34-the story of prince ahmed-第5部分

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their　horses　again；　and　followed　the　Prince；　who　turned

back　to　the　iron　gate；　which　was　opened　by　one　of　his

retinue　who　rode　before。　And　when　he　came　into　the

outward　court　of　the　Fairy；　without　dismounting　himself；

he　sent　to　tell　her　he　wanted　to　speak　with　her。



The　Fairy　Paribanou　came　with　all　imaginable　haste；

not　knowing　what　made　Prince　Ahmed　return　so　soon；

who；　not　giving　her　time　to　ask　him　the　reason；　said：

〃Princess；　I　desire　you　would　have　compassion　on　this

good　woman；〃　pointing　to　the　magician；　who　was　held

up　by　two　of　his　retinue。　〃I　found　her　in　the　condition

you　see　her　in；　and　promised　her　the　assistance　she　stands

in　need　of；　and　am　persuaded　that　you；　out　of　your　own

goodness；　as　well　as　upon　my　entreaty；　will　not　abandon

her。



The　Fairy　Paribanou；　who　had　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the

pretended　sick　woman　all　the　time　that　the　Prince　was

talking　to　her；　ordered　two　of　her　women　who　followed

her　to　take　her　from　the　two　men　that　held　her；　and　carry

her　into　an　apartment　of　the　palace；　and　take　as　much

care　of　her　as　she　would　herself。



While　the　two　women　executed　the　Fairy's　commands；

she　went　up　to　Prince　Ahmed；　and；　whispering　in　his　ear；

said：　〃Prince；　this　woman　is　not　so　sick　as　she　pretends

to　be；　and　I　am　very　much　mistaken　if　she　is　not　an

impostor；　who　will　be　the　cause　of　a　great　trouble　to　you。

But　don't　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　discourse　of　the　Fairy's　did　not　in　the　least　frighten

Prince　Ahmed。　〃My　Princess；〃　said　he；　〃as　I　do　not

remember　I　ever　did　or　designed　anybody　an　injury；　I

cannot　believe　anybody　can　have　a　thought　of　doing　me

one；　but　if　they　have　I　shall　not；　nevertheless；　forbear

doing　good　whenever　I　have　an　opportunity。〃　Then　he

went　back　to　his　father's　palace。



In　the　meantime　the　two　women　carried　the　magician

into　a　very　fine　apartment；　richly　furnished。　First　they

sat　her　down　upon　a　sofa；　with　her　back　supported　with

a　cushion　of　gold　brocade；　while　they　made　a　bed　on　the

same　sofa　before　her；　the　quilt　of　which　was　finely

embroidered　with　silk；　the　sheets　of　the　finest　linen；　and　the

coverlet　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　again　with　a　china

dish　in　her　hand；　full　of　a　certain　liquor；　which　she

presented　to　the　magician；　while　the　other　helped　her　to　sit

up。　〃Drink　this　liquor；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　the　Water　of　the

Fountain　of　Lions；　and　a　sovereign　remedy　against　all

fevers　whatsoever。　You　will　find　the　effect　of　it　in　less

than　an　hour's　time。〃



The　magician；　to　dissemble　the　better；　took　it　after　a

great　deal　of　entreaty；　but　at　last　she　took　the　china　dish；

and；　holding　back　her　head；　swallowed　down　the　liquor。

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'll　leave　you；

and　hope　to　find　you　perfectly　cured　when　we　come　again

an　hour　hence。〃



The　two　women　came　again　at　the　time　they　said　they

should；　and　found　the　magician　up　and　dressed；　and　sitting

upon　the　sofa。　〃Oh；　admirable　potion！〃　she　said：

〃it　has　wrought　its　cure　much　sooner　than　you　told　me　it

would；　and　I　shall　be　able　to　prosecute　my　journey。〃



The　two　women；　who　were　fairies　as　well　as　their

mistress；　after　they　had　told　the　magician　how　glad　they

were　that　she　was　cured　so　soon；　walked　before　her；　and

conducted　her　through　several　apartments；　all　more　noble

than　that　wherein　she　lay；　into　a　large　hall；　the　most　richly

and　magnificently　furnished　of　all　the　palace。



Fairy　Paribanou　sat　in　this　hall　on　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　clothed。　At　the

sight　of　so　much　majesty；　the　magician　was　not　only

dazzled；　but　was　so　amazed　that；　after　she　had　prostrated

herself　before　the　throne；　she　could　not　open　her　lips　to

thank　the　Fairy　as　she　proposed。　However；　Paribanou

saved　her　the　trouble；　and　said　to　her：　〃Good　woman；　I

am　glad　I　had　an　opportunity　to　oblige　you；　and　to　see

you　are　able　to　pursue　your　journey。　I　won't　detain　you；

but　perhaps　you　may　not　be　displeased　to　see　my　palace；

follow　my　women；　and　they　will　show　it　you。〃



Then　the　magician　went　back　and　related　to　the　Sultan

of　the　Indies　all　that　had　happened；　and　how　very　rich

Prince　Ahmed　was　since　his　marriage　with　the　Fairy；

richer　than　all　the　kings　in　the　world；　and　how　there　was

danger　that　he　should　come　and　take　the　throne　from　his

father。



Though　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies　was　very　well　persuaded

