the fourth returned to the fairy Perie Banou, who received him
with the greater joy, as she did not expect him so soon. His
expedition made her condemn herself for suspecting his want of
fidelity. She never dissembled, but frankly owned her weakness to
the prince, and asked his pardon. So perfect was the union of the
two lovers, that they had but one will.
A month after prince Ahmed's return from visiting his father, as
the fairy had observed that since the time when he gave her an
account of his journey, and his conversation with his father, in
which he asked his permission to come and see him from time to
time, he had never spoken of the sultan, whereas before he was
frequently mentioning him, she thought he forebore on her
account, and therefore took an opportunity to say to him one day,
"Tell me, prince, have you forgotten the sultan your father? Do
not you remember the promise you made to pay your duty to him
occasionally? I have not forgotten what you told me at your
return, and put you in mind of it, that you may acquit yourself
of your promise when you may feel inclined."
"Madam," replied Ahmed, with equal animation, "as I know I am not
guilty of the forgetfulness you lay to my charge, I rather choose to
be thus reproached, however undeservedly, than expose myself to a
refusal, by manifesting a desire for what it might have given you pain
to grant." "Prince," said the fairy, "I would not have you in this
affair have so much consideration for me, since it is a month since
you have seen the sultan your father. I think you should not be longer
in renewing your visits. Pay him one to-morrow, and after that, go and
visit once a month, without speaking to me, or waiting for my
permission. I readily consent to such an arrangement."
Prince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attendants as
before, but much more magnificently mounted, equipped, and
dressed, and was received by the sultan with the same joy and
satisfaction. For several months he constantly paid him visits,
and always in a richer and more brilliant equipage.
At last the sultan's favourites, who judged of prince Ahmed's
power by the splendour of his appearance, abused the privilege
the sultan accorded them of speaking to him with freedom, to make
him jealous of his son. They represented that it was but common
prudence to discover where the prince had retired, and how he
could afford to live so magnificently, since he had no revenue
assigned for his expenses; that he seemed to come to court only
to insult him, by affecting to shew that he wanted nothing from
his father to enable him to live like a prince; and that it was
to be feared he might court the people's favour and dethrone him.
The sultan of the Indies was so far from thinking that prince
Ahmed could be capable of so wicked a design, that he said to
them in displeasure, "You are mistaken, my son loves me, and I am
the more assured of his tenderness and fidelity, as I have given
him no reason to be disgusted."
At these words, one of the favourites took an opportunity to say,
"Your majesty, in the opinion of the most sensible people, could
not have taken a better method than you did with the three
princes, respecting their marriage with the princess Nouronnihar;
but who knows whether prince Ahmed has submitted to his fate with
the same resignation as prince Houssain? May not he imagine that
he alone deserved her; and that your majesty, by leaving the
match to be decided by chance, has done him injustice?
"Your majesty may say," added the malicious favourite, "that
prince Ahmed has manifested no appearance of dissatisfaction;
that our fears are vain; that we are too easily alarmed, and are
to blame in suggesting to you suspicions of this kind, which may,
perhaps, be unfounded, against a prince of your blood. But, sir,"
pursued the favourite, "it may be also, that these suspicions are
well grounded. Your majesty must be sensible, that in so nice and
important an affair you cannot be too much on your guard, and
should take the safest course. Consider, it is the prince's
interest to dissemble, amuse, and deceive you; and the danger is
the greater, as he resides not far from your capital; and if your
majesty give but the same attention that we do, you may observe
that every time he comes his attendants are different, their
habits new, and their arms clean and bright, as if just come from
the maker's hands; and their horses look as if they had only been
walked out. These are sufficient proofs that prince Ahmed does
not travel far, so that we should think ourselves wanting in our
duty did we not make our humble remonstrances, in order that, for
your own preservation and the good of your people, your majesty
may take such measures as you shall think advisable."
When the favourite had concluded these insinuations, the sultan
said, "I do not believe my son Ahmed is so wicked as you would
persuade me he is; however, I am obliged to you for your advice,
and do not doubt that it proceeds from good intention and loyalty
to my person."
The sultan of the Indies said this, that his favourites might not
know the impressions their observations had made on his mind. He
was, however, so much alarmed by them, that he resolved to have
prince Ahmed watched, unknown to his grand vizier. For this end
he sent for the sorceress, who was introduced by a private door
into his closet. "You told me the truth," said he, "when you
assured me my son Ahmed was alive, for which I am obliged to you.
You must do me another kindness. I have seen him since, and he
comes to my court every month; but I cannot learn from him where
he resides, and do not wish to force his secret from him; but
believe you are capable of satisfying my curiosity, without
letting him, or any of my court, know any thing of the discovery.
