passion for the princess Nouronnihar was so sincere and ardent,
that he could scarcely support with patience the mortification of
seeing her in the arms of prince Ali: who, he said, did not
deserve her better nor love her more than himself. In short, his
grief was so violent and insupportable, that he left the court,
and renounced all right of succession to the crown, to turn
dervish, and put himself under the discipline of a famous chief,
who had gained great reputation for his exemplary life; and had
taken up his abode, and that of his disciples, whose number was
great, in an agreeable solitude.
Prince Ahmed, urged by the same motive, did not assist at prince
Ali and the princess Nouronnihar's nuptials, any more than his
brother Houssain, yet did not renounce the world as he had done.
But as he could not imagine what could have become of his arrow,
he resolved to search for it, that he might not have any thing to
reproach himself with. With this intent he went to the place
where the princes Houssain's and Ali's were gathered up, and
proceeding straight forwards from thence looked carefully on both
sides as he advanced. He went so far, that at last he began to
think his labour was in vain; yet he could not help proceeding
till he came to some steep craggy rocks, which would have obliged
him to return, had he been ever so desirous to continue his
course.
As he approached these rocks, he perceived an arrow, which he
took up, looked earnestly at it, and was in the greatest
astonishment to find it was the same he had shot. "Certainly,"
said he to himself, "neither I, nor any man living, could shoot
an arrow so far; and finding it laid flat, not sticking into the
ground, he judged that it had rebounded from the rock. There must
be some mystery in this, said he to himself again, and it may be
to my advantage. Perhaps fortune, to make amends for depriving me
of what I thought the greatest happiness of my life, may have
reserved a greater blessing for my comfort."
As these rocks were full of sharp points and indentures between
them, the prince meditating, entered into one of the cavities,
and looking about, beheld an iron door, which seemed to have no
lock. He feared it was fastened; but pushing against it, it
opened, and discovered an easy descent, which he walked down with
his arrow in his hand. At first he thought he was going into a
dark place, but presently a light quite different from that which
he had quitted succeeded; and entering into a spacious square,
he, to his surprise, beheld a magnificent palace, the admirable
structure of which he had not time to look at: for at the same
instant, a lady of majestic air, and of a beauty to which the
richness of her habit and the jewels which adorned her person
added no advantage, advanced, attended by a troop of ladies, or
whom it was difficult to distinguish which was the mistress, as
all were so magnificently dressed.
As soon as Ahmed perceived the lady, he hastened to pay his
respects; and the lady seeing him coming, prevented him.
Addressing him first, she said, "Come near, prince Ahmed, you are
welcome."
It was with no small surprise that the prince heard himself named
in a palace he had never heard of, though so nigh to his father's
capital, and he could not comprehend how he should be known to a
lady who was a stranger to him. At last he returned the lady's
compliment, by throwing himself at her feet, and rising up, said
to her, "Lady, I return you a thousand thanks for the assurance
you give me of welcome to a place where I had reason to believe
my imprudent curiosity had made me penetrate too far. But may I,
without being guilty of rudeness, presume to inquire by what
adventure you know me? and how you who live in the same
neighbourhood should be so little known by me?" "Prince," said
the lady, "let us go into the hall; there I will gratify you in
your request more commodiously for us both."
After these words, the lady led prince Ahmed into the hall, the
noble structure of which, displaying the gold and azure which
embellished the dome, and the inestimable richness of the
furniture, appeared so great a novelty to him, that he could not
forbear his admiration, but exclaimed, that he had never beheld
its equal. "I can assure you," replied the lady, "that this is
but a small part of my palace, as you will judge when you have
seen all the apartments." She then sat down on a sofa; and when
the prince at her entreaty had seated himself by her, she
continued, "You are surprised, you say, that I know you, and am
not known by you; but you will be no longer surprised when I
inform you who I am. You cannot be ignorant, as the Koran informs
you, that the world is inhabited by genii as well as men: I am
the daughter of one of the most powerful and distinguished of
these genii, and my name is Perie Banou; therefore you ought not
to wonder that I know you, the sultan your father, the princes
your brothers, and the princess Nouronnihar. I am no stranger to
your loves or your travels, of which I could tell you all the
circumstances, since it was I myself who exposed to sale the
artificial apple which you bought at Samarcand, the carpet which
prince Houssain purchased at Bisnagar, and the tube which prince
Ali brought from Sheerauz. This is sufficient to let you know
that I am not unacquainted with every thing that relates to you.
