THE DRAGON OF THE FOUNTAIN
Let us now return to the youngest prince.
Destiny, having carried him seven leagues under the earth, surprised
him still further, by showing him there, another world. He walked until
evening, when he reached a city and knocked at the first door. It was
opened by an aged woman, who asked what he desired.
“Mother, wilt thou take me in for the night?”
“Ah, my son,” was her reply, “I have no place to sleep myself. How,
then, can I harbor thee?”
Her sense of hospitality was so quickened by the gift of three gold
pieces that she conducted the prince to an upper chamber. He then asked
for a draught of water; at which the old woman went to the cupboard and
brought a jar of water, in the bottom of which lay a finger’s depth of
slime. When the prince saw that no beast would taste of such water as
had been offered to him he asked:
“How is this, mother, that you offer me such as this with which to
quench my thirst?”
Thereupon the old woman made answer: “O, my son! The water of this
country is cut off by a huge dragon, who demands every year that a
maiden be given to him. During the time that he is tearing her into
pieces and eating her, water flows from the spring which supplies this
city. At other times we have none. So thou canst see how we suffer.
Just now we are hard pressed, because it is the end of the year.
To-morrow they will give the king’s daughter to the dragon. Haply, that
sacrifice may suffice for all time. And if they do not give her, Allah
have mercy! We must all perish!”
When the brave young prince heard this he became lost in thought. Very
early the next morning he found his way to the fountain, where were
great multitudes of people, each with jugs in their hands. Presently
slaves appeared leading the king’s daughter, who was dressed in red
garments richly adorned. When they had led her to the brink of the
fountain they left her there. It was near the time appointed for the
appearance of the monster, and the poor young princess was weeping
bitterly.
At this pitiable sight the spirit of the young prince became heavy with
sorrow. He made a great decision that he would endeavor to rescue the
sufferer. Approaching her, he said:
“Fair princess, get thou behind me. Hold fast to me, and have no fear!”
The maiden obeyed gladly. The prince then bent his bow and stood in
readiness. Very shortly there appeared in the west a seven-headed
dragon. Fire flashed from his mouth and nostrils. The earth trembled as
he approached. “Aha!” he cried. “Hitherto hath my portion been one. Now
has it become two.” And from half an hour’s distance he tried to draw
the prince and the young maiden to him.
But the prince, bracing his feet, stood firmly; and, although the
dragon used such force that, had they been a mountain, it must have
come to his mouth, he could not move them. He came nearer and tried
again.
Then the prince took a firmer stand and cried, “Bismillah! Through the
power of Allah!” and let fly an arrow which entered the open mouth of
the fiend and came through his neck. He leaped three times, then fell
with such force as to raise a great cloud of earth about him. So much
blood ran from his mouth and nose that the water was hidden quite. But
after a few minutes it was washed away, and the water became clearer
than it had been before.
The maiden secretly dipped her finger in the blood of the dragon and
made a mark upon the back of her deliverer. Then, the cloud being so
dense that neither her departure nor that of the prince was visible,
she hastened to the palace.
When the king saw that his daughter was still living he was afraid, and
began to upbraid her. She acquitted herself by telling the
circumstances of her deliverance and assuring her father that her
promise had not been broken. The king could not believe the great good
fortune. He went, himself, to see the dead dragon, which was so awful
in its proportions as to make the spectator lose his senses. Then the
king, being exceedingly desirous of rewarding their rescuer, asked his
daughter whether she could surely recognize him. The princess insisted
that she would be able to do this, whereupon the king sent out criers,
commanding that all the inhabitants of the country, between the ages of
one and seventy, should pass before the palace.
Let us return to the prince. After having freed the land from the cruel
curse of the dragon, he returned to the house of the old woman and sat
down in his chamber. But the woman rebuked him for disregarding the
decree of the king, and bade him go to the palace.
The prince believed in obeying the commands of a sovereign. He became
one in the long line which marched past the palace of the king. The
princess saw his approach, from the window behind which she was hidden,
and made a sign to the guards, who laid hold upon him and conducted him
into the presence of the king. The mark of blood upon the back of the
prince convinced everyone that he indeed was the one who had saved
them.
The king then bade the prince ask anything that his heart wanted. The
modest youth wished for his majesty’s health, and that whenever it
should near the end it might be renewed. At this the king answered: “My
son, thou profitest nothing through my good health. Ask something for
thyself.”
Then the prince desired to be granted three days in which to render a
decision; after which he returned to the house of the old woman.