Arabian Nights

by abc

  had only fallen into another. The Sultan commanded a horse to

  be given her, and conducted her to his own palace, where he led

  her to a beautiful apartment, and selected female slaves to wait

  on her, and eunuchs to be her guard. Then, without allowing

  her time to thank him for all he had done, he bade her repose,

  saying she should tell him her adventures on the following day.

  The princess fell asleep, flattering herself that she had only

  to relate her story for the Sultan to be touched by compassion,

  and to restore her to the prince without delay. But a few hours

  were to undeceive her.

  When the King of Cashmere had quitted her presence the evening before,

  he had resolved that the sun should not set again without the princess

  becoming his wife, and at daybreak proclamation of his intention was

  made throughout the town, by the sound of drums, trumpets, cymbals,

  and other instruments calculated to fill the heart with joy.

  The Princess of Bengal was early awakened by the noise, but she did

  not for one moment imagine that it had anything to do with her,

  till the Sultan, arriving as soon as she was dressed to inquire

  after her health, informed her that the trumpet blasts she heard

  were part of the solemn marriage ceremonies, for which he begged

  her to prepare. This unexpected announcement caused the princess

  such terror that she sank down in a dead faint.

  The slaves that were in waiting ran to her aid, and the Sultan

  himself did his best to bring her back to consciousness, but for

  a long while it was all to no purpose. At length her senses

  began slowly to come back to her, and then, rather than break

  faith with the Prince of Persia by consenting to such a marriage,

  she determined to feign madness. So she began by saying all

  sorts of absurdities, and using all kinds of strange gestures,

  while the Sultan stood watching her with sorrow and surprise.

  But as this sudden seizure showed no sign of abating, he left

  her to her women, ordering them to take the greatest care of her.

  Still, as the day went on, the malady seemed to become worse,

  and by night it was almost violent.

  Days passed in this manner, till at last the Sultan of Cashmere

  decided to summon all the doctors of his court to consult together

  over her sad state. Their answer was that madness is of so many

  different kinds that it was impossible to give an opinion on

  the case without seeing the princess, so the Sultan gave orders

  that they were to be introduced into her chamber, one by one,

  every man according to his rank.

  This decision had been foreseen by the princess, who knew quite

  well that if once she allowed the physicians to feel her pulse,

  the most ignorant of them would discover that she was in perfectly

  good health, and that her madness was feigned, so as each man approached,

  she broke out into such violent paroxysms, that not one dared to lay

  a finger on her. A few, who pretended to be cleverer than the rest,

  declared that they could diagnose sick people only from sight,

  ordered her certain potions, which she made no difficulty about taking,

  as she was persuaded they were all harmless.

  When the Sultan of Cashmere saw that the court doctors could do

  nothing towards curing the princess, he called in those of the city,

  who fared no better. Then he had recourse to the most celebrated

  physicians in the other large towns, but finding that the task

  was beyond their science, he finally sent messengers into the other

  neighbouring states, with a memorandum containing full particulars

  of the princess's madness, offering at the same time to pay

  the expenses of any physician who would come and see for himself,

  and a handsome reward to the one who should cure her. In answer

  to this proclamation many foreign professors flocked into Cashmere,

  but they naturally were not more successful than the rest had been,

  as the cure depended neither on them nor their skill, but only on

  the princess herself.

  It was during this time that Prince Firouz Schah, wandering sadly

  and hopelessly from place to place, arrived in a large city of India,

  where he heard a great deal of talk about the Princess of Bengal who

  had gone out of her senses, on the very day that she was to have been

  married to the Sultan of Cashmere. This was quite enough to induce

  him to take the road to Cashmere, and to inquire at the first inn

  at which he lodged in the capital the full particulars of the story.

  When he knew that he had at last found the princess whom he had

  so long lost, he set about devising a plan for her rescue.

  The first thing he did was to procure a doctor's robe, so that his dress,

  added to the long beard he had allowed to grow on his travels,

  might unmistakably proclaim his profession. He then lost no time

  in going to the palace, where he obtained an audience of the

  chief usher, and while apologising for his boldness in presuming

  to think that he could cure the princess, where so many others

  had failed, declared that he had the secret of certain remedies,

  which had hitherto never failed of their effect.

  The chief usher assured him that he was heartily welcome, and that

  the Sultan would receive him with pleasure; and in case of success,

  he would gain a magnificent reward.