I have to add, that you seemed to me worthy of a more happy fate
than that of possessing the princess Nouronnihar; and that you
might attain to it, I was present when you drew your arrow, and
foresaw it would not go beyond prince Houssain's. I seized it in
the air, and gave it the necessary motion to strike against the
rocks near which you found it. It is in your power to avail
yourself of the favourable opportunity which presents itself to
make you happy."
As the fairy Perie Banou pronounced the last words with a
different tone, and looked at the same time tenderly at the
prince, with downcast eyes and a modest blush upon her cheeks, it
was not difficult for him to comprehend what happiness she meant.
He reflected that the princess Nouronnihar could never be his,
saw that Perie Banou excelled her infinitely in beauty and
accomplishments, and, as far as he could conjecture by the
magnificence of the palace, in immense riches. He blessed the
moment that he thought of seeking after his arrow a second time,
and yielding to his inclination, which drew him towards the new
object which had fired his heart: he then replied, "Should I, all
my life, have the happiness of being your slave, and the admirer
of the many charms which ravish my soul, I should think myself
the happiest of men. Pardon the presumption which inspires me to
ask this favour, and do not refuse to admit into your court a
prince who is entirely devoted to you."
"Prince," answered the fairy, "as I have been, long my own
mistress, and have no dependence on a parent's consent, it is not
as a slave that I would admit you into my court, but as master of
my person, and all that belongs to me, by pledging your faith to
me, and taking me as your wife. I hope you will not think it
indecorous, that I anticipate you in this proposal. I am, as I
said, mistress of my will; and must add, that the same customs
are not observed among fairies as with human-kind, in whom it
would not have been decent to have made such advances: but it is
what we do, and we suppose we confer obligation by the practice."
Ahmed made no answer to this declaration, but was so penetrated
with gratitude, that he thought he could not express it better
than by prostration to kiss the hem of her garment; which she
would not give him time to do, but presented her hand, which he
kissed a thousand times, and kept fast locked in his. "Well,
prince Ahmed," said she, "will you pledge your faith to me, as I
do mine to you?" "Yes, madam," replied the prince, in an ecstacy
of joy. "What can I do more fortunate for myself, or with greater
pleasure? Yes, my sultaness, I give it you with my heart without
the least reserve." "Then," answered the fairy, "you are my
husband, and I am your wife. Our fairy marriages are contracted
with no other ceremonies, and yet are more firm and indissoluble
than those among men, with all their formalities. But as I
suppose," pursued she, "that you have eaten nothing to-day, a
slight repast shall be served up for you while preparations are
making for our nuptial feast this evening, and then I will shew
you the apartments of my palace."
Some of the fairy's women who came into the hall with them, and
guessed her intentions, went immediately out, and returned with
some excellent viands and wines.
When Ahmed had refreshed himself, the fairy led him through all
the apartments, where he saw diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and all
sorts of fine jewels, intermixed with pearls, agate, jasper,
porphyry, and all kinds of the most precious marbles; not to
mention the richness of the furniture, which was inestimable; the
whole disposed in such elegant profusion, that the prince
acknowledged there could not be any thing in the world equal to
it. "Prince," said the fairy, "if you admire my humble abode so
much, what would you say to the palaces of the chiefs of our
genii, which are much more beautiful, spacious, and magnificent?
I could also shew you my garden; but we will leave that till
another time. Night draws near, and it will be time to go to
supper."
