x
The sultan of Caschmire, surrounded with all his nobles and ministers of state, was placed on a scaffold erected on purpose. The princess of Bengal, attended by a vast number of ladies which the sultan had assigned her, went up to the enchanted horse, and the women helped her to get upon its back. When she was fixed in the saddle, and had the bridle in her hand, the pretended physician placed round the horse a great many vessels full of fire, which he had ordered to be brought, and going round it, he cast a strong and grateful perfume into those pots; then, collected in himself, with downcast eyes, and his hands upon his breast, he ran three times about the horse, making as if he pronounced certain words. The moment the pots sent forth a dark cloud of pleasant smell, which so surrounded the princess, that neither she nor the horse were to be discerned, watching his opportunity, the prince jumped nimbly up behind her, and, reaching his hand to the peg, turned it; and just as the horse rose with them into the air, he pronounced these words, which the sultan heard distinctly: Sultan of Caschmire, when you would marry princesses who implore your protection, learn first to obtain their consent.
Thus the prince of Persia recovered and delivered the princess of Bengal, and carried her that same day to the capital of Persia, where he alighted in the midst of the palace, before the king his father’s apartment, who deferred the solemnization of the marriage no longer than till he could make the preparations necessary to render the ceremony pompous and magnificent, and express the interest he took in it.
After the days appointed for the rejoicing were over, the king of Persia’s first care was to name and appoint an ambassador to go to give the king of Bengal an account of what was past, and to demand his approbation and ratification of the alliance contracted by this marriage; which the king of Bengal took as an honour, and granted with great pleasure and satisfaction.
The Story of Prince Ahmed, and the Fairy Pari Banou.[103]
There was a sultan who had peaceably filled the throne of India many years, and had the satisfaction in his old age to have three sons, the worthy imitators of his virtues, who, with the princess his niece, were the ornaments of his court. The eldest of the princes was called Houssain, the second Ali, the youngest Ahmed, and the princess his niece Nouronnihar.[104]
The princess Nouronnihar was the daughter of the younger brother of the sultan, to whom the sultan in his lifetime allowed a considerable revenue. But that prince had not been married long before he died, and left the princess very young. The sultan, in consideration of the brotherly love and friendship that had always subsisted between them, besides a great attachment to his person, took upon himself the care of his daughter’s education, and brought her up in his palace with the three princes; where her singular beauty and personal accomplishments, joined to a lively wit and irreproachable virtue, distinguished her among all the princesses of her time.
The sultan, her uncle, proposed to marry her when she arrived at a proper age, and to contract an alliance with some neighbouring prince by that means; and was thinking seriously on that affair, when he perceived that the three princes his sons loved her passionately. He was very much concerned, but his grief did not proceed from a consideration that their passion prevented his forming the alliance he designed, but the difficulty he foresaw to make them agree, and that the two youngest should consent to yield her up to their elder brother. He spoke to each of them apart; and after having remonstrated on the impossibility of one princess being the wife of three persons, and the troubles they would create if they persisted in their passion, he did all he could to persuade them to abide by a declaration of the princess in favour of one of them; or to desist from their pretensions, and to think of other matches, which he left them free liberty to choose, and suffer her to be married to a foreign prince. But as he found them obstinate, he sent for them altogether, and said to them, Children, since for your good and quiet I have not been able to persuade you no longer to aspire to marry the princess your cousin; and as I have no inclination to make use of my authority, to give her to one preferable before the other two, I fancy I have thought of a proper expedient which will please you all, and preserve the union among you, if you will but hear me, and follow my advice. I think it would not be amiss, if every one travelled separately into different countries, so that you might not meet each other: and as you know I am very curious, and delight in every thing that is rare and singular, I promise my niece in marriage to him that shall bring me the most extraordinary rarity; so that as chance may lead you to form your own judgment of the singularity of the things which you bring, by the comparison you make of them, you will have no difficulty to do yourselves justice by yielding the preference to him who has deserved it; and for the expense of travelling, I will give each of you a sum agreeable to your birth, and the purchase of the rarity you shall go in search after; which shall not be laid out in an equipage and attendants, which by discovering who you are, would not only deprive you of the liberty to acquit yourselves of the inquiry you go about, but prevent your observing those things which merit your attention, and may be most useful to you.
As the three princes were always submissive and obedient to the sultan’s will, and each flattered himself fortune might prove favourable to him, and give him the possession of the princess Nouronnihar, they all consented to it. The sultan gave them the money he promised them; and that very day they issued orders for the preparations for their travels, and took leave of the sultan, that they might be ready to set out early next morning. They all went out at the same gate of the city, each dressed like a merchant, attended by a trusty officer, dressed like a slave, and all well mounted and equipped. They went the first day’s journey together, and slept at the first inn, where the road divided into three different tracks. At night when they were at supper together, they all agreed to travel for a year, and to make that inn their rendezvous; and that the first that came should wait for the rest; that as they had all three taken leave together of the sultan, they might all return together. The next morning by break of day, after they had embraced and wished each other reciprocally good success, they mounted their horses, and took each a different road.
Prince Houssain, the eldest brother, who had heard wonders of the extent, strength, riches, and splendour of the kingdom of Bisnagar, bent his course towards the Indian coast; and, after three months’ travelling, joining himself to different caravans, sometimes over deserts and barren mountains, and sometimes through populous and fertile countries, arrived at Bisnagar, the capital of the kingdom of that name, and the residence of its king. He lodged at a khan appointed for foreign merchants, and having learnt that there were four principal divisions where merchants of all sorts kept their shops, in the midst of which stood the castle, or rather the king’s palace, on a large extent of ground, as the centre of the city, and surrounded with three courts, and each gate distant two leagues from the other, he went to one of these quarters the next day.
Prince Houssain could not view this quarter without admiration. It was large, and divided into several streets, all vaulted and shaded from the sun, and yet very light. The shops were all of the same size and proportion; and all that dealt in the same sort of goods, as well as all the artists, lived in one street.
The multitude of shops stocked with all kinds of merchandises, such as the finest linens from several parts of India, some painted in the most lively colours, and representing men, landscapes, trees, and flowers; silks and brocades, from Persia, China, and other places; porcelain from Japan and China; foot carpets of all sizes; surprised him so much, that he knew not how to believe his own eyes; but when he came to the shops of the goldsmiths and jewellers, (for those two trades were exercised by the same merchants,) he was in a kind of ecstasy, to behold such prodigious quantities of wrought gold and silver, and was dazzled by the lustre of the pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and other precious stones exposed to sale. But if he was amazed at seeing so many riches in one place, he was much more surprised when he came to judge of the wealth of the whole kingdom, by considering, that except the bramins, and ministers of the idols, who profess a life retired from worldly vanity, there was not an Indian man or woman, through the extent of that kingdom, but wore necklaces, bracelets, and ornaments about their legs and feet, made of pearls, and other precious stones, which appeared with the greater lustre, as they were blacks, which colour admirably set off their brilliancy.