You know that he is at this time with me, and usually departs
without taking leave of me, or any of my court. Place yourself
immediately upon the road, and watch him so as to find out where
he retires, and bring me information."
The sorceress left the sultan, and knowing the place where prince
Ahmed had found his arrow, went immediately thither, and
concealed herself near the rocks, so as not to be seen.
The next morning prince Ahmed set out by daybreak, without taking
leave either of the sultan or any of his court, according to
custom. The sorceress seeing him coming, followed him with her
eyes, till suddenly she lost sight of him and his attendants.
The steepness of the rocks formed an insurmountable barrier to
men, whether on horseback or on foot, so that the sorceress
judged that the prince retired either into some cavern, or some
subterraneous place, the abode of genies or fairies. When she
thought the prince and his attendants must have far advanced into
whatever concealment they inhabited, she came out of the place
where she had hidden herself, and explored the hollow way where
she had lost sight of them. She entered it, and proceeding to the
spot where it terminated after many windings, looked carefully on
all sides. But notwithstanding all her acuteness she could
perceive no opening, nor the iron gate which prince Ahmed had
discovered. For this door was to be seen by or opened to none but
men, and only to those whose presence was agreeable to the fairy
Perie Banou, but not at all to women.
The sorceress, who saw it was in vain for her to search any
farther, was obliged to be satisfied with the insufficient
discovery she had made, and returned to communicate it to the
sultan. When she had told him what she had explored, she added,
"Your majesty may easily understand, after what I have had the
honour to tell you, that it will be no difficult matter to obtain
you the satisfaction you desire concerning prince Ahmed's
conduct. To do this, I only ask time, that you will have
patience, and give me leave to act, without inquiring what
measures I design to take."
The sultan was pleased with the conduct of the sorceress, and
said to her, "Do you as you think fit; I will wait patiently the
event of your promises:" and to encourage her, he presented her
with a diamond of great value, telling her, it was only an
earnest of the ample recompense she should receive when she
should have performed the important service which he left to her
management.
As prince Ahmed, after he had obtained the fairy Perie Banou's
leave, never failed once a month to visit his father, the
sorceress knowing the time, went a day or two before to the foot
of the rock where she had lost sight of him and his attendants,
and waited there to execute the project she had formed.
The next morning prince Ahmed went out as usual at the iron gate,
with the same attendants as before, passed the sorceress, and
seeing her lie with her head on the rock, complaining as if she
was in great pain, he pitied her, turned his horse, and asked
what he could do to relieve her?
The artful sorceress, without lifting up her head, looked at the
prince in such a manner as to increase his compassion, and
answered in broken accents and sighs, as if she could hardly
breathe, that she was going to the city; but in the way was taken
with so violent a fever, that her strength failed her, and she
was forced to stop and lie down where he saw her, far from any
habitation, and without any hopes of assistance.
"Good woman," replied the prince, "you are not so far from help
as you imagine. I will assist you, and convey you where you shall
not only have all possible care taken of you, but where you will
find a speedy cure: rise, and let one of my people take you
behind him."
At these words, the sorceress, who pretended sickness only to
explore where the prince resided, and his situation, did not
refuse the charitable offer, and to shew her acceptance rather by
her actions than her words, made many affected efforts to rise,
pretending that the violence of her illness prevented her. At the
same time, two of the prince's attendants alighting, helped her
up, and placed her behind another. They mounted their horses
again, and followed the prince, who turned back to the iron gate,
which was opened by one of his retinue. When he came into the
outward court of the fairy's palace, without dismounting himself,
he sent to tell her he wanted to speak with her.
The fairy came with all imaginable haste, not knowing what had
made prince Ahmed return so soon; who, not giving her time to
ask, said, "My princess, I desire you would have compassion on
this good woman," pointing to the sorceress, who was taken off
the horse by two of his retinue; "I found her in the condition
you see her, and promised her the assistance she requires. I
recommend her to your care, and am persuaded that you, from
inclination, as well as my request, will not abandon her."
The fairy, who had her eyes fixed on the pretended sick woman all
the time the prince was speaking, ordered two of her women to
take her from the men who supported her, conduct her into an
apartment of the palace, and take as much care of her as they
would of herself.
Whilst the two women were executing the fairy's commands, she
went up to prince Ahmed, and whispering him in the ear, said,
"Prince, I commend your compassion, which is worthy of you and
your birth. I take great pleasure in gratifying your good
intention; but permit me to tell you I am afraid it will be but
ill rewarded. This woman is not so sick as she pretends to be;
and I am much mistaken if she is not sent hither on purpose to
occasion you great trouble. But do not be concerned, let what
will be devised against you; be persuaded that I will deliver you
out of all the snares that shall be laid for you. Go and pursue
your journey."