The next hall which the fairy led the prince into, where the
cloth was laid for the feast, was the only apartment he had not
seen, and it was not in the least inferior to the others. At his
entrance, he admired the infinite number of wax candles perfumed
with amber, the multitude of which, instead of being confused,
were placed with so just a symmetry, as to form an agreeable and
pleasant light. A large beaufet was set out with all sorts of
gold plate, so finely wrought, that the workmanship was much more
valuable than the weight of the gold. Several bands of beautiful
women richly dressed, and whose voices were ravishing, began a
concert, accompanied by the most harmonious instruments he had
ever heard. When they were seated, the fairy took care to help
prince Ahmed to the most delicious meats, which she named as she
invited him to eat of them, and which the prince had never heard
of, but found so exquisite, that he commended them in the highest
terms, saying, that the entertainment which she gave him far
surpassed those among men. He found also the same excellence in
the wines, which neither he nor the fairy tasted till the dessert
was served up, which consisted of the choicest sweetmeats and
fruits.
After the dessert, the fairy Perie Banou and prince Ahmed rose
and repaired to a sofa, with cushions of fine silk, curiously
embroidered with all sorts of large flowers, laid at their backs.
Presently after a great number of genii and fairies danced before
them to the chamber where the nuptial bed was prepared; and when
they came to the entrance, divided themselves into two rows, to
let them pass, after which they made obeisance and retired.
The nuptial festivity was renewed the next day; or rather, every
day following the celebration was a continued feast, which the
fairy Perie Banou knew how to diversify, by new delicacies, new
concerts, new dances, new shows, and new diversions; which were
all so gratifying to his senses, that Ahmed, if he had lived a
thousand years among men, could not have experienced equal
enjoyment.
The fairy's intention was not only to give the prince convincing
proofs of the sincerity of her love, by so many attentions; but
to let him see, that as he had no pretensions at his father's
court, he could meet with nothing comparable to the happiness he
enjoyed with her, independently of her beauty and attractions,
and to attach him entirely to herself. In this attempt she
succeeded so well, that Ahmed's passion was not in the least
diminished by possession; but increased so much, that if he had
been so inclined, it was not in his power to forbear loving her.
At the end of six months, prince Ahmed, who always loved and
honoured the sultan his father, felt a great desire to know how
he was; and as that desire could not be satisfied without his
absenting himself, he mentioned his wish to the fairy, and
requested she would give him leave to visit the sultan.
This request alarmed the fairy, and made her fear it was only an
excuse to leave her. She said to him, "What disgust can I have
given to you to ask me this permission? Is it possible you should
have forgotten that you have pledged your faith to me, or have
you ceased to love one who is so passionately fond of you? Are
not the proofs I have repeatedly given you of my affection
sufficient?"
"My queen," replied the prince, "I am perfectly convinced of your
love, and should be unworthy of it, if I did not testify my
gratitude by a reciprocal affection. If you are offended at the
permission I solicit, I entreat you to forgive me, and I will
make all the reparation in my power. I did not make the request
with any intention of displeasing you, but from a motive of
respect towards my father, whom I wish to free from the
affliction in which my so long absence must have overwhelmed him,
and which must be the greater, as, I have reason to presume, he
believes that I am dead. But since you do not consent that I
should go and afford him that comfort, I will deny myself the
pleasure, as there is nothing to which I would not submit to
please you."
Ahmed did not dissemble, for he loved her at heart as much as he
had assured her by this declaration; and the fairy expressed her
satisfaction. But as he could not absolutely abandon his design,
he frequently took an opportunity to speak to her of the great
qualifications of the sultan his father: and above all, of his
particular tenderness towards himself, in hopes he might at
length be able to move her.
As the prince had supposed, the sultan of the Indies, in the
midst of the rejoicings on account of the nuptials of prince Ali
and the princess Nouronnihar, was sensibly afflicted at the
absence of the other two princes his sons, though it was not long
before he was informed of the resolution Houssain had taken to
forsake the world, and the place he had chosen for his retreat.