Another thing prince Houssain particularly admired, was the great number of rose sellers, who crowded the streets; for the Indians are so great lovers of that flower, that not one will stir without a nosegay of them in his hand, or a garland of them on his head; and the merchants keep them in pots in the shops, so that the air of the whole quarter, however large, is perfectly perfumed.
After prince Houssain had run through that quarter, street by street, his thoughts fully employed on the riches he had seen, he was very much tired; which a merchant perceiving, civilly invited him to sit down in his shop. He accepted his offer; but had not been seated long before he saw a crier pass by with a piece of carpet on his arm, about six feet square, and cry it at thirty purses. The prince called to the crier, and asked to see the carpeting, which seemed to him to be valued at an exorbitant price, not only for the size of it, but the meanness of the stuff. When he had examined it well, he told the crier, that he could not comprehend how so small a piece of carpeting, and of so indifferent an appearance, could be set at so high a price.
The crier, who took him for a merchant, replied, Sir, if this price seems so extravagant to you, your amazement will be greater when I tell you I have orders to raise it to forty purses, and not to part with it under. Certainly, answered prince Houssain, it must have something very extraordinary in it, which I know nothing of. You have guessed it, sir, replied the crier, and will own it when you come to know, that whoever sits on this piece of carpeting may be transported in an instant wherever he desires to be, without being stopped by any obstacle.[105]
At this discourse of the crier, the prince of the Indies, considering that the principal motive of his travel was to carry the sultan his father home some singular rarity, thought that he could not meet with any which would give more satisfaction. If the carpeting, said he to the crier, has the virtue you assign it, I shall not think it too much; but shall make you a present besides. Sir, replied the crier, I have told you the truth; and it will be an easy matter to convince you of it, as soon as you have made the bargain for forty purses, on condition I show you the experiment. But as I suppose you have not so much with you, and to receive them I must go with you to the khan where you lodge, with the leave of the master of the shop, we will go into the back shop, and I will spread the carpeting; and when we have both sat down, and you have formed the wish to be transported into your apartment at the khan, if we are not transported thither it shall be no bargain, and you shall be at your liberty. As to your present, as I am paid for my trouble by the seller, I shall receive it as a favour, and be very much obliged to you for it.
On the credit of the crier, the prince accepted the conditions, and concluded the bargain; and having obtained the master’s leave, they went into his back-shop: they both sat down on the carpeting; and as soon as the prince formed his wish to be transported into his apartment at the khan, he presently found himself and the crier there in the same situation; and as he wanted not a more sufficient proof of the virtue of the carpeting, he counted to the crier forty purses of gold, and gave him twenty pieces for himself.
In this manner prince Houssain became the possessor of the carpeting, and was overjoyed that at his arrival at Bisnagar he had found so rare a piece, which he never doubted would gain the possession of Nouronnihar. In short, he looked upon it as an impossible thing for the princes, his younger brothers, to meet with any thing to be compared with it. It was in his power, by sitting on this carpeting, to be at the place of rendezvous that very day; but as he was obliged to stay there for his brothers, as they had agreed, and as he was curious to see the king of Bisnagar and his court, and to inform himself of the strength, laws, customs, and religion of the kingdom, he chose to make a longer abode there, and to spend some months in satisfying his curiosity.
It was a custom of the king of Bisnagar to give all strange merchants access to his person once a week; and by that title prince Houssain, who would not be known, saw him often: and as this prince was handsome, witty, and extremely polite, he easily distinguished himself among the merchants, and was preferred before them all by the sultan, who addressed himself to him, to be informed of the person of the sultan of the Indies, and of the government, strength, and riches of his dominions.
The rest of his time the prince spent in seeing what was most remarkable in and about the city; and among those things which were most worthy of admiration, he visited a temple of idols, remarkable for being built all of brass. It was ten cubits square, and fifteen high; and the greatest ornament to it was an idol of the height of a man, of massy gold; its eyes were two rubies, set so artificially, that it seemed to look at those who looked at it, on which side soever they turned: besides this, there was another not less curious, in a village, in the midst of a plain of about ten acres, which was a delicious garden full of roses and the choicest flowers, surrounded with a small wall breast high, to keep the cattle out. In the midst of this plain was raised a terrace, a man’s height, so nicely paved, that the whole pavement seemed to be but one single stone. A temple was erected in the middle of this terrace, with a dome about fifty cubits high, which might be seen for several leagues round. It was thirty cubits long, and twenty broad, built of red marble, highly polished. The inside of the dome was adorned with three rows of fine paintings, in good taste; and there was not a place in the whole temple but what was embellished with paintings, basso relievos, and figures of idols from top to bottom.
Every night and morning there were superstitious ceremonies performed in this temple, which were always succeeded by sports, concerts of music, dancing, singing, and feasts. The ministers of the temple, and the inhabitants of the place, had nothing to subsist on but the offerings of pilgrims, who came in crowds from the most distant parts of the kingdom to perform their vows.
Prince Houssain was also spectator of a solemn feast, which was celebrated every year at the court of Bisnagar, at which all the governors of provinces, commanders of fortified places, all governors and judges of towns, and the bramins most celebrated for their learning, were obliged to be present; and some lived so far off that they were four months in coming. This assembly, composed of such innumerable multitudes of Indians, met in a plain of vast extent, was a glorious sight, as far as the eye could reach. In the centre of this plain was a square of great length and breadth, closed on one side by a large scaffolding of nine stories, supported by forty pillars, raised for the king and his court, and those strangers he admitted to audience once a week; within it was adorned and furnished magnificently; and on the outside were painted fine landscapes, wherein all sorts of beasts, birds, and insects, even flies and gnats, were drawn very naturally. Other scaffolds of at least four or five stories, and painted almost all alike, formed the other three sides. But what was more particular in these scaffolds, they could turn them, and make them change their situation and decorations every hour.
On each side of the square, at some little distance from each other, were ranged 1000 elephants, sumptuously harnessed, and each having upon his back a square wooden castle, finely gilt, in which were musicians and stage-players. The trunks, ears, and bodies of these elephants were painted with cinnabar and other colours, representing grotesque figures.
But what prince Houssain most of all admired, as a proof of the industry, address, and inventive genius of the Indians, was to see the largest of these elephants stand with his four feet on a post fixed into the earth, and standing out of it above two feet, playing and beating time with his trunk to the music. Besides this, he admired another elephant as big as this, set upon a board, which was laid across a strong beam about ten feet high, with a great weight at the other end, which balanced him, while he kept time, by the motions of his body and trunk, with the music, as well as the other elephant. The Indians, after having fastened on the counterpoise, had drawn the other end of the board down to the ground, and made the elephant get upon it.
