The prince walked on in solitude till he reached the city . He went in and wandered about through all quarters , and through bazaars and lanes and squares , in the least knowing from whom he could ask information about the riddle of Mihr-afruz . He spent seven days thinking it over in silence . From the first day of his coming he had made friends with a young cloth-merchant , and a great liking had sprung up between them . One day he said abruptly to his companion : ' O dear friend ! I wish you would tell me what the rose did to the cypress , and what the sense of the riddle is . ' The merchant started , and exclaimed : ` If there were not brotherly affection between us , I would cut off your head for asking me this ! ' ` If you meant to kill me , ' retorted the prince , ` you would still have first to tell me what I want to know . ' When the merchant saw that the prince was in deadly earnest , he said : ` If you wish to hear the truth of the matter you must wait upon our king . There is no other way ; no one else will tell you . I have a well-wisher at the Court , named Farrukh-fal , -LSB- 12 -RSB- and will introduce you to him . ' ` That would be excellent , ' cried the prince . A meeting was arranged between Farrukhfal and Almas , and then the amir took him to the king 's presence and introduced him as a stranger and traveller who had come from afar to sit in the shadow of King Sinaubar . Now the Simurgh had given the prince a diamond weighing thirty misqals , and he ordered this to the king , who at once recognised its value , and asked where it had been obtained . ` I , your slave , once had riches and state and power ; there are many such stones in my country . On my way here I was plundered at the Castle of Clashing Swords , and I saved this one thing only , hidden in my bathing-cloth . ' In return for the diamond , King Sinaubar showered gifts of much greater value , for he remembered that it was the last possession of the prince . He showed the utmost kindness and hospitality , and gave his wazir orders to instal the prince in the royal guest-house . He took much pleasure in his visitor 's society ; they were together every day and spent the time most pleasantly . Several times the king said : ` Ask me for something , that I may give it you .
` One XXXXX he so pressed to know what would pleasure the prince , that the latter said : ' I have only one wish , and that I will name to you in private . '
Almas Mihr-afruz Sinaubar Swords bathing-cloth day days first guest-house misqals