meeting the emperor and hunting with him, and also of the honour he had
done them, yet did not the next morning fail to meet him at the place
appointed. "Well," said the emperor, "have you spoken to your sister,
and has she consented to the pleasure I expect of seeing you?" The two
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 emperor, "and be sure to bring me an
answer to-morrow."
The princes were guilty of the same fault a second time, and the emperor
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 will remind you, if you do not recollect it
before." The event happened just as the emperor 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, upon which he ran into Prince Perviz's
chamber, when both went into the Princess Periezade's apartment, and
after they had asked her pardon for coming at so unseasonable a time,
they told her all the circumstances of their meeting the emperor.
The princess was somewhat surprised at this intelligence. "Your meeting
with the emperor," said she, "is happy and honourable and may in the end
be highly advantageous to you, but it places me in an awkward position.
It was on my account, I know, you refused the emperor, and I am
infinitely obliged to you for doing so. I know by this that you would
rather be guilty of incivility toward the emperor than violate the union
we have sworn to each other. You judge right, for if you had once gone
you would insensibly have been engaged to devote yourselves to him. But
do you think it an easy matter absolutely to refuse the emperor what he
seems so earnestly to desire? Monarchs 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 obeying him, it may expose you to
his resentment, and may render myself and you miserable. These are my
sentiments; but before we conclude upon anything let us consult the
Talking Bird and hear what he says; he is penetrating, and has promised
his assistance in all difficulties."
The princess sent for the cage, and after she had related the
circumstances to the Bird in the presence of her brothers, asked him
what they should do in this perplexity. The Bird answered: "The princes,
your brothers, must conform to the emperor'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 yet undisturbed. Will not this step be injurious
to that friendship?" "Not at all," replied the Bird; "it will tend
rather to cement it." "Then," answered the princess, "the emperor will
see me." The Bird told her it was necessary he should, and that
everything would go better afterward.
Next morning the princes met the emperor hunting, who asked them if they
had remembered to speak to their sister. Prince Bahman approached and
answered: "Sir, 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. If we have offended, we hope you will pardon
us." "Do not be uneasy," replied the emperor. "I highly approve of your
conduct, 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 emperor's goodness, returned no other answer but a low
obeisance.
The emperor, 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 converse with them more at
liberty. He made them ride on each side of him, an honour which was
envied by the grand vizier, who was much mortified to see them preferred
before him.
When the emperor entered his capital, the eyes of the people, who stood
in crowds in the streets, were fixed upon the two Princes Bahman and
Perviz; and they were earnest to know who they might be.
All, however, agreed in wishing that the emperor had been blessed with
two such handsome princes, and said that his children would have been
about the same age, if the queen had not been so unfortunate as to lose
them.
The first thing the emperor did when he arrived at his palace was to
conduct the princes into the principal apartments, who praised without
affectation the beauty and symmetry of the rooms, and the richness of
the furniture and ornaments. Afterward a magnificent repast was served
up, and the emperor made them sit with him, which they at first refused;
but finding it was his pleasure, they obeyed.
The emperor, who had himself much learning, 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 furnished them with subjects all dinner-time. But
whatever subject he introduced, they shewed 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 accomplished or better
informed." In short, he took such great pleasure in their conversation,
that, after having sat longer than usual, he led them into his closet,
where he pursued his conversation with them, and at last said: "I never
supposed that there were among my subjects in the country youths so well
brought up, so lively, so capable; and I never was better pleased with
any conversation than yours; but it is time now we should relax our
minds with some diversion; 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 emperor had no sooner spoken than the musicians, who had orders to
attend, entered, and answered fully the expectations the princes had
been led to entertain 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 approach, prostrated themselves at the
emperor's feet; and having first thanked him for the favours and honours
he had heaped upon them, asked his permission to retire; which was
granted by the emperor, who, in dismissing them, said: "I give you leave
to go; but remember, you will be always welcome, and the oftener you
come the greater pleasure you will do me."
Before they went out of the emperor's presence, Prince Bahman said:
"Sir, may we presume to request that your majesty will do us and our
sister the honour to pass by our house, and refresh yourself after your
fatigue, the first time you take the diversion of hunting in that
neighbourhood? It is not worthy of your presence; but monarchs sometimes
have vouchsafed to take shelter in a cottage." "My children," replied
the emperor, "your house cannot be otherwise than beautiful and worthy
of its owners. I will call and see it with pleasure, which will be the
greater for having for my hosts you and your sister, who is already dear
to me 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.