Prince Houssain might have made a longer stay in the kingdom and court of Bisnagar, where he would have been agreeably diverted by a great variety of other wonders, till the last day of the year, whereon he and his brothers had appointed to meet. But he was so well satisfied with what he had seen, and his thoughts ran so much upon the object of his love, that after his good success in meeting with this carpeting, the beauty and charms of the princess Nouronnihar increased every day the violence of his passion, and he fancied he should be the more easy and happy the nearer he was to her. After he had satisfied the master of the khan for his apartment, and told him the hour when he might come for the key, without telling him how he should go, he shut the door, put the key on the outside, and spreading the carpeting, he and the officer he had brought with him sat down on it, and as soon as he had formed his wish, were transported to the inn at which he and his brothers were to meet, and where he passed for a merchant till they came.
Prince Ali, prince Houssain’s second brother, who designed to travel into Persia, in conformity to the intention of the sultan of the Indies, took that road, having three days after he parted with his brothers joined a caravan; and after four months travelling, arrived at Schiraz, which was then the capital of the kingdom of Persia; and having in the way contracted a friendship with some merchants, passed for a jeweller, and lodged in the same khan with them.
The next morning, while the merchants opened their bales of merchandises, prince Ali, who travelled only for his pleasure, and had brought nothing but necessaries with him, after he had dressed himself, took a walk into that quarter of the town where they sold precious stones, gold and silver works, brocades, silks, fine linens, and other choice and valuable merchandises, and which was at Schiraz called the bezestein. It was a spacious and well-built place, arched over, and the arches supported by large pillars, round which, as well as along the walls, within and without, were shops. Prince Ali soon rambled through the bezestein, and with admiration judged of the riches of the place by the prodigious quantities of the most precious merchandises that were there exposed to view.
But among all the criers who passed backwards and forwards with several sorts of goods, offering to sell them, he was not a little surprised to see one who held in his hand an ivory tube, of about a foot in length, and about an inch thick, and cried it at thirty purses. At first he thought the crier mad, and to inform himself, went to a shop, and said to the merchant, who stood at the door, Pray, sir, is not that man (pointing to the crier, who cried the ivory tube at thirty purses) mad? If he is not, I am very much deceived. Indeed, sir, answered the merchant, he was in his right senses yesterday; and I can assure you he is one of the ablest criers we have, and the most employed of any, as being to be confided in, when any thing valuable is to be sold; and, if he cries the ivory tube at thirty purses, it must be worth as much, or more, on some account or other which does not appear. He will come by presently, and we will call him, and you shall satisfy yourself: in the mean time, sit down on my sofa, and rest yourself.
Prince Ali accepted of the merchant’s obliging offer, and presently afterwards the crier passed by. The merchant called him by his name; and, pointing to the prince, said to him, Tell that gentleman, who asked me if you were in your right senses, what you mean by crying that ivory tube, which seems not to be worth much, at thirty purses. I should be very much amazed myself, if I did not know you were a sensible man. The crier, addressing himself to prince Ali, said, Sir, you are not the only person that takes me for a madman on the account of this tube: you shall judge yourself whether I am or no, when I have told you its property; and I hope you will value it at as high a price as those I have showed it to already, who had as bad an opinion of me as you have.
First, sir, pursued the crier, presenting the ivory tube to the prince, observe, that this tube is furnished with a glass at both ends; and consider, that, by looking through one of them, you see whatever object you wish to behold. I am, said the prince, ready to make you all proper reparation for the scandal I have thrown on you, if you will make the truth of what you advance appear; and, as he had the ivory tube in his hand, after he had looked at the two glasses, he said, Show me at which of these ends I must look, that I may be satisfied. The crier presently showed him; and he looked through, wishing, at the same time, to see the sultan his father, whom he immediately beheld in perfect health, sitting on his throne, in the midst of his council. Afterwards, as there was nothing in the world so dear to him, after the sultan, as the princess Nouronnihar, he wished to see her; and saw her sitting at her toilet, laughing, and in a pleasant humour, with her women about her.[106]
Prince Ali wanted no other proof to persuade him that this tube was the most valuable thing, not only in the city of Schiraz, but in all the world; and believed that, if he should neglect to purchase it, he should never meet again with such another rarity. He said to the crier, I am very sorry that I should have entertained so bad an opinion of you, but hope to make you amends by buying the tube, for I should be sorry if any body else had it: so tell me the lowest price the seller has fixed upon it; and do not give yourself any farther trouble to hawk it about, but go with me, and I will pay you the money. The crier assured him, with an oath, that his last orders were to take no less than forty purses; and, if he disputed the truth of what he said, he would carry him to his employer. The prince believed him, took him with him to the khan where he lodged, told him out the money, and received the tube.
Prince Ali was overjoyed at his bargain; and persuaded himself that, as his brothers would not be able to meet with any thing so rare and admirable, the princess Nouronnihar would be the recompense of his fatigue and trouble. He thought now of only visiting the court of Persia incognito, and seeing whatever was curious in and about Schiraz, till the caravan with which he came returned back to the Indies. He had satisfied his curiosity, when the caravan was ready to set out. The prince joined them, and arrived happily without any accident or trouble, otherwise than the length of the journey and fatigue of travelling, at the place of rendezvous, where he found prince Houssain, and both waited for prince Ahmed.
Prince Ahmed took the road of Samarcande; and the next day after his arrival there, went, as his brothers had done, into the bezestein; where he had not walked long, but he heard a crier, who had an artificial apple in his hand, cry it at five-and-thirty purses. He stopped the crier, and said to him, Let me see that apple, and tell me what virtue or extraordinary property it has, to be valued at so high a rate. Sir, said the crier, giving it into his hand, if you look at the outside of the apple, it is very inconsiderable; but if you consider its properties, virtues, and the great use, and benefit it is of to mankind, you will say it is invaluable, and it is certain that he who possesses it, is master of a great treasure. It cures all sick persons of the most mortal diseases, whether fever, pleurisy, plague, or other malignant distempers; and, if the patient is dying, it will recover him immediately, and restore him to perfect health: and this is done after the easiest manner in the world, merely by the patient’s smelling to the apple.
If one may believe you, replied prince Ahmed, the virtues of this apple are wonderful, and it is indeed invaluable: but what ground has a plain man like myself, who may wish to become the purchaser, to be persuaded that there is no disguise nor exaggeration in the high praises you bestow on it. Sir, replied the crier, the thing is known and averred by the whole city of Samarcande; but, without going any farther, ask all these merchants you see here, and hear what they say; you will find several of them will tell you, they had not been alive this day if they had not made use of this excellent remedy; and, that you may the better comprehend what it is, I must tell you, it is the fruit of the study and experience of a celebrated philosopher of this city, who applied himself all his lifetime to the knowledge of the virtues of plants and minerals, and at last attained to this composition, by which he performed such surprising cures in this city as will never be forgotten; but died suddenly himself, before he could apply his own sovereign remedy, and left his wife and a great many young children behind him in very indifferent circumstances; who, to support her family, and provide for her children, has resolved to sell it.
