34-the story of prince ahmed-第6部分

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

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

with　the　same　attendants　to　the　Sultan　his　father。



The　Sultan；　who　was　persuaded　that　there　could　not　be

any　such　thing　as　such　a　tent　as　he　asked　for；　was　in　a

great　surprise　at　the　Prince's　diligence。　He　took　the　tent

and　after　he　had　admired　its　smallness　his　amazement　was

so　great　that　he　could　not　recover　himself。　When　the　tent

was　set　up　in　the　great　plain；　which　we　have　before

mentioned；　he　found　it　large　enough　to　shelter　an　army　twice

as　large　as　he　could　bring　into　the　field。



But　the　Sultan　was　not　yet　satisfied。　〃Son；〃　said　he；

〃I　have　already　expressed　to　you　how　much　I　am　obliged

to　you　for　the　present　of　the　tent　you　have　procured　me；

that　I　look　upon　it　as　the　most　valuable　thing　in　all　my

treasury。　But　you　must　do　one　thing　more　for　me；　which

will　be　every　whit　as　agreeable　to　me。　I　am　informed　that

the　Fairy；　your　spouse；　makes　use　of　a　certain　water；

called　the　Water　of　the　Fountain　of　Lions；　which　cures

all　sorts　of　fevers；　even　the　most　dangerous；　and；　as　I　am

perfectly　well　persuaded　my　health　is　dear　to　you；　I　don't

doubt　but　you　will　ask　her　for　a　bottle　of　that　water　for

me；　and　bring　it　me　as　a　sovereign　medicine；　which　I　may

make　use　of　when　I　have　occasion。　Do　me　this　other

important　piece　of　service；　and　thereby　complete　the　duty

of　a　good　son　toward　a　tender　father。〃



The　Prince　returned　and　told　the　Fairy　what　his　father

had　said；　〃There's　a　great　deal　of　wickedness　in　this

demand？〃　she　answered；　〃as　you　will　understand　by　what

I　am　going　to　tell　you。　The　Fountain　of　Lions　is　situated

in　the　middle　of　a　court　of　a　great　castle；　the　entrance

into　which　is　guarded　by　four　fierce　lions；　two　of　which

sleep　alternately；　while　the　other　two　are　awake。　But

don't　let　that　frighten　you：　I'll　give　you　means　to　pass　by

them　without　any　danger。〃



The　Fairy　Paribanou　was　at　that　time　very　hard　at

work；　and；　as　she　had　several　clews　of　thread　by　her；　she

took　up　one；　and；　presenting　it　to　Prince　Ahmed；　said：

First　take　this　clew　of　thread。　I'll　tell　you　presently　the

use　of　it。　In　the　second　place；　you　must　have　two　horses；

one　you　must　ride　yourself；　and　the　other　you　must　lead；

which　must　be　loaded　with　a　sheep　cut　into　four　quarters；

that　must　be　killed　today。　In　the　third　place；　you　must

be　provided　with　a　bottle；　which　I　will　give　you；　to　bring

the　water　in。　Set　out　early　to…morrow　morning；　and　when

you　have　passed　the　iron　gate　throw　the　clew　of　thread

before　you；　which　will　roll　till　it　comes　to　the　gates　of　the

castle。　Follow　it；　and　when　it　stops；　as　the　gates　will　be

open；　you　will　see　the　four　lions：　the　two　that　are　awake

will；　by　their　roaring；　wake　the　other　two；　but　don't　be

frightened；　but　throw　each　of　them　a　quarter　of　mutton；

and　then　clap　spurs　to　your　horse　and　ride　to　the　fountain；

fill　your　bottle　without　alighting；　and　then　return　with

the　same　expedition。　The　lions　will　be　so　busy　eating　they

will　let　you　pass　by　them。〃



Prince　Ahmed　set　out　the　next　morning　at　the　time

appointed　by　the　Fairy；　and　followed　her　directions

exactly。　When　he　arrived　at　the　gates　of　the　castle　he

distributed　the　quarters　of　mutton　among　the　four　lions；

and；　passing　through　the　midst　of　them　bravely；　got　to

the　fountain；　filled　his　bottle；　and　returned　back　as　safe　and

sound　as　he　went。　When　he　had　gone　a　little　distance　from

the　castle　gates　he　turned　him　about；　and；　perceiving　two