This address of the fairy's did not in the least alarm prince
Ahmed. "My princess," said he, "as I do not remember I ever did,
or designed to do, any body injury, I cannot believe any one can
have a thought of injuring me; but if they have, I shall not
forbear doing good whenever I have an opportunity." So saying, he
took leave of the fairy, and set forward again for his father's
capital, where he soon arrived, and was received as usual by the
sultan, who constrained himself as much as possible, to disguise
the anxiety arising from the suspicions suggested by his
favourites.
In the mean time, the two women to whom Perie Banou had given her
orders conveyed the sorceress into an elegant apartment, richly
furnished. They first set her down upon a sofa, with her back
supported by a cushion of gold brocade, while they made a bed on
the same sofa, the quilt of which was finely embroidered with
silk, the sheets of the finest linen, and the coverlid cloth of
gold. When they had put her into bed (for the old sorceress
pretended that her fever was so violent she could not help
herself in the least), one of the women went out, and returned
soon with a china cup in her hand, full of a certain liquor,
which she presented to the sorceress, while the other helped her
to sit up. "Drink this," said the attendant, "it is the water of
the fountain of lions, and a sovereign remedy against fevers. You
will find the effect of it in less than an hour's time."
The sorceress, the better to dissemble, took it, after a great
deal of entreaty, as if she did it with reluctance. When she was
laid down again, the two women covered her up: "Lie quiet," said
she, who brought her the china cup, "and get a little sleep, if
you can: we will leave you, and hope to find you perfectly
recovered when we return an hour hence."
The sorceress, who came not to act a sick part long, but to
discover prince Ahmed's retreat, being fully satisfied in what
she wanted to know, would willingly have declared that the potion
had then had its effect, so great was her desire to return to the
sultan, to inform him of the success of her commission: but as
she had been told that the potion did not operate immediately,
she was forced to wait the women's return.
The two women came again at the time they had mentioned, and
found the sorceress seated on the sofa; who, when she saw them
open the door of the apartment, cried out, "O the admirable
potion! it has wrought its cure much sooner than you told me it
would, and I have waited with impatience to desire you to conduct
me to your charitable mistress, to thank her for her kindness,
for which I shall always feel obliged; but being thus cured as by
a miracle, I would not lose time, but prosecute my journey."
The two women, who were fairies as well as their mistress, after
they had told the sorceress how glad they were that she was cured
so soon, walked before her, and conducted her through several
apartments, all more superb than that wherein she had lain, into
a large hall, the most richly and magnificently furnished of all
the palace.
Perie Banou was seated in this hall, upon a throne of massive
gold, enriched with diamonds, rubies, and pearls of an
extraordinary size, and attended on each hand by a great number
of beautiful fairies, all richly dressed. At the sight of so much
splendour, the sorceress was not only dazzled, but so struck,
that after she had prostrated herself before the throne, she
could not open her lips to thank the fairy, as she had proposed.
However, Perie Banou saved her the trouble, and said, "Good
woman, I am glad I had an opportunity to oblige you, and that you
are able to pursue your journey. I will not detain you; but
perhaps you may not be displeased to see my palace: follow my
women, and they will shew it you."
The old sorceress, who had not power nor courage to say a word,
prostrated herself a second time, with her head on the carpet
that covered the foot of the throne, took her leave, and was
conducted by the two fairies through the same apartments which
were shewn to prince Ahmed at his first arrival, and at sight of
their uncommon magnificence she made frequent exclamations. But
what surprised her most of all was, that the two fairies told
her, that all she saw and so much admired was a mere sketch of
their mistress's grandeur and riches; for that in the extent of
her dominions she had so many palaces that they could not tell
the number of them, all of different plans and architecture, but
equally magnificent. In speaking of many other particulars, they
led her at last to the iron gate at which prince Ahmed had
brought her in; and after she had taken her leave of them, and
thanked them for their trouble, they opened it, and wished her a
good journey.
After the sorceress had gone a little way, she turned to observe
the door, that she might know it again, but all in vain; for, as
was before observed, it was invisible to her and all other women.
Except in this circumstance, she was very well satisfied with her
success, and posted away to the sultan. When she came to the
capital, she went by many by-ways to the private door of the
palace. The sultan being informed of her arrival, sent for her
into his apartment, and perceiving a melancholy hang upon her
countenance, thought she had not succeeded, and said to her, "By
your looks, I guess that your journey has been to no purpose, and
that you have not made the discovery I expected from your
diligence." "Sir," replied the sorceress, "your majesty must give
me leave to represent that you ought not to judge by my looks
whether or no I have acquitted myself well in the execution of
the commands you were pleased to honour me with; but by the
faithful report I shall make you of all that has happened to me,
and by which you will find that I have not neglected any thing
that could render me worthy of your approbation. The melancholy
you observe proceeds from another cause than the want of success,
which I hope your majesty will have ample reason to be satisfied
with. I do not tell you the cause; the relation I shall give will
inform you."