While the crier was telling prince Ahmed the virtues of the artificial apple, a great many persons came about them, and confirmed what he said; and one among the rest said he had a friend dangerously ill, whose life was despaired of, which was a favourable opportunity to show prince Ahmed the experiment. Upon which prince Ahmed told the crier, he would give him forty purses if he cured the sick person by smelling to it.
The crier, who had orders to sell it at that price, said to prince Ahmed, Come, sir, let us go and make the experiment, and the apple shall be yours; and I say this with the greater confidence, as it is an undoubted fact that it will always have the same effect as it already has had as often as it has been employed to recover from death so many sick persons whose life was despaired of. In short, the experiment succeeded; and the prince, after he had counted out to the crier forty purses, and the other had delivered the apple to him, waited with the greatest impatience for the first caravan that should return to the Indies. In the mean time he saw all that was curious at and about Samarcande, and principally the valley of Sogda,[107]so called from the river which waters it, and is reckoned by the Arabians to be one of the four paradises of the world, for the beauty of its fields and gardens, and the fine palaces, and for its fertility in fruit of all sorts, and all the other pleasures enjoyed there in the fine season.
At last prince Ahmed joined himself to the first caravan that returned to the Indies, and, notwithstanding the inevitable inconveniences of so long a journey, arrived in perfect health at the inn where the princes Houssain and Ali waited for him.
Prince Ali, who came there some time before prince Ahmed, asked prince Houssain, who got thither the first, how long he had been there; who told him, three months: to which he replied, Then certainly you have not been very far. I will tell you nothing now, said prince Houssain, where I have been, but only assure you I was above three months travelling to the place I went to. But then, replied prince Ali, you made a short stay there. Indeed, brother, said prince Houssain, you are mistaken: I resided at one place above four or five months, and might have stayed longer. Unless you flew back, replied prince Ali again, I cannot comprehend how you can have been three months here, as you would make me believe.
I tell you the truth, added prince Houssain, and it is a riddle which I shall not explain to you till our brother Ahmed comes; when I will let you know what rarity I have brought home from my travels. For your part, I know not what you have got, but believe it to be some trifle, because I do not perceive that your baggage is increased. And pray what have you brought? replied prince Ali; for I can see nothing but an ordinary piece of carpeting, with which you cover your sofa, and therefore I think I may return your raillery; and, as you seem to make what you brought a secret, you cannot take it amiss that I do the same with respect to what I have brought.
I look upon the rarity I have purchased, replied prince Houssain, to excel all others whatever, and should not make any difficulty to show it you, and make you agree that it is so, and at the same time tell you how I came by it, without being in the least apprehensive that that which you have got is to be preferred to it. But it is proper that we should stay till our brother Ahmed arrives, that we may all communicate our good fortune to each other.
Prince Ali would not enter into a dispute with prince Houssain on the preference he gave his rarity, but was satisfied and persuaded, that, if his perspective glass was not preferable, it was impossible it should be inferior to it; and therefore agreed to stay till prince Ahmed arrived, to produce his purchase.
When prince Ahmed came to his brothers, and they had embraced with tenderness, and complimented each other on the happiness of meeting together at the same place they set out from, prince Houssain, as the elder brother, assumed the discourse, and said to them, Brothers, we shall have time enough hereafter to entertain ourselves with the particulars of our travels; let us come to that which is of the greatest importance for us to know; and, as I do not doubt you remember the principal motive which engaged us to travel, let us not conceal from each other the curiosities we have brought home, but show them, that we may do ourselves justice beforehand, and see to which of us the sultan our father may give the preference.
To set the example, continued prince Houssain, I will tell you that the rarity which I have brought from my travels to the kingdom of Bisnagar, is the carpeting on which I sit, which looks but ordinary, and makes no show; but, when I have declared its virtues to you, you will be struck with admiration, and will confess you never heard of any thing like it. In short, whoever sits on it, as we do, and desires to be transported to any place, be it ever so far off, is immediately carried thither. I made the experiment myself before I paid down the forty purses, which I most readily gave for it; and when I had fully satisfied my curiosity, at the court of Bisnagar, and had a mind to return, I made use of no other carriage than this wonderful carpet for myself and servant, who can tell you how long we were coming hither. I will show you both the experiment whenever you please. I expect that you shall tell me whether what you have brought is to be compared with this carpet.
Here prince Houssain made an end of commending the excellency of his carpet; and prince Ali, addressing himself to him, said, I must own, brother, that your carpet is one of the most surprising things imaginable, if it has, as I do not doubt in the least, that property you speak of. But you must allow that there may be other things, I will not say more, but at least as wonderful, in another way; and to convince you there are, here is an ivory tube, which appears to the eye no more a rarity than your carpet, and yet merits great attention; it cost me as much, and I am as well satisfied with my purchase as you can be with yours; and you will be so just as to own that I have not been cheated, when you know by experience, that by looking at one end, you see whatever object you wish to behold. I would not have you take my word, added prince Ali, presenting the tube to him; take it, make trial of it yourself.
Prince Houssain took the ivory tube from prince Ali, and clapped that end to his eye which prince Ali showed him, with an intention to see the princess Nouronnihar, and to know how she did; when prince Ali and prince Ahmed, who kept their eyes fixed upon him, were extremely surprised to see his countenance change on a sudden in such a manner as expressed an extraordinary surprise and affliction. Prince Houssain would not give them time to ask what was the matter, but cried out, Alas! princes, to what purpose have we undertaken so long and fatiguing journeys, but with the hopes of being recompensed by the possession of the charming Nouronnihar, when in a few moments that lovely princess will breathe her last. I saw her in her bed, surrounded by her women and eunuchs, who were all in tears, and seem to expect nothing less than to see her give up the ghost. Take the tube, behold yourselves the miserable state she is in, and mingle your tears with mine.
Prince Ali took the tube out of prince Houssain’s hand, and after he had seen the same object with a sensible grief, presented it to prince Ahmed, who took it, to behold the melancholy sight which so much concerned them all.
When prince Ahmed had taken the tube out of prince Ali’s hands, and saw that the princess Nouronnihar’s end was so near, he addressed himself to his two brothers, and said, Princes, the princess Nouronnihar, equally the object of our vows, is indeed just at death’s door; but provided we make haste, and lose no time, we may preserve her life. Then he took the artificial apple out of his bosom, and showing it to the princes his brothers, said to them, This apple which you see here, cost me as much and more than either the carpet or tube. The opportunity which now presents itself to show you its wonderful virtue, makes me not regret the forty purses I gave for it. But, not to keep you longer in suspense, it has the virtue, if a sick person smells it, though in the last agonies, to restore him to perfect health immediately. I have made the experiment, and can show you its wonderful effect on the person of princess Nouronnihar, if we make all due haste to assist her.
