In the third place , you must be provided with a bottle , which I will give you , to bring the water in . Set out early to-morrow morning , and when you have passed the iron gate throw the clew of thread before you , which will roll till it comes to the gates of the castle . Follow it , and when it stops , as the gates will be open , you will see the four lions : the two that are awake will , by their roaring , wake the other two , but do n't be frightened , but throw each of them a quarter of mutton , and then clap spurs to your horse and ride to the fountain ; fill your bottle without alighting , and then return with the same expedition . The lions will be so busy eating they will let you pass by them . '' Prince Ahmed set out the next morning at the time appointed by the Fairy , and followed her directions exactly . When he arrived at the gates of the castle he distributed the quarters of mutton among the four lions , and , passing through the midst of them bravely , got to the fountain , filled his bottle , and returned back as safe and sound as he went . When he had gone a little distance from the castle gates he turned him about , and , perceiving two of the lions coming after him , he drew his sabre and prepared himself for defense . But as he went forward he saw one of them turned out of the road at some distance , and showed by his head and tail that he did not come to do him any harm , but only to go before him , and that the other stayed behind to follow , he put his sword up again in its scabbard . Guarded in this manner , he arrived at the capital of the Indies , but the lions never left him till they had conducted him to the gates of the Sultan 's palace ; after which they returned the same way they came , though not without frightening all that saw them , for all they went in a very gentle manner and showed no fierceness . A great many officers came to attend the Prince while he dismounted his horse , and afterward conducted him into the Sultan 's apartment , who was at that time surrounded with his favorites . He approached toward the throne , laid the bottle at the Sultan 's feet , and kissed the rich tapestry which covered his footstool , and then said : `` I have brought you , sir , the healthful water which your Majesty desired so much to keep among your other rarities in your treasury , but at the same time wish you such extraordinary health as never to have occasion to make use of it . '' After the Prince had made an end of his compliment the Sultan placed him on his right hand , and then said to him : `` Son , I am very much obliged to you for this valuable present , as also for the great danger you have exposed yourself to upon my account -LRB- which I have been informed of by a magician who knows the Fountain of Lions -RRB- ; but do me the pleasure , '' continued he , `` to inform me by what address , or , rather , by what incredible power , you have been secured . '' `` Sir , '' replied Prince Ahmed , `` I have no share in the compliment your Majesty is pleased to make me ; all the honor is due to the Fairy my spouse , whose good advice I followed . '' Then he informed the Sultan what those directions were , and by the relation of this his expedition let him know how well he had behaved himself . When he had done the Sultan , who showed outwardly all the demonstrations of great joy , but secretly became more jealous , retired into an inward apartment , where he sent for the magician . The magician , at her arrival , saved the Sultan the trouble to tell her of the success of Prince Ahmed 's journey , which she had heard of before she came , and therefore was prepared with an infallible means , as she pretended . This means she communicated to the Sultan who declared it the next day to the Prince , in the midst of all his courtiers , in these words : `` Son , '' said he , `` I have one thing more to ask of you , after which I shall expect nothing more from your obedience , nor your interest with your wife . This request is , to bring me a man not above a foot and a half high , and whose beard is thirty feet long who carries a bar of iron upon his shoulders of five hundredweight , which he uses as a quarterstaff . '' Prince Ahmed , who did not believe that there was such a man in the world as his father described , would gladly have excused himself ; but the Sultan persisted in his demand , and told him the Fairy could do more incredible things . The next day the Prince returned to his dear Paribanou , to whom he told his father 's new demand , which , he said , he looked upon to be a thing more impossible than the two first ; `` for , '' added he , `` I can not imagine there can be such a man in the world ; without doubt , he has a mind to try whether or no I am so silly as to go about it , or he has a design on my ruin .
In short , how can he suppose XXXXX I should lay hold of a man so well armed , though he is but little ?
in into of on that though toward while with without