Early in the morning I will be at the 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 had returned home, they gave the
princess an account of the distinguished reception the emperor had given
them, and 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 of preparing a
repast fit for his majesty; and for that purpose I think it would be
proper we should consult the Talking Bird, who will tell us, perhaps,
what meats the emperor likes best." The princes approved of her plan,
and after they had retired she consulted the Bird alone. "Bird," said
she, "the emperor 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 emperor
in the first course before all the other dishes."
"Cucumbers stuffed full of pearls!" cried Princess Periezade with
amazement; "surely, Bird, you do not know what you say; it is an unheard
of dish. The emperor may admire it as a piece of magnificence, but he
will sit down to eat, and not to admire pearls; besides, all the pearls
I possess are not enough for such a dish."
"Mistress," said the Bird, "do what I say, and be not uneasy about what
may happen. Nothing but good will follow. As for the pearls, go early
to-morrow morning to the foot of the first tree on your right hand in
the park, dig under it, and you will find more than you want."
That night the princess ordered a gardener to be ready to attend her,
and the next morning early, led him to the tree which the Bird had 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 injure 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 it had been before.
The Princes Bahman and Perviz, who, as they were dressing themselves in
their own apartments, saw their sister in the garden earlier than usual,
as soon as they could get out went to her, and met her as she was
returning with a gold box under her arm, which 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 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 took the gardener to the place
where this casket was concealed, and showed him where to dig; but you
will be more amazed when you see what it contains."
The princess opened the box, and when the princes saw that 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, "come
with me and I will tell you." The princess, as they returned to the
house, gave them an account of her having consulted the Bird, as they
had agreed she should, and the answer he had given her; the objection
she had raised to preparing a dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls,
and how he had told her where to find this box. The sister and brothers
formed many conjectures to penetrate into what the Bird could mean by
ordering them to prepare such a dish; but after much conversation, they
agreed to follow his advice exactly.
As soon as the princess entered the house, she called for the head cook;
and after she had given him directions about the entertainment for the
emperor, said to him: "Besides all this, you must dress an extraordinary
dish for the emperor's own eating, which nobody else must have anything
to do with besides yourself. This dish must be of cucumbers stuffed with
these pearls;" and at the same time she opened him the box, and showed
him the jewels.
The chief cook, who had never heard of such a dish, started back, and
showed his thoughts by his looks; which the princess penetrating, said:
"I see you take me to be mad to order such a dish, 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 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 retired; and
afterward the princess gave directions to all the domestics to have
everything in order, both in the house and gardens, to receive the
emperor.
Next day the two princes went to the place appointed, and as soon as the
emperor of Persia arrived the chase began and lasted till the heat of
the sun obliged him to leave off. While Prince Bahman stayed to conduct
the emperor 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 that the emperor was approaching; but she had been told by some
servants whom she had placed to give notice, and the prince found her
waiting ready to receive him.
When the emperor had entered the court-yard and alighted at the portico,
the princess came and threw herself at his feet, and the two princes
informed him she was their sister, and besought him to accept her
respects.
The emperor stooped to raise her, and after he had gazed some time on
her beauty, struck with her fine person and dignified air, he said: "The
brothers are worthy of the sister, and she worthy of them; since, if I
may 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, my daughter, after I have
seen the house."
"Sir," said the princess, "it is only a plain country residence, fit for
such people as we are, who live retired from the great world. It is not
to be compared with the magnificent palaces of emperors." "I cannot
perfectly agree with you in opinion," said the emperor 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 emperor through all the rooms except the hall; and,
after he had considered them very attentively, and admired their
variety, "My daughter," said he to the princess, "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
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 which presented itself to the emperor's view was the golden
fountain. Surprised at so rare an object, he asked from whence that
wonderful water, which gave so much pleasure to behold, had been
procured; where was its source, and by what art it was made to play so
high. He said he would presently take a nearer view of it.
The princess then led him to the spot where the harmonious tree was
planted; and there the emperor heard a concert, different from all he
had ever heard before; and stopping to see where the musicians were, he
could discern nobody far or near, but still distinctly heard the music
which ravished his senses. "My daughter," said he to the princess,
"where are the musicians whom I hear? Are they under ground, or
invisible in the air? Such excellent performers will hazard nothing by
being seen; on the contrary, they would please the more."
"Sir," answered the princess, smiling, "they are not musicians, but the
leaves of the tree your majesty sees before you, which form this
concert; and if you will give yourself the trouble to go a little
nearer, you will be convinced, and the voices will be the more
distinct."
The emperor 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 golden water forced him away.
