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Consider, my dear child, that Allah would not send you into the world to be necessarily and unavoidably wicked; therefore always depend upon the assistance of our holy Prophet when you do right, and let no circumstance of life, nor any persuasion, ever bias you to live otherwise than according to the chaste and virtuous precepts of the religious Houadir.
Yes, my dearest Houadir, had I attended to your instructions I had given no handle to Darandu's insolence; but yet methinks some sorrows were allowable for the loss of such a mother and such a friend."
What, then, is he who wantons in the death of those who advantage him not? But man is lord of all: let him look to it how he governs!" "Nay, but," answered Urad, "leave me, gentle protector, and provide for your safety; nor fear but Houadir will prevent the storms that hover over from breaking upon me."
No adviser can be good who would destroy what he himself has first inculcated; and no appearance ought to bias us to receive as truths those things which are contrary to virtue and religion. How, then, did Urad keep to the instructions of Houadir?" Thus spoke the enchanter, and no more; his mouth closed up, and he stood fixed and motionless.
Nouri, from whose breasts I sucked my natural life, is now a prey to the vulture on the banks of the Tigris; and Houadir, from whom I derive my better life, is passed away from me like a vision in the night." Her rustic acquaintance laughed at these sorrows of the virgin Urad. "Alas!" said one, "Urad grieves that now she has to work for one, instead of three."
Upon which Urad looked, and beheld her old friend Houadir. At the sight of Houadir, Urad was equally astonished and abashed. "Why blushes, Urad?" said Houadir. "How, O genius," said Urad, "for such I perceive thou art how is Urad guilty? I invited not Darandu hither: I wished not for him." "Take care," answered Houadir, "what you say.
"O son of Houadir, what hast thou done?" said Urad. "I have," answered the false son of Houadir, "gained the full possession of my lovely Urad, and now may address her in my proper shape." So saying, he resumed his natural figure, and became like a satyr of the wood. "I am," said he, "O beautiful Urad, the enchanter Repah, who range in the solitude of the forest of the Tigris.
"Hadst thou three thousand desires, Almurah would satisfy them or die." "What strange things," said Houadir, "has Urad to ask of the Sultan Almurah?" "Whatever they are, gracious genius," said Almurah, "Urad, the lovely Urad, may command me." "Then," said Urad, "first I require that the poor inhabitants of the forest be restored to their native lands, whence thou hast driven them."
Urad was thunderstruck at the news, and now began to fear Houadir had forgotten her, and resolved, as soon as the eunuchs had left her, to drop a second peppercorn. But poor Urad had forgotten to take her bag from her old garments, which the women who dressed her had carried away. She dissolved in fresh tears at this piece of carelessness.
And Urad, finding her spirits somewhat recovered, hastened out of the hut, and perceived that it was morning. She had now no more peppercorns to depend upon; wherefore she cried to Houadir to succour her; but the genius was deaf to her entreaties. "Poor miserable wretch!" said Urad to herself, "what will become of thee, inclosed in a forest through which thou knowest no path?