  When the Prince of Persia, in the disguise of a physician, was brought

  before him, the Sultan wasted no time in talking, beyond remarking

  that the mere sight of a doctor threw the princess into transports

  of rage. He then led the prince up to a room under the roof,

  which had an opening through which he might observe the princess,

  without himself being seen.

  The prince looked, and beheld the princess reclining on a sofa

  with tears in her eyes, singing softly to herself a song bewailing

  her sad destiny, which had deprived her, perhaps for ever,

  of a being she so tenderly loved. The young man's heart beat fast

  as he listened, for he needed no further proof that her madness

  was feigned, and that it was love of him which had caused her to

  resort to this species of trick. He softly left his hiding-place,

  and returned to the Sultan, to whom he reported that he was sure

  from certain signs that the princess's malady was not incurable,

  but that he must see her and speak with her alone.

  The Sultan made no difficulty in consenting to this, and commanded

  that he should be ushered in to the princess's apartment.

  The moment she caught sight of his physician's robe, she sprang

  from her seat in a fury, and heaped insults upon him. The prince

  took no notice of her behaviour, and approaching quite close,

  so that his words might be heard by her alone, he said in a low whisper,

  "Look at me, princess, and you will see that I am no doctor,

  but the Prince of Persia, who has come to set you free."

  At the sound of his voice, the Princess of Bengal suddenly grew calm,

  and an expression of joy overspread her face, such as only comes

  when what we wish for most and expect the least suddenly happens

  to us.
For some time she was too enchanted to speak, and Prince

  Firouz Schah took advantage of her silence to explain to her all

  that had occurred, his despair at watching her disappear before

  his very eyes, the oath he had sworn to follow her over the world,

  and his rapture at finally discovering her in the palace at Cashmere.

  When he had finished, he begged in his turn that the princess would

  tell him how she had come there, so that he might the better devise

  some means of rescuing her from the tyranny of the Sultan.

  It needed but a few words from the princess to make him acquainted

  with the whole situation, and how she had been forced to play the part

  of a mad woman in order to escape from a marriage with the Sultan,

  who had not had sufficient politeness even to ask her consent.

  If necessary, she added, she had resolved to die sooner than permit

  herself to be forced into such a union, and break faith with a prince

  whom she loved.

  The prince then inquired if she knew what had become of the

  enchanted horse since the Indian's death, but the princess could

  only reply that she had heard nothing about it. Still she did

  not suppose that the horse could have been forgotten by the Sultan,

  after all she had told him of its value.

  To this the prince agreed, and they consulted together over a plan

  by which she might be able to make her escape and return with him

  into Persia. And as the first step, she was to dress herself

  with care, and receive the Sultan with civility when he visited

  her next morning.

  The Sultan was transported with delight on learning the result

  of the interview, and his opinion of the doctor's skill was raised

  still higher when, on the following day, the princess behaved

  towards him in such a way as to persuade him that her complete

  cure would not be long delayed. However he contented himself with

  assuring her how happy he was to see her health so much improved,

  and exhorted her to make every use of so clever a physician,

  and to repose entire confidence in him. Then he retired,

  without awaiting any reply from the princess.

  The Prince of Persia left the room at the same time, and asked

  if he might be allowed humbly to inquire by what means the Princess

  of Bengal had reached Cashmere, which was so far distant from her

  father's kingdom, and how she came to be there alone. The Sultan

  thought the question very natural, and told him the same story

  that the Princess of Bengal had done, adding that he had ordered

  the enchanted horse to be taken to his treasury as a curiosity,

  though he was quite ignorant how it could be used.

  "Sire," replied the physician, "your Highness's tale has supplied me

  with the clue I needed to complete the recovery of the princess.

  During her voyage hither on an enchanted horse, a portion of its

  enchantment has by some means been communicated to her person,

  and it can only be dissipated by certain perfumes of which I possess

  the secret. If your Highness will deign to consent, and to give

  the court and the people one of the most astonishing spectacles they

  have ever witnessed, command the horse to be brought into the big

  square outside the palace, and leave the rest to me. I promise that

  in a very few moments, in presence of all the assembled multitude,

  you shall see the princess as healthy both in mind and body as ever

  she was in her life. And in order to make the spectacle as impressive

  as possible, I would suggest that she should be richly dressed

  and covered with the noblest jewels of the crown."

