Chapter LV: Part 55

The princess’s joy was the more inexpressible, because the conquest she had made had cost her the lives of two beloved brothers, and given her more trouble and danger than she could have imagined before she tried it, notwithstanding what the dervise had represented to her. Bird, said she, it was my intention to have told you that I wish for many things which are of the last importance to me; and am overjoyed that you have shown your good will, and prevented me. I have been told that there is not far off a golden water, the property of which is very wonderful; before all things, I ask you to tell me where it is. The bird showed her the place, which was just by, and she went and filled a little silver flagon which she had brought along with her. She returned to the bird, and said, Bird, this is not enough; I want also the singing tree: tell me where it is. Turn about, said the bird, and you will see behind you a wood, where you will find this tree. The princess went into the wood, and by the harmonious concert she heard, soon knew the tree among many others, but it was very large and high. She came back to the bird, and said to it, Bird, I have found the singing tree, but I can neither pull it up by the roots nor carry it. The bird replied, It is not necessary that you should take it up by the roots; it is enough that you break off a branch, and carry it to plant in your garden: it will take root as soon as it is put into the earth, and in a little time will grow to as fine a tree as this you see.

When the princess Parizade had in her hand the three things which the religious woman had told her of, and for which she had conceived so great a desire, she said again to the bird, Bird, all you have done for me yet is not enough. You have been the cause of the death of my two brothers, who must be among the black stones which I saw as I came up the hill. I wish to take them home with me.

The bird seemed reluctant to satisfy the princess in this point, and, indeed, made some difficulty to do it. Bird, said the princess, remember you told me that you were my slave. You are so; and your life is at my disposal. I cannot controvert that truth, answered the bird; but, although what you now ask of me is more difficult than all the rest, yet I will do it for you. --Cast your eyes around, added he, and look if you can see a little pitcher. I see it already, said the princess. Take it, then, said he, and as you go down the hill, spill a little of the water that is in it upon every black stone, and that will be the way to find your brothers again.

The princess Parizade took up the pitcher, and carried with her the cage and bird, the flagon of golden water, and the branch of the singing tree; and as she went down the hill, spilt a little of the water on every black stone, which was changed immediately into a man; and as she did not miss one stone, all the horses, both of the princes her brothers, and of the other gentlemen, resumed their former shape. She presently knew prince Bahman and prince Perviz, as they did her, and ran to embrace her. She returned their embraces, and expressed her amazement. What do you here, my dear brothers? said she. They told her they had been asleep. Yes, replied she, and if it had not been for me, perhaps you might have slept till the day of judgment. Do not you remember that you came here to fetch the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the yellow water? and did not you see, as you came along, the place covered with black stones? Look and see if there be any now. The gentlemen you see here, and their horses which surround us, and you yourselves, were these black stones. If you desire to know how this wonder was performed, continued she, showing the pitcher, which she set down at the foot of the mountain, having no further use for it, it was done by virtue of the water which was in this pitcher, with which I sprinkled every stone. After I had made this speaking bird (which you see in this cage) my slave, by his directions I found out the singing tree, a branch of which I have now in my hand, and the yellow water, which this flagon is filled with; but being still unwilling to return home without taking you with me, I constrained the bird, by the power I had over him, to afford me the means. He told me where to find this pitcher, and the use I was to make of it.

Prince Bahman and prince Perviz knew by this discourse the obligation they had to the princess their sister, as did all the other gentlemen, who were collected round, and heard all that was said; and expressed to the princes, that, far from envying her happiness in the conquest she had made, and which they all aspired to, they thought that they could not any otherwise acknowledge the favour she had done them, or better express their gratitude to her for restoring them to life again, than by declaring themselves all her slaves, and that they were ready to obey her in whatever she should command.

Gentlemen, replied the princess, if you had given any attention to my discourse, you might have observed, that I had no other intention in what I have done than to find out my brothers again; therefore, if you have received any benefit, you have no obligation to me for it, and I have no further share in your compliment than your politeness towards me, and I return you my thanks, as I ought. In other respects, I look upon each of you individually as persons free, as you were before your misfortunes; and I rejoice with you for the happiness which has accrued to you by my means. Let us, however, stay no longer in a place where we have nothing to detain us, but mount our horses, and return to our respective homes.

The princess Parizade showed them the way. She went and took her horse, which stood in the same place where she left him. Before she mounted, prince Bahman, who would help her, desired her to give him the cage to carry. Brother, replied the princess, the bird is my slave, and I will carry him myself; if you will take the pains to carry the branch of the singing tree, there it is; only hold the cage while I get on horseback. When she had mounted her horse, and prince Bahman had given her the cage, she turned about, and said to prince Perviz, I leave the flagon of golden water to your care, if it will not be too much trouble for you to carry. Prince Perviz took charge of it with pleasure.