If that is all, replied prince Houssain, we cannot make more despatch than by transporting ourselves instantly into her chamber by the means of my carpet. Come, lose no time; sit down on it by me; it is large enough to hold us all three: but first let us give orders to our servants to set out immediately, and join us at the palace.
As soon as the order was given, prince Ali and prince Ahmed went and sat down by prince Houssain, and as their interest was the same, they all three framed the same wish, and were transported into the princess Nouronnihar’s chamber.
The presence of the three princes, who were so little expected, frightened the princess’s women and eunuchs, who could not comprehend by what enchantment three men should be among them; for they did not know them at first; and the eunuchs were ready to fall upon them, as people who had got into a part of the palace where they were not allowed to come; but they presently recollected and found their mistake.
Prince Ahmed no sooner saw himself in Nouronnihar’s chamber, and perceived that princess dying, but he rose off the tapestry, as did also the other two princes, and went to the bed-side, and put the apple under her nose. Some moments after, the princess opened her eyes, and turned her head from one side to another, looking at the persons who stood about her; she then rose up in the bed and asked to be dressed, with the same freedom and recollection as if she had awaked out of a sound sleep. Her women presently informed her, in a manner that showed their joy, that she was obliged to the three princes her cousins, and particularly to prince Ahmed, for the sudden recovery of her health. She immediately expressed her joy to see them, and thanked them altogether, and afterwards prince Ahmed in particular. As she desired to dress, the princes contented themselves with telling her how great a pleasure it was to them, to have come soon enough to contribute each in any degree towards relieving her out of the immediate danger she was in, and what ardent prayers they had offered for the continuance of her life, and afterwards they retired.
Whilst the princess was dressing, the princes went to throw themselves at the sultan their father’s feet, and pay their respects to him; but when they came before him, they found he had been previously informed of their unexpected arrival by the chief of the princess’s eunuchs, and by what means, used by them, the princess had been perfectly cured. The sultan received and embraced them with the greatest joy, both for their return and the wonderful recovery of the princess his niece, whom he loved as if she had been his own daughter, and who had been given over by the physicians. After the usual compliments, the princes presented each the rarity which he had brought: prince Houssain his carpet, which he had taken care not to leave behind him in the princess’s chamber; prince Ali his ivory tube, and prince Ahmed the artificial apple; and after each had commended his present, when they put it into the sultan’s hands, they begged of him to pronounce their fate, and declare to which of them he would give the princess Nouronnihar for a wife, according to his promise.
The sultan of the Indies having kindly heard all that the princes had to say in favour of their rarities, without interrupting them, and being well informed of what had happened in relation to the princess Nouronnihar’s cure, remained some time silent, as if he was thinking on what answer he should make. At last he broke silence, and said to them, in terms full of wisdom, I would declare for one of you, my children, with a great deal of pleasure, if I could do it with justice; but consider whether I can. It is true, prince Ahmed, the princess my niece is obliged to your artificial apple for her cure; but let me ask you, whether you could have been so serviceable to her, if you had not known by prince Ali’s tube the danger she was in, and if prince Houssain’s carpet had not brought you to her so soon? Your tube, prince Ali, informed you and your brothers that you were likely to lose the princess your cousin, and so far she is greatly obliged to you.
You must also grant that that knowledge would have been of no service without the artificial apple and the carpet. And for you, prince Houssain, the princess would be very ungrateful, if she should not show her sense of the serviceableness of your carpet, which was as necessary a means towards producing a cure. But consider, it would have been of little use, if you had not been acquainted with the princess’s illness by prince Ali’s tube, and prince Ahmed had not applied his artificial apple. Therefore, as neither the carpet, the ivory tube, nor the artificial apple, have the least preference one before the other, but, on the contrary, there is a perfect equality, I cannot grant the princess to any one of you; and the only fruit you have reaped from your travels is the glory of having equally contributed to restore her to health.
If this be true, added the sultan, you see that I must have recourse to other means to determine me with certainty in the choice I ought to make among you; and as there is time enough between this and night, I will do it to-day. Go, and get each of you a bow and arrow, and repair to the great plain out of the city, where the horses are exercised. I will soon come to you; and I declare I will give the princess Nouronnihar to him that shoots the farthest.
I do not, however, forget to thank you all in general, and each in particular, for the present you brought me. I have a great many rarities in my closet already, but nothing that comes up to the singularity of the carpet, the ivory tube, and the artificial apple, which shall have the first places among them, and shall be preserved carefully, not only for pure curiosity, but to make an advantageous use of them upon all occasions.
The three princes had nothing to say against the decision of the sultan. When they were out of his presence, they each provided themselves with a bow and arrow, which they delivered to one of their officers, and went to the plain appointed, followed by a great concourse of people.
The sultan did not make them wait long for him; and as soon as he arrived, prince Houssain, as the eldest, took his bow and arrow, and shot first. Prince Ali shot next and much beyond him; and prince Ahmed last of all: but it so happened, that nobody could see where his arrow fell; and notwithstanding all the diligence that was used by himself and every body else, it was not to be found far or near. And though it was believed that he shot the farthest, and that he therefore deserved the princess Nouronnihar, it was however necessary that his arrow should be found, to make the matter more evident and certain; and, notwithstanding his remonstrances, the sultan determined in favour of prince Ali, and gave orders for preparations to be made for the solemnizing of the nuptials, which were celebrated a few days after with great magnificence.
Prince Houssain would not honour the feast with his presence; his passion for the Princess Nouronnihar was so sincere and lively, that he could scarce support with patience the mortification of seeing the princess in the arms of prince Ali, who, he said, did not deserve her better, nor loved her more, than himself. In short, his grief was so violent and insupportable, that he left the court, and renounced all right of succession to the crown, to turn dervise, and put himself under the discipline of a famous scheik, who had gained a reputation for his exemplary life, and had taken up his abode, and that of his disciples, whose number was great, in an agreeable solitude.
Prince Ahmed, urged by the same motive, did not assist at prince Ali and the princess Nouronnihar’s nuptials, any more than his brother Houssain, but did not renounce the world as he had done. But as he could not imagine what could become of his arrow, he stole away from his attendants, and resolved to search after it, that he might not have any thing to reproach himself with. With this intent, he went to the place where the princes Houssain and Ali’s were gathered up, and going straight forward from thence, looked carefully on both sides of him. He went so far, that at last he began to think his labour was in vain; yet he could not help going forwards, till he came to some steep craggy rocks, which would have obliged him to return, had he been ever so desirous to proceed. They were situated in a barren country, about four leagues distant from whence he set out.
x
When prince Ahmed came nigh to these rocks, he perceived an arrow, which he gathered up, looked earnestly at it, and was in the greatest astonishment to find it was the same he shot. Certainly, said he to himself, neither I, nor any man living, could shoot an arrow so far; and finding it laid flat, not sticking into the ground, he judged that it had rebounded from the rock. There must be some mystery in this, said he to himself again, and it may be to my advantage. Perhaps fortune, to make me amends for depriving me of what I thought the greatest happiness of my life, may have reserved a greater blessing for my comfort.
