However, they all set out for the hunt, and fixed their meeting-place
at a certain pool.
The newly married Prince went to his tigers, and told his tigers and
hounds to kill and bring in a great number of gazelles and hog-deer
and markhor. Instantly they killed and brought in a great number. Then
taking with him these spoils of the chase, the Prince came to the pool
settled on as a meeting-place. The other Princes, sons-in-law of the
King of that city, also assembled there; but they had brought in no
game, and the new Prince had brought a great deal. Thence they
returned home to the town, and went to the King their father-in-law,
to present their game.
Now that King had no son. Then the new Prince told him that in fact
he, too, was a Prince. At this the King, his father-in-law, was
greatly delighted and took him by the hand and embraced him. He seated
him by himself, saying, "O Prince, I return thanks that you have come
here and become my son-in-law; I am very happy at this, and I make
over my kingdom to you."
Why the Fish Laughed.
[Illustration:]
As a certain fisherwoman passed by a palace crying her fish, the queen
appeared at one of the windows and beckoned her to come near and show
what she had. At that moment a very big fish jumped about in the
bottom of the basket.
"Is it a he or a she?" inquired the queen. "I wish to purchase a she
fish."
On hearing this the fish laughed aloud.
"It's a he," replied the fisherwoman, and proceeded on her rounds.
The queen returned to her room in a great rage; and on coming to see
her in the evening, the king noticed that something had disturbed her.
"Are you indisposed?" he said.
"No; but I am very much annoyed at the strange behaviour of a fish. A
woman brought me one to-day, and on my inquiring whether it was a male
or female, the fish laughed most rudely."
"A fish laugh! Impossible! You must be dreaming."
"I am not a fool. I speak of what I have seen with my own eyes and
have heard with my own ears."
"Passing strange! Be it so. I will inquire concerning it."
On the morrow the king repeated to his vizier what his wife had told
him, and bade him investigate the matter, and be ready with a
satisfactory answer within six months, on pain of death. The vizier
promised to do his best, though he felt almost certain of failure. For
five months he laboured indefatigably to find a reason for the
laughter of the fish. He sought everywhere and from every one. The
wise and learned, and they who were skilled in magic and in all manner
of trickery, were consulted. Nobody, however, could explain the
matter; and so he returned broken-hearted to his house, and began to
arrange his affairs in prospect of certain death, for he had had
sufficient experience of the king to know that His Majesty would not
go back from his threat. Amongst other things, he advised his son to
travel for a time, until the king's anger should have somewhat cooled.
The young fellow, who was both clever and handsome, started off
whithersoever Kismat might lead him. He had been gone some days, when
he fell in with an old farmer, who also was on a journey to a certain
village. Finding the old man very pleasant, he asked him if he might
accompany him, professing to be on a visit to the same place. The old
farmer agreed, and they walked along together. The day was hot, and
the way was long and weary.
"Don't you think it would be pleasanter if you and I sometimes gave
one another a lift?" said the youth.
"What a fool the man is!" thought the old farmer.
Presently they passed through a field of corn ready for the sickle,
and looking like a sea of gold as it waved to and fro in the breeze.
"Is this eaten or not?" said the young man.