As a good father, whose happiness consists in seeing his children
about him, especially when they are deserving of his tenderness,
he would have been better pleased had he stayed at his court,
near his person; but as he could not disapprove of his choice of
the state of perfection which he had entered, he supported his
absence more patiently. He made the most diligent search after
Ahmed, and dispatched couriers to all the provinces of his
dominions, with orders to the governors to stop him, and oblige
him to return to court: but all the pains he took had not the
desired success, and his affliction, instead of diminishing,
increased. He would make it the subject of his conversation with
his grand vizier; and would say to him, "Vizier, thou knowest I
always loved Ahmed the most of all my sons; and thou art not
insensible of the means I have in vain used to find him out. My
grief is so heavy, I shall sink under it, if thou hast not
compassion on me; if thou hast any regard for the preservation of
my life, I conjure thee to assist and advise me."
The grand vizier, no less attached to the person of the sultan
than zealous to acquit himself well of the administration of the
affairs of state, considering how to give his sovereign some
ease, recollected a sorceress, of whom he had heard wonders, and
proposed to send for and consult her. The sultan consented, and
the grand vizier, upon her arrival, introduced her into the
presence.
The sultan said to the sorceress, "The affliction I have been in
since the marriage of my son prince Ali to the princess
Nouronnihar, my niece, on account of the absence of prince Ahmed,
is so well known, and so public, that thou canst be no stranger
to it. By thy art and skill canst thou tell me what is become of
him? If he be alive, where he is? what he is doing? and if I may
hope ever to see him again?" To this the sorceress replied, "It
is impossible, sir, for me, however skilful in my profession, to
answer immediately the questions your majesty asks; but if you
allow me till to-morrow, I will endeavour to satisfy you." The
sultan granted her the time, and permitted her to retire, with a
promise to recompense her munificently, if her answer proved
agreeable to his hopes.
The sorceress returned the next day, and the grand vizier
presented her a second time to the sultan. "Sir," said she,
"notwithstanding all the diligence I have used in applying the
rules of my art to obey your majesty in what you desire to know,
I have not been able to discover any thing more than that prince
Ahmed is alive. This is certain, and you may depend upon it; but
as to where he is I cannot discover."
The sultan of the Indies was obliged to remain satisfied with
this answer; which left him in the same uneasiness as before as
to the prince's situation.
To return to prince Ahmed. He so often entertained the fairy
Perie Banou with talking about his father, though without
speaking any more of his desire to visit him, that she fully
comprehended what he meant; and perceiving the restraint he put
upon himself, and his fear of displeasing her after her first
refusal, she inferred, from the repeated proofs he had given her,
that his love for her was sincere; and judging by herself of the
injustice she committed in opposing a son's tenderness for his
father, and endeavouring to make him renounce that natural
affection, she resolved to grant him the permission which she knew
he so ardently desired. One day she said to him, "Prince, the
request you made to be allowed to go and see the sultan your
father gave me apprehension that it was only a pretext to conceal
inconstancy, and that was the sole motive of my refusal; but now,
as I am fully convinced by your actions and words that I can
depend on your honour and the fidelity of your love, I change my
resolution, and grant you the permission you seek, on condition
that you will first swear to me that your absence shall not be
long. You ought not to be uneasy at this condition, as if I asked
it out of distrust. I impose it only because I know that it will
give you no concern, convinced, as I have already told you I am,
of the sincerity of your love."
Prince Ahmed would have thrown himself at the fairy's feet to
shew his gratitude, but she prevented him. "My sultaness," said
he, "I am sensible of the great favour you grant me; but want
words to express my thanks. Supply this defect, I conjure you, by
your own feelings, and be persuaded I think much more. You may
believe that the oath will give me no uneasiness, and I take it
more willingly, since it is not possible for me to live without
you. I go, but the haste I will make to return shall shew you,
that it is not the fear of being foresworn, but my inclination,
which is to live with you for ever, that urges me; and if with
your consent I now and then deprive myself of your society, I
shall always avoid the pain a too long absence would occasion
me."
"Prince," replied Perie Banou, delighted with his sentiments, "go
when you please; but do not take it amiss that I give you some
advice how you shall conduct yourself. First, I do not think it
proper for you to inform your father of our marriage, neither of
my quality, nor the place of our residence. Beg of him to be
satisfied with knowing that you are happy, that you want nothing
from him, and let him know that the sole end of your visit is to
make him easy respecting your fate."