When prince Bahman and prince Perviz, and all the gentlemen, had mounted their horses, the princess Parizade waited for some of them to lead the way. The two princes paid that compliment to the gentlemen, and they again to the princess, who, finding that none of them would accept of the honour, but that it was reserved for her, addressed herself to them, and said, Gentlemen, I expect that some of you should lead the way; to which one who was nearest to her, in the name of the rest, replied, Madam, were we ignorant of the respect due to your sex, yet, after what you have done for us, there is no respect we would not willingly pay you, notwithstanding your modesty; we entreat you no longer to deprive us of the happiness of following you.

Gentlemen, said the princess, I do not deserve the honour you do me, and accept it only because you desire it. At the same time, she led the way, and the two princes and gentlemen followed her without the least distinction.

This illustrious company called upon the dervise, as they passed by, to thank him for his good reception and wholesome advice, which they all found to be sincere. But he was dead; whether of old age, or because he was no longer necessary to show the way to the obtaining the three rarities which the princess Parizade was possessed of, did not appear. They pursued their way, but lessened in their numbers every day. The gentlemen, who, as we said before, had come from different countries, after severally repeating their obligations to the princess and her brothers, took leave of them one after another as they approached the road by which they had come. The princess and the two princes made the best of their way home.

As soon as the princess came home, she placed the cage in the garden, just by the hall; and the bird no sooner began to sing, but he was surrounded by nightingales, chaffinches, larks, linnets, goldfinches, and a great many birds of the country. As for the branch of the singing tree, it was no sooner set in the midst of the parterre, a little distance from the house, but it took root, and in a short time became a large tree; the leaves of which soon gave as harmonious a concert as those of the tree from which it was gathered. As to the flagon of the yellow golden water, a large basin of beautiful marble was made in the midst of the parterre; and when it was finished, the princess poured into it all the yellow water that was in the flagon, which increased and swelled so much, that it soon reached up to the edges of the basin, and afterwards formed in the middle a fountain twenty feet high, which fell again into the basin perpetually, without running over.

The report of these wonders was presently spread abroad in that neighbourhood; and as the doors of the house and those of the gardens were shut to nobody, a great number of people came to admire them.

Some days after, when the princes Bahman and Perviz had recovered from the fatigue of their journeys, they resumed their former way of living; and as their usual diversion was hunting, they mounted their horses, and went for the first time since their return, not in their own park, but two or three leagues from their house. As they pursued their sport, the sultan of Persia came up hunting on the same spot of ground that they had made choice of. When they perceived by the number of horsemen in different places that he would soon be up, they resolved to leave off their chase, and retire to avoid meeting him; but in the very road they took, they chanced to meet him in so narrow a way, that they could not turn away nor retreat without being seen. In their surprise, they had only time to alight, and prostrate themselves before the sultan, without lifting up their heads to look at him. The sultan, who saw they were as well mounted and dressed as if they had belonged to his court, had the curiosity to see their faces. He stopped, and commanded them to rise. The princes rose up, and stood before the sultan with an easy and graceful air, accompanied with respectful, modest countenances. The sultan took some time to view them from head to foot, before he spoke; and after he had admired their good air and mien, he asked them who they were, and where they lived.

Sir, said prince Bahman, we are the sons of your majesty’s late intendant of your gardens; and we live in a house which he built, a little before he died, for us to live in, till we should be fit to serve your majesty, and ask of you some employment when opportunity offered.

By what I perceive from you, replied the sultan, you love hunting. Sir, answered prince Bahman, it is our common exercise, and what none of your majesty’s subjects, who intend to bear arms in your armies, ought, according to the ancient custom of the kingdom, to neglect. The sultan, charmed with so prudent an answer, said, Since it is so, I should be glad to see you hunt game; make choice of what you like.

The princes mounted their horses again, and followed the sultan; but had not gone far before they met a great many wild beasts together. Prince Bahman chose a lion, and prince Perviz a bear; and pursued them with so much intrepidity, that the sultan was surprised. They came up with their game nearly at the same time, and darted their javelins with so much skill and address, that they pierced, the one the lion, and the other the bear, through and through, so that the sultan, with his own eyes, saw them fall a little time one after the other. Immediately afterwards prince Bahman pursued another bear, and prince Perviz another lion, and killed them in a short time, and would have beat out for fresh game, but the sultan would not let them, but sent to them to come to him. When they came near him, he said, If I would have given you leave, you would soon have destroyed all my game: but it is not that which I would preserve, but your persons; for I am so very well assured your bravery may one time or other be serviceable to me, that from this moment your lives will be always dear to me.

The sultan Khosrouschah, in short, conceived so great a kindness for the two princes, that he invited them immediately to make him a visit; to which prince Bahman replied, Your majesty does us an honour we do not deserve; and we beg you will excuse us.

The sultan, who could not comprehend what reason the princes could have to refuse this token of his favour, asked and pressed them to tell him why they excused themselves. Sir, said prince Bahman, we have a sister younger than us, with whom we live in so perfect a union, that we undertake and do nothing before we consult her, nor she any thing without asking our advice. I commend your brotherly affection, answered the sultan. Consult your sister, meet me here to-morrow hunting, and give me an answer.