The sorceress now related to the sultan of the Indies how,
pretending to be sick, prince Ahmed compassionating her, had her
carried into a subterraneous abode, and presented and recommended
her to a fairy of incomparable beauty, desiring her by her care
to restore her health. She then told him with how much
condescension the fairy had immediately ordered two women to take
care of her, and not to leave her till she was recovered; which
great condescension, said she, could proceed from no other
female, but from a wife to a husband. Afterwards the old
sorceress failed not to dwell on her surprise at the front of the
palace, which she said had not its equal for magnificence in the
world. She gave a particular account of the care they took of
her, after they had led her into an apartment; of the potion they
made her drink, and of the quickness of her cure; which she had
pretended as well as her sickness, though she doubted not the
virtue of the draught; the majesty of the fairy seated on a
throne, brilliant with jewels, the value of which exceeded all
the riches of the kingdom of the Indies, and all the other
treasures beyond computation contained in that vast palace.
Here the sorceress finishing the relation of the success of her
commission, and continuing her discourse, said, "What does your
majesty think of these unheard-of riches of the fairy? Perhaps
you will say, you are struck with admiration, and rejoice at the
good fortune of prince Ahmed your son, who enjoys them in common
with the fairy. For my part, sir, I beg of your majesty to
forgive me if I take the liberty to say that I think otherwise,
and that I shudder when I consider the misfortunes which may
happen to you from his present situation. And this is the cause
of the melancholy which I could not so well dissemble, but that
you soon perceived it. I would believe that prince Ahmed, by his
own good disposition, is incapable of undertaking anything
against your majesty; but who can answer that the fairy, by her
attractions and caresses, and the influence she has over him, may
not inspire him with the unnatural design of dethroning your
majesty, and seizing the crown of the Indies? This is what your
majesty ought to consider as of the utmost importance."
Though the sultan of the Indies was persuaded that prince Ahmed's
natural disposition was good, yet he could not help being moved
at the representations of the old sorceress, and said, "I thank
you for the pains you have taken, and your wholesome caution. I
am so sensible of its great importance that I shall take advice
upon it."
He was consulting with his favourites, when he was told of the
sorceress's arrival. He ordered her to follow him to them. He
acquainted them with what he had learnt, communicated to them the
reason he had to fear the fairy's influence over the prince, and
asked them what measures they thought most proper to be taken to
prevent so great a misfortune as might possibly happen. One of
the favourites, taking upon himself to speak for the rest, said,
"Your majesty knows who must be the author of this mischief. In
order to prevent it, now he is in your court, and in your power,
you ought not to hesitate to put him under arrest; I will not say
take away his life, for that would make too much noise; but make
him a close prisoner." This advice all the other favourites
unanimously applauded.
The sorceress, who thought it too violent, asked the sultan leave
to speak, which being granted, she said, "I am persuaded it is
the zeal of your counsellors for your majesty's interest that
makes them propose arresting prince Ahmed. But they will not take
it amiss if I offer to your and their consideration, that if you
arrest the prince you must also detain his retinue. But they are
all genies. Do they think it will be so easy to surprise, seize,
and secure their persons? will they not disappear, by the
property they possess of rendering themselves invisible, and
transport themselves instantly to the fairy, and give her an
account of the insult offered her husband? And can it be supposed
she will let it go unrevenged? Would it not be better, if by any
other means which might not make so great a noise, the sultan
could secure himself against any ill designs prince Ahmed may
have, and not involve his majesty's honour? If his majesty has
any confidence in my advice, as genies and fairies can do things
impracticable to men, he will rather trust prince Ahmed's honour,
and engage him by means of the fairy to procure certain
advantages, by flattering his ambition, and at the same time
narrowly watching him. For example; every time your majesty takes
the field, you are obliged to be at a great expense, not only in
pavilions and tents for yourself and army, but likewise in mules
and camels, and other beasts of burden, to carry their baggage.
Request the prince to procure you a tent, which can be carried in
a man's hand, but so large as to shelter your whole army.
"I need say no more to your majesty. If the prince brings such a
tent, you may make other demands of the same nature, so that at
last he may sink under the difficulties and the impossibility of
executing them, however fertile in means and inventions the
fairy, who has enticed him from you by her enchantments, may be;
so that in time he will be ashamed to appear, and will be forced
to pass the rest of his life with the fairy, excluded from any
commerce with this world; when your majesty will have nothing to
fear from him, and cannot be reproached with so detestable an
action as the shedding of a son's blood, or confining him for
life in a prison."
When the sorceress had finished her speech, the sultan asked his
favourites if they had any thing better to propose; and finding
them all silent, determined to follow her advice, as the most
reasonable and most agreeable to his mild manner of government.