Three years passed, and still Lalla would not speak to her husband. Meanwhile, she gave him three sons. Despite having these handsome boys, the prince wanted a wife who could speak, so he sent the princess away. Lalla built a palace of her own and lived there with her sons and many servants. She spent her time growing flowers in the desert.
 
       Jealous rivals

Meanwhile, the prince married another wife. Far from being an enemy, Princess Lalla made friends with her husband's second wife. One day, Lalla invited the second wife and her ladies-in-waiting to visit. When they arrived, she invited them all to the hammam, or bathhouse, for hot baths, massages, and perfume treatments. Lalla told the ladies to wait while she fetched soap, perfumes, sponges, towels, and other necessities.

 The queen, who had joined the party, said: "We must hurry or we shall be late, as we cannot see the minaret from here. When the hammam is open for women, they hang a towel from the minaret. When the towel is gone, it will be open for men only!"
       
The lion's daughter spoke: "Do not worry, majesty. I will keep an eye on the minaret."
       
She did just that. She took out an eye and put it on a high windowsill, where it could see the minaret.
       
       "The towel is still there," reported the eye.
       
So Lalla took her eye back and replaced it in its socket. It fitted immediately, and she could see with it again. Then the ladies put on their veils and made ready to go. However, Lalla did not lead them to the local bathhouse but to her garden, where she had a well. "Close your eyes and step forward without fear," she directed.