Ar

and even from the Desert of Sahara, were held in readiness in the side rooms or stalls of the immense semi-circular arena which had been especially built for this occasion. More than sixty thousa

o be allowed to fly as a bird out of its cage! She was going to see a play wherein the actors were real lions, rea

him his daughter, the wondrously beautiful Princess Lindagull. According to the custom in Eastern lands she was veiled. The people could only admire he

and that she each day sent out her maidens with medicine and bread for the poor in Ispahan. Therefore, when she now for the first time showed herself before the populace, there broke forth such a

herself beside her father on the richly embroidered purple robe which

it fought fiercely, thrusting its beak into the cat's side, the wildcat scratched and bit the big bird so savagely that the end soon came and the c

nose with a switch. The crocodile thrust up his ugly mouth and began to clamber clumsily out of the tank to devour the boy. But the boy saved himself by jumping hastily aside, the crocodile not being able to turn quickly enough to catch him. When the boy had thoroughly roused this crocodile he awoke the one in the other tank; and then, swift as a gazelle, escaped through a little gat

nce engaged in a fray. This conflict was fierce indeed. Five dogs lay prone upon the ground and only one jackal had fallen when a whistling was heard from the bench where sat the brave young Arab prince Abderraman. He whistled to

to opposite sides of the arena. A piece of fresh meat was thrown down before them, and immediately both rushed toward it and fought f

er's adversary was an immense lion, called Ormuz, after the Prince of Light. A living lamb was cast down before the two, but this was more than Lindagull

he tiger, jealous by nature, also darted forward furiously,

d the dreadful roaring of the angry beasts, the sand was

n. All the spectators trembled, entranced. Long was the strife undecided, but

heat of the sun being intense, there was a cessation in the sports, so that the spectators might refresh themsel

ing birds, had no idea of the aspect of these dead creatures. So down she went, followed by her ladies and the guard, into the arena

er Ahriman, lay dead upon the arena. The princess went toward him, admiring his beauty and marveling at his sple

s terrible jaws, and rushed away! Shrieks of horror flew from tier to tier among th

with the speed of the wind into the tiger's path, grasped the mo

bleeding and helpless upon the sand; and before any one could come to the aid of the vanquished hero, th

ode immediately away to seek the princess. They searched through every bush and cleft in Turan where a tiger's lair might be. Hundreds of tigers and other wild beasts fell befo

l's return. And the proclamation was made that whoever restored his daughter to him, living, should receive the hand of the princess and inherit the Persian crown; whoever brought her back dead should receive as a reward sixty asses laden with gold and costly treasure. The hope of so rich a rew

himself of the exhibition of wild beasts in order that, transformed into a tiger, he might carry out his master's commands for his own advantage. He had exchanged hearts with the tiger; and so long as the heart was not destroyed or eaten