that　Prince　Ahmed's　natural　disposition　was　good；　yet

he　could　not　help　being　concerned　at　the　discourse　of　the

old　sorceress；　to　whom；　when　she　was　taking　her　leave；

he　said：　〃I　thank　thee　for　the　pains　thou　hast　taken；　and

thy　wholesome　advice。　I　am　so　sensible　of　the　great　importance

it　is　to　me　that　I　shall　deliberate　upon　it　in　council。〃



Now　the　favorites　advised　that　the　Prince　should　be

killed；　but　the　magician　advised　differently：　〃Make　him

give　you　all　kinds　of　wonderful　things；　by　the　Fairy's

help；　till　she　tires　of　him　and　sends　him　away。　As；　for

example；　every　time　your　Majesty　goes　into　the　field；　you

are　obliged　to　be　at　a　great　expense；　not　only　in　pavilions

and　tents　for　your　army；　but　likewise　in　mules　and　camels

to　carry　their　baggage。　Now；　might　not　you　engage　him

to　use　his　interest　with　the　Fairy　to　procure　you　a　tent

which　might　be　carried　in　a　man's　hand；　and　which　should

be　so　large　as　to　shelter　your　whole　army　against　bad

weather？〃



When　the　magician　had　finished　her　speech；　the　Sultan

asked　his　favorites　if　they　had　anything　better　to　propose；

and；　finding　them　all　silent；　determined　to　follow　the

magician's　advice；　as　the　most　reasonable　and　most　agreeable

to　his　mild　government。



Next　day　the　Sultan　did　as　the　magician　had　advised

him；　and　asked　for　the　pavilion。



Prince　Ahmed　never　expected　that　the　Sultan　his

father　would　have　asked　such　a　thing；　which　at　first

appeared　so　difficult；　not　to　say　impossible。　Though　he

knew　not　absolutely　how　great　the　power　of　genies　and

fairies　was；　he　doubted　whether　it　extended　so　far　as　to

compass　such　a　tent　as　his　father　desired。　At　last　he

replied：　〃Though　it　is　with　the　greatest　reluctance　imaginable；

I　will　not　fail　to　ask　the　favor　of　my　wife　your

Majesty　desires；　but　will　not　promise　you　to　obtain　it；

and　if　I　should　not　have　the　honor　to　come　again　to　pay

you　my　respects　that　shall　be　the　sign　that　I　have　not　had

success。　But　beforehand；　I　desire　you　to　forgive　me；　and

consider　that　you　yourself　have　reduced　me　to　this　extremity。〃



〃Son；〃　replied　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies；　〃I　should　be

very　sorry　if　what　I　ask　of　you　should　cause　me　the

displeasure　of　never　seeing　you　more。　I　find　you　don't　know

the　power　a　husband　has　over　a　wife；　and　yours　would

show　that　her　love　to　you　was　very　indifferent　if　she；　with

the　power　she　has　of　a　fairy；　should　refuse　you　so　trifling

a　request　as　this　I　desire　you　to　ask　of　her　for　my　sake。〃

The　Prince　went　back；　and　was　very　sad　for　fear　of

offending　the　Fairy。　She　kept　pressing　him　to　tell　her

what　was　the　matter；　and　at　last　he　said：　〃Madam；　you

may　have　observed　that　hitherto　I　have　been　content　with

your　love；　and　have　never　asked　you　any　other　favor。

Consider　then；　I　conjure　you；　that　it　is　not　I；　but　the

Sultan　my　father；　who　indiscreetly；　or　at　least　I　think　so；

begs　of　you　a　pavilion　large　enough　to　shelter　him；　his

Court；　and　army　from　the　violence　of　the　weather；　and

which　a　man　may　carry　in　his　hand。　But　remember　it　is

the　Sultan　my　father　asks　this　favor。〃



〃Prince；〃　replied　the　Fairy；　smiling；　〃I　am　sorry　that

so　small　a　matter　should　disturb　you；　and　make　you　so

uneasy　as　you　appeared　to　me。〃



Then　the　Fairy　sent　for　her　treasurer；　to　whom；　when

she　came；　she　said：　〃Nourgihan〃which　was　her　name

〃bring　me　the　largest　pavilion　in　my　treasury。〃　Nourgiham

returned　presently　with　the　pavilion；　which　she

could　not　only　hold　in　her　hand；　but　in　the　palm　of　her

hand　when　she　shut　her　fingers；　and　presented　it　to　her

mistress；　who　gave　it　to　Prince　Ahmed　to　look　at。



When　Prince　Ahmed　saw　the　pavilion　which　the　Fairy

called　the　largest　in　her　treasury；　he　fancied　she　had　a

mind　to　jest　with　him；　and　thereupon　the　marks　of　his

surprise　appeared　presently　in　his　countenance；　which

Paribanou　perceiving　burst　out　laughing。　〃What！

Prince；〃　cried　she；　〃do　you　think　I　jest　with　you？　You'll

see　presently　that　I　am　in　earnest。　Nourgihan；〃　said　she

to　her　treasurer；　taking　the　tent　out　of　Prince　Ahmed's

hands；　〃go　and　set　it　up；　that　the　Prince　may　judge

whether　it　may　be　large　enough　for　the　Sultan　his　father。〃



The　treasurer　went　immediately　with　it　out　of　the

palace；　and　carried　it　a　great　way　off；　and　when　she　had

set　it　up　one　end　reached　to　the　very　palace；　at　which

time　the　Prince；　thinking　it　small；　found　it　large　enough

to　shelter　two　greater　armies　than　that　of　the　Sultan　his

father's；　and　then　said　to　Paribanou：　〃I　ask　my　Princess

a　thousand　pardons　for　my　incredulity；　after　what　I　have

seen　I　believe　there　is　nothing　impossible　to　you。〃　〃You

see；〃　said　the　Fairy；　〃that　the　pavilion　is　larger　than　what

your　father　may　have　occasion　for；　for　you　must　know

that　it　has　one　propertythat　it　is　larger　or　smaller

according　to　the　army　it　is　to　cover。〃



The　treasurer　took　down　the　tent　again；　and　brought

it　to　the　Prince；　who　took　it；　and；　without　staying　any

longer　than　till　the　next　day；　mounted　his　horse；　and　went