By stage after stage , and after many days ' journeying , he arrived at the city of King Quimus . What did he see ? A towering citadel whose foot kept firm the wrinkled earth , and whose battlements touched the blue heaven . He saw hanging from its battlements many heads , but it had not the least effect upon him that these were heads of men of rank ; he listened to no advice about laying aside his fancy , but rode up to the gate and on into the heart of the city . The place was so splendid that the eyes of the ages have never seen its like , and there , in an open square , he found a tent of crimson satin set up , and beneath it two jewelled drums with jewelled sticks . These drums were put there so that the suitors of the princess might announce their arrival by beating on them , after which some one would come and take them to the king 's presence . The sight of the drums stirred the fire of Prince Tahmasp 's love . He dismounted , and moved towards them ; but his companions hurried after and begged him first to let them go and announce him to the king , and said that then , when they had put their possessions in a place of security , they would enter into the all important matter of the princess . The prince , however , replied that he was there for one thing only ; that his first duty was to beat the drums and announce himself as a suitor , when he would be taken , as such , to the king , who would then give him proper lodgment . So he struck upon the drums , and at once summoned an officer who took him to King Quimus . When the king saw how very young the prince looked , and that he was still drinking of the fountain of wonder , he said : ' O youth ! leave aside this fancy which my daughter has conceived in the pride of her beauty . No one can answer er her riddle , and she has done to death many men who had had no pleasure in life nor tasted its charms . God forbid that your spring also should be ravaged by the autumn winds of martyrdom . ' All his urgency , however , had no effect in making the prince withdraw . At length it was settled between them that three days should be given to pleasant hospitality and that then should follow what had to be said and done . Then the prince went to his own quarters and was treated as became his station . King Quimus now sent for his daughter and for her mother , Gulrukh , -LSB- 6 -RSB- and talked to them . He said to Mibrafruz : ` Listen to me , you cruel flirt ! Why do you persist in this folly ?
Now there has come XXXXX ask your hand a prince of the east , so handsome that the very sun grows modest before the splendour of his face ; he is rich , and he has brought gold and jewels , all for you , if you will marry him .
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