The princes went home; but not only forgot to speak of their adventure in meeting the sultan, and hunting with him, but to tell the princess the honour he had done them, by asking them to go home with him; yet did not the next morning fail to meet him at the place appointed. Well, said the sultan, have you spoken to your sister? And has she consented to the pleasure I expect of seeing you? The princes looked at each other and blushed. Sir, said prince Bahman, we beg your majesty to excuse us; for both my brother and I forgot. Then remember to-day, replied the sultan, and be sure to bring me an answer to-morrow.

The princes were guilty of the same fault a second time, and the sultan was so good-natured as to forgive their negligence; but to prevent their forgetfulness the third time, he pulled three little golden balls out of a purse, and put them into prince Bahman’s bosom. These balls, said he, smiling, will prevent your forgetting a third time what I wish you to do for my sake; since the noise they will make by falling on the floor, when you undress yourself, will remind you, if you do not recollect it before. The event happened just as the sultan foresaw; and without these balls the princes had not thought of speaking to their sister of this affair. For as prince Bahman unloosed his girdle to go to bed, the balls dropped on the floor, and thereupon he ran into prince Perviz’s chamber, and both went to princess Parizade’s apartment before she was got into bed, and after they had asked her pardon for coming at so unseasonable a time, they told her all the circumstances of their meeting the sultan.

The princess Parizade was somewhat surprised at this news. Your meeting with the sultan, said she, is very happy and honourable, and may in the end be very advantageous to you, but it is very disagreeable and distressing to me. It was on my account, I know, you refused the sultan, and I am infinitely obliged to you for it. I know by this your friendship is perfectly consistent with mine, since you would rather be guilty of incivility towards the sultan, than break the brotherly union we have sworn to each other. You judged right, that if you had once gone, you would insensibly have been engaged to leave me, to devote yourselves to him. But do you think it an easy matter absolutely to refuse the sultan what he seems so earnestly to desire? Sultans will be obeyed in their desires, and it may be dangerous to oppose them; therefore, if to follow my inclination, I should dissuade you from showing the complaisance he expects from you, it may expose you to his resentment, and may render myself and you miserable. These are my sentiments: but before we conclude on any thing, let us consult the speaking bird, and hear what he says; he is penetrating, and has promised his assistance in all difficulties.

The princess Parizade sent for the cage, and after she had related the fact to the bird in the presence of her brothers, she asked him what they should do in this perplexity. The bird answered, The princes your brothers must conform to the sultan’s pleasure, and in their turn invite him to come and see your house.

But, bird, replied the princess, my brothers and I love one another, and our friendship is unparalleled: will not this step be injurious to that friendship? Not at all, replied the bird; it will become stronger thereby. Then, answered the princess, the sultan will see me. The bird told her it was necessary he should see her, and that every thing would go better afterwards.

Next morning the princes met the sultan hunting, who, at as great a distance as he could make himself be heard, asked them, if they had remembered to speak to their sister. Prince Bahman drew near, and answered, Sir, your majesty may dispose of us as you please; we are ready to obey you; for we have not only obtained our sister’s consent with great ease, but she took it amiss that we should pay her that deference in a matter wherein our duty to your majesty was concerned. But she is so deserving of it, that if we have offended, we hope you will pardon us. Do not be uneasy upon that account, replied the sultan; so far from taking amiss what you have done, I approve of it, and hope you will have the same deference and attachment to my person, if I have ever so little share in your friendship. The princes, confounded at the sultan’s goodness, returned no other answer but by a low bow, to show the great respect with which they received it.

The sultan, contrary to his usual custom, did not hunt long that day. Presuming that the princes possessed wit equal to their courage and bravery, he longed with impatience to discourse with them more at liberty. He made them ride on each side of him, an honour which, without speaking of the principal courtiers who accompanied him, was envied by the grand vizier, who was very much mortified to see them preferred before him.

When the sultan entered his capital, the eyes of the people, who stood in crowds in the streets, were fixed only upon the two princes Bahman and Perviz; and they were earnest to know who they might be, whether foreigners or natives.

All, however, agreed in wishing that the sultan had been blessed with two such handsome lovely princes, and said, he might have had children as old, if the sultaness, who had suffered the punishment of her misfortune, had been more fortunate in her lyings-in.

The first thing that the sultan did when he arrived at the palace, was to carry the princes into the principal apartments; who praised, without affectation, like persons conversant in such matters, the beauty and symmetry of the rooms, and the richness of the furniture and ornaments. Afterwards a magnificent repast was served up, and the sultan made them sit at the same table with him, which they at first refused; but finding that it was his pleasure they obeyed.

