34-the story of prince ahmed-第1部分

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THE　STORY　OF　PRINCE　AHMED　AND

THE　FAIRY　PARIBANOU



I


THERE　was　a　sultan；　who　had　three　sons　and　a　niece。

The　eldest　of　the　Princes　was　called　Houssain；　the　second

Ali；　the　youngest　Ahmed；　and　the　Princess；　his　niece；

Nouronnihar。



The　Princess　Nouronnihar　was　the　daughter　of　the

younger　brother　of　the　Sultan；　who　died；　and　left　the

Princess　very　young。　The　Sultan　took　upon　himself　the

care　of　his　daughter's　education；　and　brought　her　up　in

his　palace　with　the　three　Princes；　proposing　to　marry

her　when　she　arrived　at　a　proper　age；　and　to　contract　an

alliance　with　some　neighboring　prince　by　that　means。

But　when　he　perceived　that　the　three　Princes；　his　sons；

loved　her　passionately；　he　thought　more　seriously　on

that　affair。　He　was　very　much　concerned；　the　difficulty

he　foresaw　was　to　make　them　agree；　and　that　the　two

youngest　should　consent　to　yield　her　up　to　their　elder

brother。　As　he　found　them　positively　obstinate；　he

sent　for　them　all　together；　and　said　to　them：　〃Children；

since　for　your　good　and　quiet　I　have　not　been　able　to

persuade　you　no　longer　to　aspire　to　the　Princess；　your

cousin；　I　think　it　would　not　be　amiss　if　every　one　traveled

separately　into　different　countries；　so　that　you　might　not

meet　each　other。　And；　as　you　know　I　am　very　curious；

and　delight　in　everything　that's　singular；　I　promise　my

niece　in　marriage　to　him　that　shall　bring　me　the　most

extraordinary　rarity；　and　for　the　purchase　of　the　rarity

you　shall　go　in　search　after；　and　the　expense　of　traveling；

I　will　give　you　every　one　a　sum　of　money。〃



As　the　three　Princes　were　always　submissive　and

obedient　to　the　Sultan's　will；　and　each　flattered　himself

fortune　might　prove　favorable　to　him；　they　all　consented

to　it。　The　Sultan　paid　them　the　money　he　promised

them；　and　that　very　day　they　gave　orders　for　the

preparations　for　their　travels；　and　took　their　leave　of　the

Sultan；　that　they　might　be　the　more　ready　to　go　the

next　morning。　Accordingly　they　all　set　out　at　the　same

gate　of　the　city；　each　dressed　like　a　merchant；　attended

by　an　officer　of　confidence　dressed　like　a　slave；　and　all

well　mounted　and　equipped。　They　went　the　first　day's

journey　together；　and　lay　all　at　an　inn；　where　the　road

was　divided　into　three　different　tracts。　At　night；　when

they　were　at　supper　together；　they　all　agreed　to　travel

for　a　year；　and　to　meet　at　that　inn；　and　that　the　first

that　came　should　wait　for　the　rest；　that；　as　they　had

all　three　taken　their　leave　together　of　the　Sultan；　they

might　all　return　together。　The　next　morning　by　break

of　day；　after　they　had　embraced　and　wished　each　other

good　success；　they　mounted　their　horses　and　took　each

a　different　road。



Prince　Houssain；　the　eldest　brother；　arrived　at

Bisnagar；　the　capital　of　the　kingdom　of　that　name；　and　the

residence　of　its　king。　He　went　and　lodged　at　a　khan

appointed　for　foreign　merchants；　and；　having　learned

that　there　were　four　principal　divisions　where　merchants

of　all　sorts　sold　their　commodities；　and　kept　shops；　and

in　the　midst　of　which　stood　the　castle；　or　rather　the

King's　palace；　he　went　to　one　of　these　divisions　the　next

day。



Prince　Houssain　could　not　view　this　division　without

admiration。　It　was　large；　and　divided　into　several

