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Johann Wolfgang Goethe - "West oestlicher Divan"

Seton - "Rolf In The Woods"

Charles Mackay - "Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions"

Zane Grey - "The Heritage of the Desert"

The Arabian Nights Entertainments, by Andrew Lang

A >> Andrew Lang >> The Arabian Nights Entertainments, by Andrew Lang




"Oh, if only the Sultan had had sons like that!" they murmured,
"they look so distinguished and are about the same age that his sons
would have been!"

The Sultan commanded that splendid apartments should be prepared for the
two brothers, and even insisted that they should sit at table with him.
During dinner he led the conversation to various scientific subjects,
and also to history, of which he was especially fond, but whatever
topic they might be discussing he found that the views of the young
men were always worth listening to. "If they were my own sons,"
he said to himself, "they could not be better educated!" and aloud
he complimented them on their learning and taste for knowledge.

At the end of the evening the princes once more prostrated themselves
before the throne and asked leave to return home; and then,
encouraged by the gracious words of farewell uttered by the Sultan,
Prince Bahman said: "Sire, may we dare to take the liberty of asking
whether you would do us and our sister the honour of resting for
a few minutes at our house the first time the hunt passes that way?"

"With the utmost pleasure," replied the Sultan; "and as I am
all impatience to see the sister of such accomplished young men
you may expect me the day after to-morrow."

The princess was of course most anxious to entertain the Sultan
in a fitting way, but as she had no experience in court customs
she ran to the Talking Bird, and begged he would advise her
as to what dishes should be served.

"My dear mistress," replied the bird, "your cooks are very good
and you can safely leave all to them, except that you must be
careful to have a dish of cucumbers, stuffed with pearl sauce,
served with the first course."

"Cucumbers stuffed with pearls!" exclaimed the princess. "Why, bird,
who ever heard of such a dish? The Sultan will expect a dinner he
can eat, and not one he can only admire! Besides, if I were to use
all the pearls I possess, they would not be half enough."

"Mistress," replied the bird, "do what I tell you and nothing
but good will come of it. And as to the pearls, if you go at dawn
to-morrow and dig at the foot of the first tree in the park,
on the right hand, you will find as many as you want."

The princess had faith in the bird, who generally proved to be right,
and taking the gardener with her early next morning followed out
his directions carefully. After digging for some time they came
upon a golden box fastened with little clasps.

These were easily undone, and the box was found to be full of pearls,
not very large ones, but well-shaped and of a good colour.
So leaving the gardener to fill up the hole he had made under the tree,
the princess took up the box and returned to the house.

The two princes had seen her go out, and had wondered what could have
made her rise so early. Full of curiosity they got up and dressed,
and met their sister as she was returning with the box under her arm.

"What have you been doing?" they asked, "and did the gardener come
to tell you he had found a treasure?"

"On the contrary," replied the princess, "it is I who have found one,"
and opening the box she showed her astonished brothers the
pearls inside. Then, on the way back to the palace, she told them
of her consultation with the bird, and the advice it had given her.
All three tried to guess the meaning of the singular counsel,
but they were forced at last to admit the explanation was beyond them,
and they must be content blindly to obey.

The first thing the princess did on entering the palace was to send
for the head cook and to order the repast for the Sultan When she
had finished she suddenly added, "Besides the dishes I have mentioned
there is one that you must prepare expressly for the Sultan, and that
no one must touch but yourself. It consists of a stuffed cucumber,
and the stuffing is to be made of these pearls."

The head cook, who had never in all his experience heard of such
a dish, stepped back in amazement.

"You think I am mad," answered the princess, who perceived what was
in his mind. "But I know quite well what I am doing. Go, and do
your best, and take the pearls with you."

The next morning the princes started for the forest, and were soon
joined by the Sultan. The hunt began and continued till mid-day,
when the heat became so great that they were obliged to leave off.
Then, as arranged, they turned their horses' heads towards the palace,
and while Prince Bahman remained by the side of the Sultan,
Prince Perviz rode on to warn his sister of their approach.

The moment his Highness entered the courtyard, the princess flung
herself at his feet, but he bent and raised her, and gazed at her
for some time, struck with her grace and beauty, and also with the
indefinable air of courts that seemed to hang round this country girl.
"They are all worthy one of the other," he said to himself,
"and I am not surprised that they think so much of her opinions.
I must know more of them."

By this time the princess had recovered from the first embarrassment
of meeting, and proceeded to make her speech of welcome.

"This is only a simple country house, sire," she said,
"suitable to people like ourselves, who live a quiet life.
It cannot compare with the great city mansions, much less,
of course, with the smallest of the Sultan's palaces."

"I cannot quite agree with you," he replied; "even the little
that I have seen I admire greatly, and I will reserve my judgment
until you have shown me the whole."

The princess then led the way from room to room, and the Sultan examined
everything carefully. "Do you call this a simple country house?"
he said at last. "Why, if every country house was like this,
the towns would soon be deserted. I am no longer astonished
that you do not wish to leave it. Let us go into the gardens,
which I am sure are no less beautiful than the rooms."

A small door opened straight into the garden, and the first object
that met the Sultan's eyes was the Golden Water.

"What lovely coloured water!" he exclaimed; "where is the spring,
and how do you make the fountain rise so high? I do not believe there
is anything like it in the world." He went forward to examine it,
and when he had satisfied his curiosity, the princess conducted him
towards the Singing Tree.

As they drew near, the Sultan was startled by the sound of
strange voices, but could see nothing. "Where have you hidden
your musicians?" he asked the princess; "are they up in the air,
or under the earth? Surely the owners of such charming voices
ought not to conceal themselves!"