The sultan, who had himself a great deal of wit, and had made a considerable progress in the sciences, and particularly in history, foresaw that the princes, out of modesty and respect, would not take the liberty of beginning any conversation. Therefore, to give them an opportunity, he began, and furnished them with subjects all dinner-time. But whatever he turned the discourse on, they showed so much wit, judgment, and discernment, that he was struck with admiration. Were these my own children said he to himself, and I had improved their talents by suitable education, they could not have been more ingenious or better informed. In short, he took so great pleasure in their conversation, that after having sat at table longer than usual, he went into his closet, where he discoursed a long time with them, and at last said to them, I never believed that there were, among my subjects in the country, young gentlemen so well brought up, so lively, so capable; and I never was better pleased in my life with any conversation than yours: but it is time now we should regale our minds with some diversions of my court; and as nothing is more capable of enlivening the mind than music, you shall hear a vocal and instrumental concert, which may not be disagreeable to you.

The sultan no sooner spoke for them, but the musicians, who had orders to attend, entered, and answered fully the expectations the princes had entertained of their abilities. After the concerts, an excellent farce was acted, and the entertainment was concluded by dancers of both sexes.

The two princes, seeing night drawing on apace, prostrated themselves at the sultan’s feet; and having first thanked him for the favours and honours he had heaped on them, asked his leave to retire; which was granted them by the sultan, who, dismissing them, said, I give you leave to go; but remember I brought you to the palace myself only to show you the way; you will be always welcome, and the oftener you come, you will do me the greater pleasure.

Before they went out of the sultan’s presence, prince Bahman said, Sir, may we presume to request that your majesty will do us and our sister the favour to pass by our house, and rest and refresh yourself after your fatigue, the first time you take the diversion of hunting in that neighbourhood? It is not worthy your presence; but monarchs sometimes have vouchsafed to take shelter in a cottage. Gentlemen, replied the sultan, your house cannot be otherwise than beautiful, and worthy of you. I will call and see it with pleasure, which will be the greater, to have for my hosts you and your sister, who is already dear to me before I have seen her, from the account you give me of the rare qualities with which she is endowed: and this satisfaction I will defer no longer than to-morrow morning. I will be early there to-morrow morning, at the same place where I shall never forget that I first saw you. Meet me, and you shall be my guides.

When the princes Bahman and Perviz went home, they gave the princess Parizade an account of the honourable reception the sultan had given them; and withal told her that they had invited him to do them the honour, as he passed by, to call at their house; and that he had appointed the next day.

If it be so, replied the princess, we must think presently of preparing a repast fit for his majesty; and for that end, I think it would be proper we should consult the speaking bird; he will tell us, perhaps, what meats the sultan likes best. The princes approved of her thought, and after they retired she consulted the bird alone. Bird, said she, the sultan will do us the honour to-morrow to come and see our house, and we are to entertain him; tell us what we shall do to acquit ourselves to his satisfaction.

Good mistress, replied the bird, you have excellent cooks, let them do the best they can; but above all things, let them prepare a dish of cucumbers, stuffed full of pearls, which must be set before the sultan in the first course before all other meats.

Cucumbers stuffed full of pearls! cried princess Parizade, with amazement; surely, bird, you do not know what you say; it is an unheard-of dish. The sultan may admire it as a piece of magnificence, but he will sit down to table to eat, and not to admire pearls; besides, the pearls I am worth are not enough for such a dish.

Mistress, said the bird, do what I say, and be not uneasy at what shall happen. Nothing but good will follow. As to the pearls, go early to-morrow morning to the foot of the first tree on your right hand, in the park, and dig under it, and you will find more than you want.

That night the princess ordered a gardener to be ready to wait on her, and the next morning early took him with her, and carried him to the tree the bird told her of, and bade him dig at its foot. When the gardener came to a certain depth, he found some resistance to the spade, and presently discovered a gold box about a foot square, which he showed the princess. This, said she, is what I brought you for; take care not to hurt it with the spade.

When the gardener took up the box, he gave it into the princess’s hands, who, as it was only fastened with neat little hasps, soon opened it, and found it full of pearls of a moderate size; but equal and fit for the use that was to be made of them. Very well satisfied with having found this treasure, after she had shut the box again, she put it under her arm, and went back to the house, while the gardener threw the earth into the hole at the foot of the tree as before.

The princes Bahman and Perviz, who, as they were dressing themselves in their own apartments, saw the princess their sister in the garden earlier than usual, as soon as they could get out, went to her, and met her as she was coming back, with a gold box under her arm, which very much surprised them. Sister, said Bahman, you carried nothing with you when we saw you before with the gardener, and now we see you have got a golden box: is this some treasure found by the gardener, and did he come and tell you of it?

No, brother, answered the princess, I carried the gardener to the place where this coffer was hid, and showed him where to dig: but you will be more amazed when you see what it holds.