  The Sultan readily agreed to all that the prince proposed,

  and the following morning he desired that the enchanted horse

  should be taken from the treasury, and brought into the great square

  of the palace. Soon the rumour began to spread through the town,

  that something extraordinary was about to happen, and such a crowd

  began to collect that the guards had to be called out to keep order,

  and to make a way for the enchanted horse.

  When all was ready, the Sultan appeared, and took his place on

  a platform, surrounded by the chief nobles and officers of his court.

  When they were seated, the Princess of Bengal was seen leaving

  the palace, accompanied by the ladies who had been assigned

  to her by the Sultan. She slowly approached the enchanted horse,

  and with the help of her ladies, she mounted on its back.

  Directly she was in the saddle, with her feet in the stirrups

  and the bridle in her hand, the physician placed around the horse

  some large braziers full of burning coals, into each of which he

  threw a perfume composed of all sorts of delicious scents. Then he

  crossed his hands over his breast, and with lowered eyes walked

  three times round the horse, muttering the while certain words.

  Soon there arose from the burning braziers a thick smoke which almost

  concealed both the horse and princess, and this was the moment for

  which he had been waiting. Springing lightly up behind the lady,

  he leaned forward and turned the peg, and as the horse darted up into

  the air, he cried aloud so that his words were heard by all present,

  "Sultan of Cashmere, when you wish to marry princesses who have

  sought your protection, learn first to gain their consent."

  It was in this way that the Prince of Persia rescued the Princess

  of Bengal, and returned with her to Persia, where they descended

  this time before the palace of the King himself. The marriage

  was only delayed just long enough to make the ceremony as brilliant

  as possible, and, as soon as the rejoicings were over, an ambassador

  was sent to the King of Bengal, to inform him of what had passed,

  and to ask his approbation of the alliance between the two countries,

  which he heartily gave.

  The Story of Two Sisters Who Were Jealous of Their Younger Sister

  Once upon a time there reigned over Persia a Sultan named Kosrouschah,

  who from his boyhood had been fond of putting on a disguise and seeking

  adventures in all parts of the city, accompanied by one of his officers,

  disguised like himself. And no sooner was his father buried

  and the ceremonies over that marked his accession to the throne,

  than the young man hastened to throw off his robes of state,

  and calling to his vizir to make ready likewise, stole out in the simple

  dress of a private citizen into the less known streets of the capital.

  Passing down a lonely street, the Sultan heard women's voices

  in loud discussion; and peeping through a crack in the door, he saw

  three sisters, sitting on a sofa in a large hall, talking in a very

  lively and earnest manner. Judging from the few words that reached

  his ear, they were each explaining what sort of men they wished to marry.

  "I ask nothing better," cried the eldest, "than to have the Sultan's

  baker for a husband. Think of being able to eat as much as one wanted,

  of that delicious bread that is baked for his Highness alone!

  Let us see if your wish is as good as mine."

  "I," replied the second sister, "should be quite content

  with the Sultan's head cook. What
delicate stews I should

  feast upon! And, as I am persuaded that the Sultan's bread is used

  all through the palace, I should have that into the bargain.

  You see, my dear sister, my taste is as good as yours."

  It was now the turn of the youngest sister, who was by far the most

  beautiful of the three, and had, besides, more sense than the

  other two. "As for me," she said, "I should take a higher flight;

  and if we are to wish for husbands, nothing less than the Sultan

  himself will do for me."

  The Sultan was so much amused by the conversation he had overheard,

  that he made up his mind to gratify their wishes, and turning to

  the grand-vizir, he bade him note the house, and on the following

  morning to bring the ladies into his presence.

  The grand-vizir fulfilled his commission, and hardly giving

  them time to change their dresses, desired the three sisters

  to follow him to the palace. Here they were presented one by one,

  and when they had bowed before the Sultan, the sovereign abruptly

  put the question to them:

  "Tell me, do you remember what you wished for last night, when you

  were making merry? Fear nothing, but answer me the truth."

  These words, which were so unexpected, threw the sisters into

  great confusion, their eyes fell, and the blushes of the youngest

  did not fail to make an impression on the heart of the Sultan.

  All three remained silent, and he hastened to continue: "Do not

  be afraid, I have not the slightest intention of giving you pain,

  and let me tell you at once, that I know the wishes formed by

  each one. You," he said, turning to the youngest, "who desired to

  have me for an husband, shall be satisfied this very day. And you,"

  he added, addressing himself to the other two, "shall be married

  at the same moment to my baker and to my chief cook."

  When the Sultan had finished speaking the three sisters flung