streets；　all　vaulted　and　shaded　from　the　sun；　and　yet

very　light　too。　The　shops　were　all　of　a　size；　and　all　that

dealt　in　the　same　sort　of　goods　lived　in　one　street；　as

also　the　handicrafts…men；　who　kept　their　shops　in　the

smaller　streets。



The　multitude　of　shops；　stocked　with　all　sorts　of

merchandise；　as　the　finest　linens　from　several　parts　of　India；

some　painted　in　the　most　lively　colors；　and　representing

beasts；　trees；　and　flowers；　silks　and　brocades　from

Persia；　China；　and　other　places；　porcelain　both　from

Japan　and　China；　and　tapestries；　surprised　him　so　much

that　he　knew　not　how　to　believe　his　own　eyes；　but　when

he　came　to　the　goldsmiths　and　jewelers　he　was　in　a　kind

of　ecstacy　to　behold　such　prodigious　quantities　of　wrought

gold　and　silver；　and　was　dazzled　by　the　lustre　of　the

pearls；　diamonds；　rubies；　emeralds；　and　other　jewels

exposed　to　sale。



Another　thing　Prince　Houssain　particularly　admired

was　the　great　number　of　rose…sellers　who　crowded　the

streets；　for　the　Indians　are　so　great　lovers　of　that　flower

that　no　one　will　stir　without　a　nosegay　in　his　hand　or　a

garland　on　his　head；　and　the　merchants　keep　them　in

pots　in　their　shops；　that　the　air　is　perfectly　perfumed。



After　Prince　Houssain　had　run　through　that　division；

street　by　street；　his　thoughts　fully　employed　on　the

riches　he　had　seen；　he　was　very　much　tired；　which　a

merchant　perceiving；　civilly　invited　him　to　sit　down　in　his

shop；　and　he　accepted；　but　had　not　been　sat　down　long

before　he　saw　a　crier　pass　by　with　a　piece　of　tapestry

on　his　arm；　about　six　feet　square；　and　cried　at　thirty

purses。　The　Prince　called　to　the　crier；　and　asked　to　see

the　tapestry；　which　seemed　to　him　to　be　valued　at　an

exorbitant　price；　not　only　for　the　size　of　it；　but　the

meanness　of　the　stuff；　when　he　had　examined　it　well；　he　told

the　crier　that　he　could　not　comprehend　how　so　small　a

piece　of　tapestry；　and　of　so　indifferent　appearance；　could

be　set　at　so　high　a　price



The　crier；　who　took　him　for　a　merchant；　replied：　〃If

this　price　seems　so　extravagant　to　you；　your　amazement

will　be　greater　when　I　tell　you　I　have　orders　to　raise　it

to　forty　purses；　and　not　to　part　with　it　under。〃

〃Certainly；〃　answered　Prince　Houssain；　〃it　must　have

something　very　extraordinary　in　it；　which　I　know　nothing

of。〃　〃You　have　guessed　it；　sir；〃　replied　the　crier；　〃and

will　own　it　when　you　come　to　know　that　whoever　sits

on　this　piece　of　tapestry　may　be　transported　in　an

instant　wherever　he　desires　to　be；　without　being　stopped

by　any　obstacle。〃



At　this　discourse　of　the　crier　the　Prince　of　the　Indies；

considering　that　the　principal　motive　of　his　travel　was

to　carry　the　Sultan；　his　father；　home　some　singular

rarity；　thought　that　he　could　not　meet　with　any　which

could　give　him　more　satisfaction。　〃If　the　tapestry；〃

said　he　to　the　crier；　〃has　the　virtue　you　assign　it；　I　shall

not　think　forty　purses　too　much；　but　shall　make　you　a

present　besides。〃　〃Sir；〃　replied　the　crier；　〃I　have　told

you　the　truth；　and　it　is　an　easy　matter　to　convince　you

of　it；　as　soon　as　you　have　made　the　bargain　for　forty

purses；　on　condition　I　show　you　the　experiment。　But；

as　I　suppose　you　have　not　so　much　about　you；　and　to

receive　them　I　must　go　with　you　to　your　khan；　where

you　lodge；　with　the　leave　of　the　master　of　the　shop；　we