The princess opened the box, and when the princes saw it was full of pearls, which, though small, were of great value, they asked her how she came to the knowledge of this treasure. Brothers, said she, if nothing more pressing calls you elsewhere, come with me, and I will tell you. What more pressing business, said prince Perviz, can we have than to be informed of what concerns us so much? We have nothing to do but meet you. The princess, as they returned back to the house, gave them an account of her consulting the bird, as they had agreed she should, and the answer he gave her; the objection she raised to preparing a dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, and pointed out the manner of doing it, and how he had told her where to find this box. The princes and princess formed many conjectures to penetrate into what the bird could mean by ordering them to prepare such a dish; and after much conversation, though they could not by any means guess at his reason for so doing, they nevertheless agreed to follow his advice exactly.

As soon as the princess got into the house, she called for the head cook; and after she had given him directions about the entertainment for the sultan, she said to him, Besides all this you must dress an extraordinary dish for the sultan’s own eating, which nobody else must have any thing to do with besides yourself. This dish must be of cucumbers stuffed with these pearls; and at the same time she opened the box, and showed him the pearls.

The chief cook, who had never heard of such a dish, started back, and showed by his looks his thoughts; which the princess penetrating into, said, I see you take me to be mad to order such a dish, which you never heard of, and which one may say with certainty was never made. I know this as well as you; but I am not mad, and give you these orders with the most perfect recollection. You must go and invent and do the best you can, and bring me back what pearls are left. The cook could make no reply, but took the box and went away with it: and afterwards the princess gave directions to all the servants to have every thing in order, both in the house and gardens, to receive the sultan.

Next day the two princes went to the place appointed; and as soon as the sultan of Persia came, the chase began, which lasted till the heat of the sun obliged him to leave off. While prince Bahman stayed to conduct the sultan to their house, prince Perviz rode before to show the way, and when he came in sight of the house, spurred his horse, to inform the princess Parizade that the sultan was coming; but she had been told by some servants whom she placed to give notice before, and the prince found her waiting ready to receive him.

When the sultan entered the court-yard, and alighted at the portico, the princess Parizade came and threw herself at his feet, and the two princes informed him she was their sister, and besought him to accept of her respects.

The sultan stooped to help her up, and after he had gazed some time on her beauty, and, struck with her good person, noble air, and a _je ne scai quoi_, which seemed different from the country where she lived, he said, The brothers are worthy of the sister, and she worthy of them; and to judge of her understanding by her person, I am not amazed that the brothers would do nothing without their sister’s consent; but, added he, I hope to be better acquainted with you, madam, after I have seen the house.

Sir, said the princess, it is only a plain country-house, fit for such people as we are, who live retired from the great world. It is not to be compared with houses in great cities, much less with magnificent palaces of sultans. I cannot perfectly agree with you in opinion, said the sultan, very obligingly, for its first appearance makes me suspect you; however, I will not pass my judgment upon it till I have seen it all; therefore be pleased to conduct me through the apartments.

The princess led the sultan through all the rooms but the hall; and, after he had considered them all very attentively, and admired their variety, My fair one, said he to the princess Parizade, do you call this a country-house? The finest and largest cities would soon be deserted, if all country-houses were like yours. I am no longer surprised that you take so much delight in it, and despise the town. Now let me see the garden, which I doubt not is answerable to the house.

The princess opened a door which led into the garden; and the first object that presented itself to the sultan’s view was the golden fountain. Surprised at so rare a sight, he asked from whence came that wonderful water, which gave so much pleasure to behold; where was its source? and by what art it was made to play so high, that he thought nothing in the world was to be compared to it? He said he would presently take a nearer view of it.

Then the princess led him to the spot where the harmonious tree was planted; and there the sultan heard a concert, which was different from all the concerts he had ever heard in his life: and stopping to see where the musicians were, he could discern nobody far nor near; but still distinctly heard the music, which ravished his senses. My fair one, said he, to the princess Parizade, where are the musicians whom I hear? Are they under ground, or invisible in the air? Such excellent, charming voices, will hazard nothing by being seen; on the contrary, they would please the more.

Sir, answered the princess smiling, it is not musicians, but the tree your majesty sees before you, which forms this concert; and if you will give yourself the trouble to go a little nearer to it, you will not doubt it, and the voices will be the more distinct.

The sultan went nearer, and was so charmed with the sweet harmony, that he would never have been tired with hearing it, but that his desire to have a nearer view of the fountain of yellow water forced him away. Fair one, said he, tell me, I pray you, whether this wonderful tree was found in your garden by chance, or if it was a present made to you, or have you procured it from some foreign country? It must certainly have come a great way off, otherwise, curious as I am after natural rarities, I should have heard of it. What name do you call it by?

Sir, replied the princess, this tree has no other name than that of the singing tree, and is not a native of this country. It will be too long to tell you by what adventures it came here; its history is connected with the yellow water and the speaking bird, which came to me at the same time, and which your majesty may see after you have taken a nearer view of the golden water. But if it be agreeable to your majesty, after you have rested yourself, and recovered the fatigue of hunting, which must be the greater because of the sun’s intense heat, I will do myself the honour of relating it to you.

