The Princess and Sultan

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.