seized the king in one hand and Jacob Stuck in the other, and flew away with them swifter than the wind. On and on he flew, and the earth seemed to slide away beneath them like a cloud. On and on he flew until he had come to the farthest part of the desert. There he sat them both down, and it was as pretty a pickle as ever the king or Jacob Stuck had been in, in all of their lives. Then the Genie flew back again whence he had come. [Illustration] There sat the poor princess crying and crying, and there sat the prime-minister trying to comfort her. “Why do you cry?” said he; “why are you afraid of me? I will do you no harm. Listen,” said he; “I will use this piece of good luck in a way that Jacob Stuck would never have thought of. I will make myself king. I will, by means of it, summon a great army. I will conquer the world, and make myself emperor over all the earth. Then I will make you my queen.” But the poor princess cried and cried. “Hast thou any further commands?” said the Genie. “Not now,” said the prime-minister; “you may go now;” and the Genie vanished like a puff of smoke. But the princess cried and cried. The prime-minister sat down beside her. “Why do you cry?” said he. “Because I am afraid of you,” said she. “And why are you afraid of me?” said he. “Because of that piece of blue glass. You will rub it again, and then that great red monster will come again to frighten me.” “I will rub it no more,” said he. “Oh, but you will,” said she; “I know you will.” “I will not,” said he. “But I can’t trust you,” said she “as long as you hold it in your hand.” “Then I will lay it aside,” said he, and so he did. Yes, he did; and he is not the first man who has thrown aside a piece of good luck for the sake of a pretty face. “Now are you afraid of me?” said he. “No, I am not,” said she; and she reached out her hand as though to give it to him. But, instead of doing so, she snatched up the piece of blue glass as quick as a flash. “Now,” said she, “it is my turn;” and then the prime-minister knew that his end had come. She blew her breath upon the piece of blue glass and rubbed her thumb upon it. Instantly, as with a clap of thunder, the great red Genie stood before her, and the poor prime-minister sat shaking and trembling. “Whosoever hath that piece of blue crystal,” said the Genie, “that one must I obey. What are your orders, O princess?”