My fair one, replied the sultan, my fatigue is so well recompensed by the wonderful things you have shown me, that I do not feel it in the least. I think only of the trouble I give you. Let us finish by seeing the yellow water. I am impatient to see and admire the speaking bird.

When the sultan came to the yellow water, his eyes were fixed so stedfastly upon the fountain, that he could not take them off. At last, addressing himself to the princess, he said, As you tell me, fair one, that this water has no spring or communication hereabouts, by any means whatsoever, I conclude that it is foreign, as well as the singing tree.

Sir, replied the princess, it is as your majesty says; and to let you know that this water has no communication with any spring, I must inform you, that the basin is one entire stone, so that the water cannot come in at the sides or underneath. But what your majesty will think most wonderful is, that all this water proceeded but from one flagon, which I emptied into this basin, which increased of itself to the quantity you see, by a property peculiar to itself, and formed this fountain. Well, said the sultan, going from the fountain, this is enough for one time. I promise myself the pleasure to come and visit it very often; but now let us go and see the speaking bird.

As he went towards the hall, the sultan perceived a prodigious number of singing birds in the trees thereabouts, (filling the air with their songs and warblings,) and asked why there were so many there, and none on the other trees in the garden? The reason, sir, answered the princess, is, because they come from all parts around to accompany the song of the speaking bird, which your majesty may perceive in a cage on one of the windows of the hall we are going into; and if you attend, you will perceive that his notes are sweeter than those of all the other birds, even the nightingale’s.

The sultan went into the hall; and as the bird continued singing, the princess raised her voice, and said, My slave, here is the sultan; pay your compliments to him. The bird left off singing that instant, and all the other birds ceased alternately, and said, The sultan is welcome here: God prosper him, and prolong his life! As the entertainment was served on the sofa near the window where the bird was, the sultan replied, as he was sitting down at the table, Bird, I thank you, and I am overjoyed to find in you the sultan and king of birds.

As soon as the sultan saw the dish of cucumbers set before him, thinking it was stuffed in the best manner, he reached out his hand and took one; but when he cut it, he was in an extreme surprise to find it dressed with pearls. What novelty is this? said he; and with what design were these cucumbers stuffed thus with pearls, since pearls are not to be eaten? Then he looked at the two princes and princess, to ask them the meaning of it: when the bird, interrupting him, said, Can your majesty be in so great astonishment at cucumbers stuffed with pearls, which you see with your own eyes, and yet could so easily believe that the sultaness your wife was delivered of a dog, a cat, and a piece of wood? I believed it, replied the sultan, because the midwives assured me of it. Those midwives, sir, replied the bird, were the sultaness’s two sisters, who, envious of her happiness in being preferred by your majesty before them, to satisfy their envy and revenge, have abused your majesty so easily. If you interrogate them, they will confess their crime. The two brothers and the sister whom you see before you, are your own children, whom they exposed, and who were taken in by the intendant of your gardens, who provided nurses for them, and took care of their education.

This discourse of the bird’s presently cleared up the sultan’s understanding. Bird, cried he, I easily believe the truth which you discover to me. The inclination which drew me to them, and the tenderness I have always had for them, told me but too plainly they are my own blood. Come then, my children, come, my daughter, let me embrace you, and give you the first marks of a father’s love and tenderness. Then he rose up, and after having embraced the two princes and the princess, and mingled his tears with theirs, he said, It is not enough, my children; you must embrace each other, not as the children of the intendant of my gardens, to whom I have been very much obliged for preserving your lives, but as my own children, of the royal blood of the sultans of Persia, whose glory, I am persuaded, you will maintain.

After the two princes and princess had embraced each other mutually with new satisfaction, the sultan sat down to table again with them, and finished his meal in haste; and when he had done, he said, My children, you see in me your father: tomorrow I will bring the sultaness your mother, therefore prepare to receive her.

Afterwards the sultan mounted his horse, and returned in all haste to his capital. The first thing he did, as soon as he alighted and entered his palace, was to command the grand vizier to try the sultaness’s two sisters. They were taken from their houses separately, convicted, and condemned to be quartered; which sentence was put into execution within an hour.

In the mean time, the sultan Khosrouschah, followed by all the lords of his court who were then present, went on foot to the door of the great mosque; and after he had taken the sultaness out of the strict confinement she had languished under for so many years, embracing her in the miserable condition she was then in, he said to her with tears in his eyes, I come, madam, to ask your pardon for the injustice I have done you, and to make you the reparation I ought to do; which I have begun, by punishing the persons who put the abominable cheat upon me; and I hope you will look upon it as complete, when I present to you two accomplished princes, and a charming lovely princess, our children. Come and resume your former rank, with all the honours which are your due. All this was done and said before great crowds of people, who flocked from all parts at the first news of what was passing, and immediately spread the news through the town.