"Sire," answered the princess, "the voices all come from the tree
which is straight in front of us; and if you will deign to advance
a few steps, you will see that they become clearer."

The Sultan did as he was told, and was so wrapt in delight
at what he heard that he stood some time in silence.

"Tell me, madam, I pray you," he said at last, "how this
marvellous tree came into your garden? It must have been brought
from a great distance, or else, fond as I am of all curiosities,
I could not have missed hearing of it! What is its name?"

"The only name it has, sire," replied she, "is the Singing Tree,
and it is not a native of this country. Its history is mixed up with
those of the Golden Water and the Talking Bird, which you have not
yet seen. If your Highness wishes I will tell you the whole story,
when you have recovered from your fatigue."

"Indeed, madam," returned he, "you show me so many wonders that it
is impossible to feel any fatigue. Let us go once more and look
at the Golden Water; and I am dying to see the Talking Bird."

The Sultan could hardly tear himself away from the Golden Water,
which puzzled him more and more. "You say," he observed to
the princess, "that this water does not come from any spring,
neither is brought by pipes. All I understand is, that neither
it nor the Singing Tree is a native of this country."

"It is as you say, sire," answered the princess, "and if you
examine the basin, you will see that it is all in one piece,
and therefore the water could not have been brought through it.
What is more astonishing is, that I only emptied a small flaskful
into the basin, and it increased to the quantity you now see."

"Well, I will look at it no more to-day," said the Sultan.
"Take me to the Talking Bird."

On approaching the house, the Sultan noticed a vast quantity of birds,
whose voices filled the air, and he inquired why they were so much
more numerous here than in any other part of the garden.

"Sire," answered the princess, "do you see that cage hanging in one
of the windows of the saloon? that is the Talking Bird, whose voice
you can hear above them all, even above that of the nightingale.
And the birds crowd to this spot, to add their songs to his."

The Sultan stepped through the window, but the bird took no notice,
continuing his song as before.

"My slave," said the princess, "this is the Sultan; make him
a pretty speech."

The bird stopped singing at once, and all the other birds stopped too.

"The Sultan is welcome," he said. "I wish him long life
and all prosperity."

"I thank you, good bird," answered the Sultan, seating himself
before the repast, which was spread at a table near the window,
"and I am enchanted to see in you the Sultan and King of the Birds."

The Sultan, noticing that his favourite dish of cucumber was placed
before him, proceeded to help himself to it, and was amazed to and
that the stuffing was of pearls. "A novelty, indeed!" cried he,
"but I do not understand the reason of it; one cannot eat pearls!"

"Sire," replied the bird, before either the princes or the princess
could speak, "surely your Highness cannot be so surprised at beholding
a cucumber stuffed with pearls, when you believed without any
difficulty that the Sultana had presented you, instead of children,
with a dog, a cat, and a log of wood."

"I believed it," answered the Sultan, "because the women attending
on her told me so."

"The women, sire," said the bird, "were the sisters of the Sultana,
who were devoured with jealousy at the honour you had done her, and in
order to revenge themselves invented this story. Have them examined,
and they will confess their crime. These are your children,
who were saved from death by the intendant of your gardens,
and brought up by him as if they were his own."

Like a flash the truth came to the mind of the Sultan.
"Bird," he cried, "my heart tells me that what you say is true.
My children," he added, "let me embrace you, and embrace each other,
not only as brothers and sister, but as having in you the blood
royal of Persia which could flow in no nobler veins."

When the first moments of emotion were over, the Sultan hastened
to finish his repast, and then turning to his children he exclaimed:
"To-day you have made acquaintance with your father. To-morrow I
will bring you the Sultana your mother. Be ready to receive her."

The Sultan then mounted his horse and rode quickly back to the capital.
Without an instant's delay he sent for the grand-vizir, and ordered
him to seize and question the Sultana's sisters that very day.
This was done. They were confronted with each other and proved guilty,
and were executed in less than an hour.

But the Sultan did not wait to hear that his orders had been
carried out before going on foot, followed by his whole court to
the door of the great mosque, and drawing the Sultana with his own
hand out of the narrow prison where she had spent so many years,
"Madam," he cried, embracing her with tears in his eyes,
"I have come to ask your pardon for the injustice I have done you,
and to repair it as far as I may. I have already begun by punishing
the authors of this abominable crime, and I hope you will forgive
me when I introduce you to our children, who are the most charming
and accomplished creatures in the whole world. Come with me,
and take back your position and all the honour that is due to you."

This speech was delivered in the presence of a vast multitude of people,
who had gathered from all parts on the first hint of what was happening,
and the news was passed from mouth to mouth in a few seconds.

Early next day the Sultan and Sultana, dressed in robes of state
and followed by all the court, set out for the country house
of their children. Here the Sultan presented them to the Sultana
one by one, and for some time there was nothing but embraces and
tears and tender words. Then they ate of the magnificent dinner
which had been prepared for them, and after they were all refreshed
they went into the garden, where the Sultan pointed out to his wife
the Golden Water and the Singing Tree. As to the Talking Bird,
she had already made acquaintance with him.

In the evening they rode together back to the capital, the princes
on each side of their father, and the princess with her mother.
Long before they reached the gates the way was lined with people,
and the air filled with shouts of welcome, with which were mingled
the songs of the Talking Bird, sitting in its cage on the lap of
the princess, and of the birds who followed it.

And in this manner they came back to their father's palace.

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