"Daughter," said he, "tell me, I pray you, whether this wonderful tree
was found in your garden by chance, or was a present made to you, or
have you procured it from some foreign country? It must certainly have
come from a great distance, 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 would at
present take up too much time to tell your majesty by what adventures it
came here; its history is connected with the Golden Water and the
Talking Bird, which came to me at the same time, and which your majesty
may presently see. 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 daughter," replied the emperor, "my fatigue is so well recompensed
by the wonderful things you have shown me, that I do not feel it in the
least. Let me see the Golden Water, for I am impatient to see and admire
afterward the Talking Bird."
When the emperor came to the Golden Water, his eyes were fixed so
steadfastly upon the fountain, that he could not take them off. At last,
addressing himself to the princess, he said: "As you tell me, daughter,
that this water has no spring or communication, I conclude that it is
foreign, as well as the Singing Tree."
"Sir," replied the princess, "it is as your majesty conjectures; 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 small
flagon, emptied into this basin, which increased to the quantity you
see, by a property peculiar to itself, and formed this fountain."
"Well," said the emperor, going from the fountain, "this is enough for
one time. I promise myself the pleasure to come and visit it often; but
now let us go and see the Talking Bird."
As he went toward the hall, the emperor perceived a prodigious number of
singing birds in the trees around, 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 to accompany the song of the Talking
Bird, which your majesty may see in a cage in one of the windows of the
hall we are approaching; and if you attend, you will perceive that his
notes are sweeter than those of any of the other birds, even the
nightingale's."
The emperor went into the hall; and as the Bird continued singing, the
princess raised her voice, and said, "My slave, here is the emperor, pay
your compliments to him." The Bird left off singing that instant, when
all the other birds ceased also, and said: "The emperor is welcome; God
prosper him and prolong his life!" As the entertainment was served on
the sofa near the window where the Bird was placed, the sultan replied,
as he was taking his seat: "Bird, I thank you, and am overjoyed to find
in you the sultan and king of birds."
As soon as the emperor saw the dish of cucumbers set before him,
thinking they were prepared in the best manner, he reached out his hand
and took one; but when he cut it, was in extreme surprise to find it
stuffed 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?" He looked at his hosts to ask them the meaning when
the Bird interrupting him, said: "Can your majesty be in such great
astonishment at cucumbers stuffed with pearls, which you see with your
own eyes, and yet so easily believe that the queen, your wife, gave
birth to a dog, a cat, and a piece of wood?" "I believed those things,"
replied the emperor, "because the attendants assured me of the facts."
"Those attendants, sir," replied the Bird, "were the queen'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's credulity. 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 speech presently cleared up the emperor's understanding. "Bird,"
cried he, "I believe the truth which you discover to me. The inclination
which drew me to them told me plainly they must be of my own blood. Come
then, my sons, come, my daughter, let me embrace you, and give you the
first marks of a father's love and tenderness." The emperor then rose,
and after having embraced the two princes and the princess, and mingled
his tears with theirs, 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 so much obliged for preserving your lives, but as my
own children, of the royal blood of the monarchs of Persia, whose
glory, I am persuaded you will maintain."
After the two princes and princess had embraced mutually with new
satisfaction, the emperor sat down again with them, and finished his
meal in haste; and when he had done, said: "My children, you see in me
your father; to-morrow I will bring the queen, your mother, therefore
prepare to receive her."
The emperor afterward mounted his horse, and returned with expedition to
his capitol. The first thing he did, as soon as he had alighted and
entered his palace, was to command the grand vizier to seize the queen's
two sisters. They were taken from their houses separately, convicted,
and condemned to death; which sentence was put in execution within an
hour.
In the meantime, the Emperor Kosrouschah, 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 queen out of the strict confinement
she had languished under for so many years, embracing her in the
miserable condition to which she was then reduced, said to her with
tears in his eyes: "I come to entreat your pardon for the injustice I
have done you, and to make you the reparation I ought; which I have
begun, by punishing the unnatural wretches 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 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 joyful intelligence through the city.
Next morning early the emperor and queen, whose mournful humiliating
dress was changed for magnificent robes, went with all their court to
the house built by the intendant of the gardens, where the emperor
presented the Princes Bahman and Perviz, and the Princess Periezade to
their enraptured mother. "These, much injured wife," said he, "are the
two princes your sons, and the 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 queen's, from the comfort and joy of having two
such princes for her sons, and such a princess for her daughter, on
whose account she had so long endured the severest afflictions.
The two princes and the princess had prepared a magnificent repast for
the emperor and queen and their court. As soon as that was over, the
emperor led the queen into the garden, and shewed her the Harmonious
Tree and the beautiful effect of the Golden Fountain. She had seen the
Bird in his cage, and the emperor had spared no panegyric in his praise
during the repast.