Next morning early, the sultan and sultaness, whose mournful humiliating dress was changed into magnificent robes suitable to her, went with all their court to the house built by the intendant of the gardens, where the sultan presented the princes Bahman and Perviz, and the princess Parizade, to the sultaness. These, madam, said he, are the two princes your sons, and this princess your daughter; embrace them with the same tenderness I have done, since they are worthy both of me and you. The tears flowed plentifully down their cheeks at these tender embraces, especially the sultaness’s, for the comfort and joy of having two such princes for her sons, and such a princess for her daughter, on whose accounts she had endured such afflictions so long.

The two princes and the princess had prepared a magnificent repast for the sultan and sultaness, and their court. As soon as that was over, the sultan led the sultaness into the garden, and showed her the harmonious tree and the beautiful effect of the yellow fountain. As for the bird, she had seen him in his cage, and the sultan had spared no panegyric in his praise during the repast.

When there was nothing to detain the sultan any longer, he took horse again, and with the princes Bahman and Perviz on his right and left hand, and the sultaness and the princess at his left, preceded and followed by all the officers of his court, according to their rank, returned to his capital. Crowds of people came out to meet them, and with acclamations of joy ushered them into the city, where all eyes were fixed not only upon the sultaness, the two princes, and the princess, but also upon the bird, which the princess carried before her in his cage, admiring his sweet notes, which had drawn all the other birds about him, which followed him, flying from tree to tree in the country, and from one house-top to another in the city. The princes Bahman and Perviz, and the princess Parizade, were at length brought to the palace with this pomp, and nothing was to be seen or heard all that night but illuminations and rejoicings both in the palace and in the utmost parts of the city, which lasted many days.

The sultan of the Indies could not but admire the prodigious and inexhaustible memory of the sultaness his wife, who had entertained him so many nights with so many different stories.

A thousand and one nights had passed away in those innocent amusements, which contributed so much towards removing the sultan’s unhappy prejudice against the fidelity of women. His temper was softened. He was convinced of the merit and great wisdom of the sultaness Scheherazade. He remembered with what courage she exposed herself voluntarily to be his wife, without fearing the death to which she knew she subjected herself, as the many sultanesses did before her.

These considerations, and the many other good qualities he knew her to be mistress of, induced him at last to forgive her. I see, lovely Scheherazade, said he, that you can never be at a loss for this sort of little stories which have so long diverted me. You have appeased my anger. I freely renounce, in your favour, the cruel law I had imposed on myself. I restore you completely to my favour, and will have you be looked upon as the deliverer of the many damsels I had resolved to have sacrificed to my unjust resentment.

The sultaness cast herself at his feet, and embraced them tenderly with all the marks of the most lively and perfect gratitude.

The grand vizier was the first that learned this agreeable news from the sultan’s own mouth. It presently was carried to the city, towns, and provinces; and gained the sultan, and the lovely Scheherazade, his consort, universal applause, and the blessings of all the people of the large empire of the Indies.

THE END

Footnotes:

[1] This game is played on horseback.

[2] This introduction is not in the last French edition.

[3] A sort of Mahometan Monks.

[4] It is remarkable that the names of “Sindbad” and “Hindbad” are both derived from the old Persian language. “Bad” signifies a city; “Sind” and “Hind” are the territories on either side of the Indus. “Sind,” indeed, is its original name, but “Hind” is of those countries which lie betwixt it and the Ganges. --Hole

[5] A port in the Persian gulf.

[6] These islands, according to the Arabians, are beyond China, and are so called from a tree which bears a fruit of that name. They are, without doubt, the isles of Japan; which are not, however, far from Abyssinia.

[7] Mr. Hole, p. 27, says this is probably one of the three islands near Ceylon, called Ilhas de Cavalos, from the wild horses, to which the Dutch annually send mares to improve the breed. --Wolf’s Account of Ceylon; but p. 256 he alters his opinion.

[8] We meet with king Mihrage in the accounts of India and China by two Mahomedan travellers in the ninth century, and the island of Zapage, and the Friendly Islands, answers to Borneo. --Hole.

[9] The same in one of the islands of Eolus. Perhaps the roaring of the waves among the rocks. --Hole. Like the cave in Britain, mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus, where the wind produced a sound as of cymbals.

[10] Degial, with the Mahometans, is the same as Antichrist with us. According to them, he is to appear about the end of the world, and will conquer all the earth, except Mecca, Medina, Tarsus, and Jerusalem, which are to be preserved by angels which he shall set round them.

[11] The sea serpents on the Malabar coast. --Hole.

[12] Martini mentions fishes with birds’ faces in the China seas. --Hole.

[13] The Turkish sequin is about nine shillings sterling.

[14] Marco Paolo, in his Travels, and Father Martini, in his History of China, speak of this bird called “Ruch,” and say it will take up an elephant and a rhinoceros. See also Vigafetto, in Ramusio’s Collection of Voyages, 1369. The combat between eagles and elephants is to be found in Pliny, Solinus, and Diodorus Siculus. --Hole.

[15] Of serpents devoured by eagles, see Marco Paolo, hereafter cited. --Hole.

