rich and prosperous. But the conditions are hard; in order to succeed you will have to remain here three days and three nights, subjected to being turned out of bed by the hands of invisible beings, who will cry, Police! Police! What has brought you here? Besides, they will drag you about and beat you unmercifully, bruising your body and causing many wounds. But at the end of each day you will be cured of your wounds by drinking one drop out of three bottles which you will find under the bed. If you decide to remain here the three nights and days, I will leave you three bags of gold, of which you can spend as much as you please, for you have only to say, 'Ah, poor me! I have no money,' and immediately the bags will be filled again. Before I leave you, I must tell you that my father is viceroy in the land of the Moors." Saying this, she departed; for, though he had not seen the person who had spoken, he could tell that he was left alone.
The traveller now felt as if under some spell, and as though he had no power to refuse the request of his midnight visitor. He decided to stay the three days, and endure whatever might befall him. Every thing happened as the Moorish maid had said it would; and every night he drank the drops prescribed out of the bottles she had left him; and after doing so he felt his wounds and bruises perfectly healed. At the end of the three days, finding that no more meals