As these rocks were full of sharp points and indentures between them, the prince, full of these thoughts, entered into one of the cavities, and looking about, cast his eyes on an iron door, which seemed to have no lock. He feared it was fastened: but pushing against it, it opened, and discovered an easy descent, but no steps, which he walked down with his arrow in his hand. At first he thought he was going into a dark place, but presently a quite different light succeeded that which he came out of; and entering into a spacious square, at about fifty or sixty paces distant, he perceived a magnificent palace, the admirable structure of which he had not time to look at: for at the same time, a lady of majestic port and air, and of a beauty to which the richness of her clothes and the jewels which adorned her person, added no advantage, advanced as far as the porch, attended by a troop of ladies, of whom it was difficult to distinguish which was the mistress.
As soon as prince Ahmed perceived the lady, he hastened to pay his respects; and the lady on her part, seeing him coming, prevented him. Addressing her discourse to him first, and raising her voice, she said to him, Come near, prince Ahmed; you are welcome.
It was no small surprise to the prince to hear himself named in a palace he had never heard of, though so nigh to his father’s capital, and he could not comprehend how he should be known to a lady who was a stranger to him. At last he returned the lady’s compliment, by throwing himself at her feet, and rising up again, said to her, Madam, I return you a thousand thanks for the assurance you give me of a welcome to a place where I had reason to believe my imprudent curiosity had made me penetrate too far. But, madam, may I, without being guilty of rudeness, presume to ask you by what adventure you know me? and that you, who live in the same neighbourhood with me, should be so little known by me? Prince, said the lady, let us go into the hall; there I will gratify you in your request more commodiously for us both.
After these words, the lady led prince Ahmed into the hall, the noble structure of which, and the gold and azure which embellished the dome, and the inestimable richness of the furniture, appeared so great a novelty to him, that he could not enough express his admiration, by crying out that he had never in his life beheld any thing like it, and believed that nothing was to be compared to it. I can assure you, replied the lady, that this is but a small part of my palace, and you will say so when you have seen all the apartments. Then she sat down on a sofa; and when the prince at her entreaty had seated himself by her, she said, You are surprised, you say, that I should know you, and not be known by you; but you will be no longer surprised when I inform you who I am. You cannot be ignorant that your religion teaches you to believe that the world is inhabited by genies as well as men: I am the daughter of one of the most powerful and distinguished of these genies, and my name is Pari Banou; therefore you ought not to wonder that I know you, the sultan your father, the princes your brothers, and the princess Nouronnihar. I am no stranger to your loves or your travels, of which I could tell you all the circumstances, since it was I myself who exposed to sale the artificial apple which you bought at Samarcande, the carpet which prince Houssain met with at Bisnagar, and the tube which prince Ali brought from Schiraz. This is sufficient to let you know that I am not unacquainted with any thing that relates to you. The only thing I have to add is, that you seemed to me worthy of a more happy fate than that of possessing the princess Nouronnihar; and that you might attain to it, I was present when you drew your arrow, and foresaw it would not go beyond prince Houssain’s. I took it in the air, and gave it the necessary motion, to strike against the rocks near which you found it. It is in your power to avail yourself of the favourable opportunity which it presents to make you happy.
As the fairy Pari Banou pronounced these last words with a different tone, and looked at the same time tenderly upon prince Ahmed, with downcast eyes and a modest blush on her cheeks, it was not difficult for the prince to comprehend what happiness she meant. He presently considered that the princess Nouronnihar could never be his, and that the fairy Pari Banou excelled her infinitely in beauty, attractions, agreeableness, transcendant wit, and, as far as he could conjecture by the magnificence of the palace where she resided, in immense riches. He blessed the moment that he thought of seeking after his arrow a second time, and yielding to his inclination, which drew him towards the new object which had fired his heart, Madam, replied he, should I, all my life, have had the happiness of being your slave, and the admirer of the many charms which ravish my soul, I should think myself the happiest of men. Pardon me the boldness which inspires me to ask this favour, and do not refuse to admit into your court a prince who is entirely devoted to you.
Prince, answered the fairy, as I have been a long time my own mistress, and have no dependence on my parents’ consent, it is not as a slave that I would admit you into my court, but as master of my person, and all that belongs to me, by pledging your faith to me, and taking me to be your wife. I hope you will not take it amiss that I anticipate you in making this proposal. I am, as I said, mistress of my will; and must add, that the same customs are not observed among fairies as among other ladies, in whom it would not have been decent to have made such advances: but it is what we do, and we suppose we confer obligation by it.
Prince Ahmed made no answer to this discourse, but was so penetrated with gratitude, that he thought he could not express it better than by coming to kiss the hem of her garment; which she would not give him time to do, but presented her hand, which he kissed a thousand times, and kept fast locked in his. Well, prince Ahmed, said she, will you not pledge your faith to me, as I do mine to you? Yes, madam, replied the prince, in an ecstasy of joy, what can I do better, and with greater pleasure? Yes, my sultaness, my queen, I will give it you with my heart, without the least reserve. Then, answered the fairy, you are my husband, and I am your wife. Our marriages are contracted with no other ceremonies, and yet are more firm and indissoluble than those among men with all their formalities. But as I suppose, pursued she, that you have eaten nothing to-day, a slight repast shall be served up for you while preparations are making for our nuptial feast this evening, and then I will show you the apartments of my palace, and you shall judge if this hall is not the smallest part of it.
Some of the fairy’s women who came into the hall with them, and guessed her intentions, went immediately out, and returned presently with some excellent meats and wines.
When prince Ahmed had eaten and drank as much as he cared for, the fairy Pari Banou carried him through all the apartments, where he saw diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and all sorts of fine jewels, intermixed with pearls, agate, jasper, porphyry, and all kinds of the most precious marbles; not to mention the richness of the furniture, which was inestimable; the whole disposed with such profusion, that the prince, instead of ever having seen any thing like it, acknowledged that there could not be any thing in the world that could come up to it. Prince, said the fairy, if you admire my palace so much, which is indeed very beautiful, what would you say to the palaces of the chief of our genies, which are much more beautiful, spacious, and magnificent? I could also charm you with my garden; but we will leave that till another time. Night draws near, and it will be time to go to supper.