[16] Epiphanius, in a treatise on the twelve stones in the Jewish high priest’s breast-plate, tells a like story of the Jacinths in the deserts of Scythia. Marco Paolo places it beyond Malabar, in a situation which would suit Golconda. See also Benjamin of Tudela, who travelled between 1160 and 1173. --Hole.

[17] Ptolemy places the island of Satyrs, inhabited by cannibals, to the eastward of the island of Sunda. --Hole.

[18] These are described by William de Rubruquis, 1253, and supposed to be apes. --Hole.

[19] The long-eared people, mentioned by Strabo and Pliny, vii. 2; and Marsden’s History of Sumatra, p. 47. --Hole.

[20] Without going back to the Cyclops in the ninth book of the Odyssey, Sir John Mandeville will furnish such one-eyed giants in one of the Indian islands. --Hole.

[21] It would seem the Arabian author has taken this story from Homer’s Odyssey.

[22] Possibly Timor, which Linschoten celebrates for its woods and wildernesses of sanders. Purchas’ Pilgrims, ii. p. 1784. --Hole.

[23] Ellian, Hist. An. xvi. 16. describes tortoises fifteen cubits long, the shells big enough to cover a house; and Mandeville says three men might hide under them in the island of Calonah, not far from Java. --Hole.

[24] The hippopotamus.

[25] The manatre.

[26] In the sea of Andaman, or bay of Bengal, the Mahometan travellers, in the ninth century, mention negro cannibals. Ptolemy places them in the same bay in the Nicobar island. -- Hole.

[27] The lotus of Homer’s Odyssey, the intoxicating “seed” of Sumatra, mentioned by Davis, 1597; and the herb “dutroa” of Linschoten, or “dutro” of Lobo: “dutry” and “bung,” or “bang,” of Fryer. --Hole.

[28] Sunda islands and Sumatra produce plenty of pepper and cocoa-nuts. -- Hole.

[29] Mandeville mentions the burying the wives alive with the dead husband, in the island of Calanack; and Jerom, the husband with the wives in Scythia. --Hole.

[30] He was a Mahometan, and they allow polygamy.

[31] See the escape of Aristomenes, in his life by Rowe. --Hole.

[32] Now Ceylon. Serendib is Ceylon, and Kela is Cala or Calabar, where the Arabians touched in their way to China; so that it must have been somewhere about the point of Malabar. --Renaudot.

[33] Sugar-canes, or bamboo trees.

[34] Bochart (Hieroz, vol. ii. p. 854) tells a story exactly similar, from Demur or Damur an Arabian writer, who died in 1405.

[35] An ourang-outang. --Hole.

[36] Grapes grow in the isles of Banda. Hain’s Collect. i. 464. --Hole.

[37] In the straits of Sunda. --Hole.

[38] This island, or peninsula, ends at the cape which we now call cape Comorin. It is also called Comar, and Camor. The Mahometan travellers say the king of Comar (whence they bring aloes) was subdued by Mihrage. The inhabitants are very virtuous, and debauchery with women, and the use of wine, are forbidden them. Accounts of India and China, p. 63.

[39] There still is, and has been from time immemorial, a pearl fishery in the neighbourhood of cape Comorin. See Marco Paolo. --Hole.

[40] Mr. Ives mentions wells of fresh water under the sea in the Persian gulf, near the island of Barien. --Hole.

[41] Such fountains are not unfrequent in India and Ceylon, and the Mahometan travellers speak of ambergris swallowed by whales, who are made sick by, and regorge it. --Hole.

[42] Ceylon.

[43] Geographers place it on this side the line, in the first climate. Diodorus Siculus, and Ptolemy, place it in the same island as Sindbad, though not the true one.

[44] The eastern geographers made a parasang longer than a French league.

[45] Knox and Wolf confirm this account of the situation of Ceylon, and the productions of its mountains. Pico d’Adam is the high mountain here described.

[46] Yellow vellum, or the skin of the hog deer, from Prince’s Island, in the straits of Sunda. The elephants, rubies, &c. are illustrated by Mr. Hole.

[47] Ceylon is known to produce large rubies, and the Indian ocean abounds in pearls of extraordinary size. --Hole.

[48] There is a snake in Bengal, whose skin is esteemed a cure for external pains, by applying it to the part affected. --Hole.

[49] Solomon.

[50] An ancient king of a great island of the same name in the Indies, and very much famed among the Arabians for his power and wisdom.

[51] A port on the Red Sea.

[52] A town of Arabia.

[53] A regular wind that blows six months from the east, and as many from the west.

[54] This is the last interruption the stories will receive by being divided into portions related on successive nights. The reader is therefore to suppose that Scheherazade now continues speaking without being interrupted.

[55] The Bermecides were a family that came out of Persia, and of them the grand vizier was descended.

[56] This word signifies in Arabic, Basilick, an odoriferous plant: and the Arabians call their slaves by this name, as the custom in France is to give the name of Jessamin to a footman.