will　go　into　the　back　shop；　and　I　will　spread　the　tapestry；

and　when　we　have　both　sat　down；　and　you　have　formed

the　wish　to　be　transported　into　your　apartment　of　the

khan；　if　we　are　not　transported　thither　it　shall　be　no

bargain；　and　you　shall　be　at　your　liberty。　As　to　your

present；　though　I　am　paid　for　my　trouble　by　the　seller；

I　shall　receive　it　as　a　favor；　and　be　very　much　obliged　to

you；　and　thankful。〃



On　the　credit　of　the　crier；　the　Prince　accepted　the

conditions；　and　concluded　the　bargain；　and；　having　got　the

master's　leave；　they　went　into　his　back　shop；　they　both

sat　down　on　it；　and　as　soon　as　the　Prince　formed　his

wish　to　be　transported　into　his　apartment　at　the　khan

he　presently　found　himself　and　the　crier　there；　and；　as　he

wanted　not　a　more　sufficient　proof　of　the　virtue　of　the

tapestry；　he　counted　the　crier　out　forty　pieces　of　gold；

and　gave　him　twenty　pieces　for　himself。



In　this　manner　Prince　Houssain　became　the　possessor

of　the　tapestry；　and　was　overjoyed　that　at　his　arrival

at　Bisnagar　he　had　found　so　rare　a　piece；　which　he　never

disputed　would　gain　him　the　hand　of　Nouronnihar。　In

short；　he　looked　upon　it　as　an　impossible　thing　for　the

Princes　his　younger　brothers　to　meet　with　anything

to　be　compared　with　it。　It　was　in　his　power；　by　sitting

on　his　tapestry；　to　be　at　the　place　of　meeting　that　very

day；　but；　as　he　was　obliged　to　stay　there　for　his　brothers；

as　they　had　agreed；　and　as　he　was　curious　to　see　the　King

of　Bisnagar　and　his　Court；　and　to　inform　himself　of　the

strength；　laws；　customs；　and　religion　of　the　kingdom；

he　chose　to　make　a　longer　abode　there；　and　to　spend

some　months　in　satisfying　his　curiosity。



Prince　Houssain　might　have　made　a　longer　abode　in

the　kingdom　and　Court　of　Bisnagar；　but　he　was　so　eager

to　be　nearer　the　Princess　that；　spreading　the　tapestry；

he　and　the　officer　he　had　brought　with　him　sat　down；

and　as　soon　as　he　had　formed　his　wish　were　transported

to　the　inn　at　which　he　and　his　brothers　were　to　meet；

and　where　he　passed　for　a　merchant　till　they　came。



Prince　Ali；　Prince　Houssain's　second　brother；　who

designed　to　travel　into　Persia；　took　the　road；　having　three

days　after　he　parted　with　his　brothers　joined　a　caravan；

and　after　four　days'　travel　arrived　at　Schiraz；　which　was

the　capital　of　the　kingdom　of　Persia。　Here　he　passed

for　a　jeweler。



The　next　morning　Prince　Ali；　who　traveled　only　for

his　pleasure；　and　had　brought　nothing　but　just　necessaries

along　with　him；　after　he　had　dressed　himself；　took

a　walk　into　that　part　of　the　town　which　they　at　Schiraz

called　the　bezestein。



Among　all　the　criers　who　passed　backward　and　forward

with　several　sorts　of　goods；　offering　to　sell　them；

he　was　not　a　little　surprised　to　see　one　who　held　an　ivory

telescope　in　his　hand　of　about　a　foot　in　length　and　the

thickness　of　a　man's　thumb；　and　cried　it　at　thirty　purses。

At　first　he　thought　the　crier　mad；　and　to　inform　himself

went　to　a　shop；　and　said　to　the　merchant；　who　stood　at

the　door：　〃Pray；　sir；　is　not　that　man〃　（pointing　to　the

crier　who　cried　the　ivory　perspective　glass　at　thirty

purses）　〃mad？　If　he　is　not；　I　am　very　much　deceived。〃



Indeed；　sir；〃　answered　the　merchant；　〃he　was　in　his

right　senses　yesterday；　I　can　assure　you　he　is　one　of　the

ablest　criers　we