The next hall which the fairy led the prince into, and where the cloth was laid for the feast, was the only apartment the prince had not seen, and it was not in the least inferior to the others. At his entrance into it, he admired the infinite number of wax candles perfumed with amber, the multitude of which, instead of being confused, were placed with so just symmetry, as formed an agreeable and pleasant sight. A large beaufet was set out with all sorts of gold plate, so finely wrought, that the workmanship was much more valuable than the weight of the gold. Several chorusses of beautiful women richly dressed, and whose voices were ravishing, began a concert, accompanied with all kinds of the most harmonious instruments he had ever heard. When they were set down to table, the fairy Pari Banou took care to help prince Ahmed to the most delicious meats, which she named as she invited him to eat of them, and which the prince had never heard of, but found so exquisite and nice, that he commended them in the highest terms, crying, that the entertainment which she gave him far surpassed those among men. He found also the same excellence in the wines, which neither he nor the fairy tasted of till the dessert was served up, which consisted of the choicest sweetmeats and fruits.
After the dessert, the fairy Pari Banou and prince Ahmed rose from the table, which was immediately carried away, and sat on a sofa, at their ease, with cushions of fine silk, curiously embroidered with all sorts of large flowers, laid at their backs. Presently after a great number of genies and fairies danced before them to the door of the chamber where the nuptial bed was made; and when they came there, they divided themselves into two rows, to let them pass, and after that retired, leaving them to go to bed.
The nuptial feast was continued the next day; or rather the days following the celebration were a continual feast, which the fairy Pari Banou, who could do it with the utmost ease, knew how to diversify, by new dishes, new meats, new concerts, new dances, new shows, and new diversions; which were all so extraordinary, that prince Ahmed, if he had lived a thousand years among men, could not have imagined.
The fairy’s intention was not only to give the prince essential proofs of the sincerity of her love, and the violence of her passion, by so many ways; but to let him see, that as he had no pretensions at his father’s court, he could meet with nothing comparable to the happiness he enjoyed with her, independent of her beauty and her charms, and to attach him entirely to herself, that he might never leave her. In this scheme she succeeded so well, that prince Ahmed’s passion was not in the least diminished by possession; but increased so much, that if he had been so inclined, it was not in his power to forbear loving her.
At the end of six months prince Ahmed, who always loved and honoured the sultan his father, conceived a great desire to know how he did; and as that desire could not be satisfied without his absenting himself to go and hear it in person, he mentioned it to the fairy, and desired she would give him leave.
This discourse alarmed the fairy, and made her fear it was only an excuse to leave her. She said to him, What disgust can I have given you to oblige you to ask me this leave? Is it possible you should have forgotten that you have pledged your faith to me, and that you no longer love one who is so passionately fond of you? Are not the proofs I have repeatedly given you of my affection sufficient?
My queen, replied the prince, I am perfectly convinced of your love, and should be unworthy of it, if I did not testify my gratitude by a reciprocal love. If you are offended at the leave I asked, I entreat you to forgive me, and I will make all the reparation I am capable of. I did not do it with any intention of displeasing you, but from a motive of respect towards my father, whom I wish to free from the affliction my so long absence must have overwhelmed him in; which must be the greater, as I have reason to presume he believes that I am dead. But since you do not consent that I should go and afford him that comfort, I will do what you will, and there is nothing in the world that I am not ready to do to please you.
Prince Ahmed, who did not dissemble, and loved her in his heart as much as he had assured her by these words, no longer insisted on the leave he had asked; and the fairy expressed her satisfaction thereat. But as he could not absolutely abandon the design he had formed to himself, he frequently took an opportunity to speak to her of the great qualifications of the sultan his father; and above all, of his particular tenderness towards him, in hopes he might at length be able to move her.
As prince Ahmed supposed, the sultan of the Indies, in the midst of the rejoicings on account of prince Ali’s and princess Nouronnihar’s nuptials, was sensibly afflicted at the absence of the other two princes his sons, though it was not long before he was informed of the resolution prince Houssain had taken to forsake the world, and the place he had made choice of for his retreat. As a good father, whose happiness consists in seeing his children about him, especially when they are deserving of his tenderness, he would have been better pleased had he stayed at his court, about his person; but as he could not disapprove of his choice of the state of perfection in which he had engaged, he supported his absence more patiently. He made the most diligent search after prince Ahmed, and despatched couriers to all the provinces of his dominions, with orders to the governors to stop him, and oblige him to return to court; but all the pains he took had not the desired success, and his trouble, instead of diminishing, increased. He would often talk with his grand vizier about it; and say to him, Vizier, thou knowest I always loved Ahmed the best of all my sons; and thou art not insensible of the means I have used to find him out, without success. My grief is so lively, I shall sink under it, if thou hast not compassion on me; if thou hast any regard for the preservation of my life, I conjure thee to assist and advise me.
The grand vizier, no less attached to the person of the sultan, than zealous to acquit himself well of the administration of the affairs of state, considering how to give his sovereign some ease, bethought himself of a sorceress, of whom he had heard wonders, and proposed to send for her to consult her. The sultan consented, and the grand vizier, after he had sent for her, introduced her to him himself.
The sultan said to the magician, The affliction I have been in since the marriage of my son prince Ali to the princess Nouronnihar, my niece, on account of the absence of prince Ahmed, is so well known, and so public, that undoubtedly thou canst be no stranger to it. By thy art and skill canst thou tell me what is become of him? If he is alive, where he is? What he is doing, and if I may hope ever to see him again? To this the sorceress made answer, It is impossible, sir, for me, though ever so skilful in my profession, to answer immediately the questions your majesty asks me; but if you allow till to-morrow, I will give an answer. The sultan granted her the time, and sent her away, with a promise to recompense her well, if her answer proved according to his desire.
The magician returned the next day, and the grand vizier presented her a second time to the sultan. Sir, said she, notwithstanding all the diligence I have used in applying the rules of my art, to obey your majesty in what you desire to know, I have not been able to discover any thing more than that prince Ahmed is alive. This is very certain, and you may depend on it; but as to the place where he is I cannot find it out.
The sultan of the Indies was obliged to be satisfied with this answer; which left him in the same uneasiness as before as to the prince’s fate.
To return to prince Ahmed. He so often entertained the fairy Pari Banou with talking about the sultan his father, without speaking any more of his desire to see him, that she fully comprehended what he meant; and perceiving this restraint he put upon himself, and his fear of displeasing her after her first refusal, she first inferred that his love for her was, by the repeated proofs he had given her, sincere; and then judging by herself the injustice she was guilty of in opposing a son’s tenderness for his father, and endeavouring to make him renounce that natural inclination, she resolved to grant him the leave which she saw he always so ardently desired. One day she said to him, Prince, the leave you have asked me to go and see the sultan your father, gave me a just fear that it was only a pretext to show your inconstancy, and to leave me, and that was the sole motive for my refusing you; but now I am so fully convinced by your actions and words, that I can depend on your constancy, and the steadiness of your love. I change my resolution, and grant you that leave, upon condition that you will swear to me first, that your absence shall not be long. You ought not to be concerned at this condition, as if I asked it out of distrust. I do it only because I know that it will give you no uneasiness, convinced as I am, as I have already told you, of the sincerity of your love.
