The Gleichen Legend, Part II [pp. 110-123]

THE GLEICHEN LEGEND.
THE GLEICHEN LEGEND.
IN TWO PARTS. -PART Il.
T HE Sultan who, at that time, held begins to find material for a story of her
the sway over Egypt, was the val- own.
iant Malek al Aziz Othman, a son of the Now the fairy tales gave way to vivid
celebrated Saladin. His greatest proof pictures of European manners and cusof valiancy, however, was in his numer- toms; and the nurse, remembering her
ous progeny, of which the Princess Me- youth, gave such pleasing descriptions
lechsala was the last and most lovely. of Italy, that the tender imagination of
The only surviving daughter of the Sul- her princely nursling never could forget
tan, she was so richly gifted with Nat- these warm and glowing impressions.
ure's treasures, that Court and people The more she grew in years, the more
were unanimous in their praises, and the the Princess Melechsala became pasfather's eye could not but dote on her sionate for European habits and ornabeauty. She was the pride of the Sul- ments, and her whole appearance seemtan's family, her brothers even compet- ed to discard the usages of her country,
ing with one another to show her esteem and to lean to European fashions.
and affection. The grave Divan sat often From her childhood she loved flowers,
in solemn consultation as to what prince and if in other things she had European
to attach to Egypt'sbenefit by an alli- fancies, in this one she gave proof of
ance of love. But the father cared for Arabian descent, that she delighted in
little else than how to gratify the slight- expressing the feelings of her tender
est wish of his favored daughter, so as heart by significant bouquets and floral
to keep her mind in constant bright- crowns. Yea, she contrived ingeniousness, lest the slightest cloud should ly to embodywhole sentences and verses
cast a shadow over her pure and lovely of the Alcoran by a happy combination
face. of various flowers. Then she gave her
The Princess had passed the first years companions the task of guessing, in which
of her childhood under the care of a they seldom missed. Thus she one day
nurse, who was a Christian, of Italian formed a chalcedonian lychnis in the
parentage. In her youth she was car- form of a heart, encircled this with white
ried off by pirates from the shores of her roses and lilies, supporting it with two
native town, sold in Alexandria, traded slender lilies -inclosing a beautiful anover from one to another, until she came emone; and when she offered it to her
into the palace of the Sultan, where she attendant ladies, they all spoke, "Innobecame the nurse of the young Princess. cence of heart is above birth and beauGifted with a good memory and a smooth ty."
and fluent tongue, she knew so many Fatlier Othman rejoiced in the playstories and tales, that the Princess de- ful ingenuity of his beautiful daughter.
lighted in them-not a thousand nights, Ihis talents in that line were poor. A
but a thousand weeks. But when a girl strict and honest Moslem, he sympahas lived a thousand weeks, she is no thized little with the foreign propensities
more contented with strange stories: she of the fair Melechsala; but, as a tender
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