Perie Banou then appointed twenty horsemen, well mounted and
equipped, to attend him. When all was ready, prince Ahmed took
his leave of the fairy, embraced her, and renewed his promise to
return soon. A charger, which was most richly caparisoned, and as
beautiful a creature as any in the sultan of the Indies' stables,
was brought to him, which he mounted with extraordinary grace,
which gave great pleasure to the fairy; and after he had bidden
her adieu, he set forward on his journey.
As it was no great distance to his father's capital, prince Ahmed
soon arrived there. The people, rejoiced to see him again,
received him with acclamations, and followed him in crowds to the
palace. The sultan received and embraced him with great joy;
complaining at the same time, with a fatherly tenderness, of the
affliction his long absence had occasioned; which, he said, was
the more distressing, as fortune having decided in favour of
prince Ali his brother, he was afraid he might have committed
some act of despair.
"Sir," replied prince Ahmed, "I leave it to your majesty to
consider, if after having lost the princess Nouronnihar, who was
the only object of my desires, I could bear to be a witness of
Ali's happiness. If I had been capable of such unworthy apathy,
what would the court and city have thought of my love, or what
your majesty? Love is a passion we cannot suppress at our will;
while it lasts, it rules and governs us in spite of our boasted
reason. Your majesty knows, that when I shot my arrow, the most
extraordinary accident that ever befell mortal happened to me,
for surely it was such, that in so large and level a plain as
that where the horses are exercised, it should not be possible to
find my arrow. I lost your decision in my favour, which was as
much due to my love, as to that of the princes my brothers.
Though thus vanquished by the caprice of fate, I lost no time in
vain complaints; but to satisfy my perplexed mind, upon what I
could not comprehend, I left my attendants, and returned alone to
look for my arrow. I sought all about the place where Houssain's
and Ali's arrows were found, and where I imagined mine must have
fallen, but all my labour was in vain. I was not discouraged, but
continued my search in a direct line, and after this manner had
gone above a league, without being able to meet with any thing
like an arrow, when I reflected that it was not possible that
mine should have flown so far. I stopped, and asked myself
whether I was in my right senses, to flatter myself with having
had strength to shoot an arrow so much farther than any of the
strongest archers in the world were able to do. After I had
argued thus with myself, I was ready to abandon my enterprise;
but when on the point of putting my resolution in execution, I
found myself drawn forward against my will; and after having gone
four leagues, to that part of the plain where it is bounded by
rocks, I perceived an arrow. I ran, took it up, and knew it to be
the same which I had shot. Far from thinking your majesty had
done me any injustice in declaring for my brother Ali, I
interpreted what had happened to me quite otherwise, and never
doubted there was a mystery in it to my advantage; the discovery
of which I ought not to neglect, and which I found out without
going from the spot. But as to this mystery I beg your majesty
will not be offended if I remain silent, and that you will be
satisfied to know from my own mouth that I am happy, and content
with my fate.
"In the midst of my happiness, the only thing that troubled me,
or was capable of disturbing me, was the uneasiness I feared your
majesty would experience on account of my leaving the court, and
your not knowing what was become of me. I thought it my duty to
satisfy you in this point. This was the only motive which brought
me hither; the only favour I ask of your majesty is to give me
leave to come occasionally to pay you my duty, and inquire after
your health."
"Son," answered the sultan of the Indies, "I cannot refuse you
the permission you ask, but I should much rather you would
resolve to stay with me. At least tell me where I may hear of
you, if you should fail to come, or when I may think your
presence necessary." "Sir," replied the prince, "what your
majesty requires is part of the mystery I spoke of. I beg of you
to allow me to remain silent on this head; for I shall come so
frequently where my duty calls, that I am afraid I shall sooner
be thought troublesome than be accused of negligence, when my
presence may be necessary."
The sultan of the Indies pressed Ahmed no more, but said to him,
"Son, I wish to penetrate no farther into your secrets, but leave
you at your liberty. I can only tell you, that you could not have
done me greater pleasure than by your presence, having restored
to me the joy I have not felt for a long time; and that you shall
always be welcome when you can come, without interrupting your
business or your pleasure."