Prince Ahmed would have thrown himself at the fairy’s feet, to show his gratitude, but she prevented him. My sultaness, said he, I am sensible of the great favour you grant me, but want words to return the thanks I wish. Supply this defect, I conjure you, and whatever you can suggest to yourself, be persuaded I think much more. You may believe that the oath will give me no uneasiness, and I take it more willingly, since it is not possible for me to live without you. I go, but the haste I shall make to return shall show you, that it is not for fear of being foresworn, but that I follow my inclination, which is to live with you for ever; and if I am absent some time with your consent, I shall always avoid the trouble a too long absence will create me.
Pari Banou was the more charmed with these sentiments of prince Ahmed, because they removed the suspicions she had entertained of him, fearing that his earnest desire to go to see the sultan his father was only a pretext to break his faith with her. —Prince, said she, go when you please; but first do not take it amiss that I give you some advice how you shall behave yourself where you are going. First, I do not think it proper for you to tell the sultan your father of our marriage, nor of my quality, nor the place where you are settled. Beg of him to be satisfied with knowing you are happy, and that you desire no more; and let him know that the sole end of your visit is to make him easy about your fate.
She appointed twenty horsemen, well mounted and equipped, to attend him. —When all was ready, prince Ahmed took his leave of the fairy, embraced her, and renewed his promise to return soon. Then his horse, which was most finely caparisoned, and was as beautiful a creature as any in the sultan of the Indies’ stables, was brought to him, and he mounted him with an extraordinary grace, with great pleasure to the fairy; and after he had bid her adieu, set forward on his journey.
As it was not a great way to his father’s capital, prince Ahmed soon arrived there. The people, glad to see him again, received him with acclamations of joy, and followed him in crowds to the sultan’s apartment. —The sultan received and embraced him with great joy; complaining at the same time, with a fatherly tenderness, of the affliction his long absence had been to him, which he said was the more grievous, for that fortune having decided in favour of prince Ali his brother, he was afraid he might have committed some act of despair.
Sir, replied prince Ahmed, I leave it to your majesty to consider, if, after having lost the princess Nouronnihar, who was the only object of my desires, I could resolve to be a witness of prince Ali’s happiness. If I had been capable of so unworthy an action, what would the court and city have thought of my love, or what your majesty? Love is a passion we cannot throw off when we will; it rules and governs us, and will not give a true lover time to make use of his reason. —Your majesty knows, that when I shot my arrow, the most extraordinary thing that ever befell any body happened to me, that in so large and level a plain as that where the horses are exercised, it should not be possible to find my arrow. I lost the cause, the justice of which was as much due to my love as to that of the princes my brothers. —Though thus vanquished by the caprice of fate, I lost no time in vain complaints; but, to satisfy my perplexed mind, in the adventure which I could not comprehend, I gave my attendants the slip, and returned back again alone to look for my arrow. I sought all about the place where prince Houssain’s and prince Ali’s arrows were found, and where I imagined mine must have fallen; but all my labour was in vain. I was not discouraged, but continued my search on the same ground in a direct line, and looked carefully about where I could guess it might have fallen; and after this manner had gone above a league, without being able to meet with any thing like an arrow, when I reflected that it was not possible that mine should fly so far. I stopped, and asked myself whether I was in my right senses, to flatter myself with having strength enough to shoot an arrow so much farther than any of the greatest heroes in the world were able to do. After I had argued thus with myself, I was ready to abandon my enterprise; but when I was on the point of putting my resolution in execution, I found myself drawn forward almost against my will; and after having gone four leagues to that part of the plain where it is bounded by rocks, I perceived an arrow. I ran and took it up, and knew it to be the same which I had shot, but which had not been found in the time or place that it should have been. Far from thinking your majesty had done me any injustice in declaring for my brother prince Ali, I interpreted what had happened to me quite otherwise, and never doubted but there was a mystery in it to my advantage; the discovery of which I ought not to neglect, and which I found out without going farther from the spot. But as to this mystery, I beg your majesty will not take it ill that I am silent, and that you will be satisfied to know from my own mouth that I am happy, and content with my fate.
In the midst of all my happiness, the only thing that troubled me, or was capable of disturbing me, was the uneasiness I feared your majesty was in, upon account of my leaving the court, and your not knowing what was become of me. I thought it my duty to satisfy you in this point. This was the only motive which brought me hither; the only favour I ask of your majesty is to give me leave to come often and pay you my respects, and inquire after your health.
Son, answered the sultan of the Indies, I cannot refuse you the leave you ask me, but, I should much rather you would resolve to stay with me. At least, tell me were I may hear of you, if you should fail to come, or when I may think your presence necessary. Sir, replied prince Ahmed, what your majesty asks of me is part of the mystery I spoke to your majesty of. I beg of you to give me leave to remain silent on this head; for I shall come so frequently where my duty calls, that I am afraid I shall sooner be thought troublesome, than be accused of negligence in my duty, when my presence may be necessary.
The sultan of the Indies pressed prince Ahmed no more, but said to him, Son, I penetrate no farther into your secrets, but leave you at your liberty. I can only tell you, that you could not do me a greater pleasure than to come, and, by your presence, restore to me the joy I have not felt for a long time; and that you shall always be welcome when you come, without interrupting your business or your pleasure.
Prince Ahmed stayed but three days at the sultan his father’s court, and the fourth returned to the fairy Pari Banou, who received him with the greater joy, as she did not expect him so soon. His diligence made her condemn herself for suspecting his want of fidelity. She never dissembled in the least, but frankly owned her weakness to the prince, and asked his pardon. So perfect was the union of these two lovers, that they had but one will between them.
A month after prince Ahmed’s return from paying a visit to his father, as the fairy Pari Banou had observed, that since the time that the prince gave her an account of his journey, and his conversation with his father, in which he asked his leave to come and see him from time to time, he had never spoken of the sultan, as if there had been no such person in the world, whereas before he was always speaking of him, she thought he forbore on her account; and therefore took an opportunity to say to him one day, Tell me, prince, have you forgotten the sultan your father? Do not you remember the promise you made to go and see him from time to time? For my part, I have not forgotten what you told me at your return, and put you in mind of it, that you may not be long before you acquit yourself of your promise for the first time.
Madam, replied prince Ahmed, with the same lively tone as the fairy spoke to him, as I know I am not guilty of the forgetfulness you speak of, I rather choose to be thus reproached, however undeservedly, than expose myself to a refusal, by showing unseasonably a desire for what it might have given you pain to grant. Prince, said the fairy, I would not have you in this affair have so much consideration for me, since it is a month since you have seen the sultan your father. I think you should not be longer than a month before you renew your visits. Pay him another visit to-morrow, and after that, go and see him once a month, without speaking to me, or waiting for my leave. I readily consent.
Prince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attendants as before, but much finer, and himself more magnificently mounted, equipped, and dressed, and was received by the sultan with the same joy and satisfaction. For several months he constantly paid him visits, and always in a richer and more brilliant equipage.