of　the　lions　coming　after　him；　he　drew　his　sabre　and

prepared　himself　for　defense。　But　as　he　went　forward　he

saw　one　of　them　turned　out　of　the　road　at　some　distance；

and　showed　by　his　head　and　tail　that　he　did　not　come　to

do　him　any　harm；　but　only　to　go　before　him；　and　that　the

other　stayed　behind　to　follow；　he　put　his　sword　up　again

in　its　scabbard。　Guarded　in　this　manner；　he　arrived　at　the

capital　of　the　Indies；　but　the　lions　never　left　him　till　they

had　conducted　him　to　the　gates　of　the　Sultan's　palace；

after　which　they　returned　the　same　way　they　came；　though

not　without　frightening　all　that　saw　them；　for　all　they

went　in　a　very　gentle　manner　and　showed　no　fierceness。



A　great　many　officers　came　to　attend　the　Prince　while

he　dismounted　his　horse；　and　afterward　conducted　him

into　the　Sultan's　apartment；　who　was　at　that　time

surrounded　with　his　favorites。　He　approached　toward　the

throne；　laid　the　bottle　at　the　Sultan's　feet；　and　kissed　the

rich　tapestry　which　covered　his　footstool；　and　then　said：



〃I　have　brought　you；　sir；　the　healthful　water　which　your

Majesty　desired　so　much　to　keep　among　your　other

rarities　in　your　treasury；　but　at　the　same　time　wish　you

such　extraordinary　health　as　never　to　have　occasion　to

make　use　of　it。〃



After　the　Prince　had　made　an　end　of　his　compliment

the　Sultan　placed　him　on　his　right　hand；　and　then　said　to

him：　〃Son；　I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　this　valuable

present；　as　also　for　the　great　danger　you　have　exposed

yourself　to　upon　my　account　（which　I　have　been　informed

of　by　a　magician　who　knows　the　Fountain　of　Lions）；　but

do　me　the　pleasure；〃　continued　he；　〃to　inform　me　by

what　address；　or；　rather；　by　what　incredible　power；　you

have　been　secured。〃



〃Sir；〃　replied　Prince　Ahmed；　〃I　have　no　share　in　the

compliment　your　Majesty　is　pleased　to　make　me；　all　the

honor　is　due　to　the　Fairy　my　spouse；　whose　good　advice

I　followed。〃　Then　he　informed　the　Sultan　what　those

directions　were；　and　by　the　relation　of　this　his　expedition

let　him　know　how　well　he　had　behaved　himself。　When　he

had　done　the　Sultan；　who　showed　outwardly　all　the

demonstrations　of　great　joy；　but　secretly　became　more

jealous；　retired　into　an　inward　apartment；　where　he　sent

for　the　magician。



The　magician；　at　her　arrival；　saved　the　Sultan　the

trouble　to　tell　her　of　the　success　of　Prince　Ahmed's　journey；

which　she　had　heard　of　before　she　came；　and　therefore

was　prepared　with　an　infallible　means；　as　she

pretended。　This　means　she　communicated　to　the　Sultan

who　declared　it　the　next　day　to　the　Prince；　in　the　midst

of　all　his　courtiers；　in　these　words：　〃Son；〃　said　he；　〃I　have

one　thing　more　to　ask　of　you；　after　which　I　shall　expect

nothing　more　from　your　obedience；　nor　your　interest　with

your　wife。　This　request　is；　to　bring　me　a　man　not　above

a　foot　and　a　half　high；　and　whose　beard　is　thirty　feet　long

who　carries　a　bar　of　iron　upon　his　shoulders　of　five

hundredweight；　which　he　uses　as　a　quarterstaff。〃



Prince　Ahmed；　who　did　not　believe　that　there　was　such

a　man　in　the　world　as　his　father　described；　would　gladly

have　excused　himself；　but　the　Sultan　persisted　in　his

demand；　and　told　him　the　Fairy　could　do　more　incredible

things。



The　next　day　the　Prince　returned　to　his　dear　Paribanou；

to　whom　he　told　his　father's　new　demand；　which；　he　said；

he　looked　upon　to　be　a　thing　more　impossible　than　the　two

first；　〃for；〃　added　he；　〃I　cannot　imagine　there　can　be　such

a　man　in　the　world；　without　doubt；　he　has　a　mind　to　try

whether　or　no　I　am　so　silly　as　to　go　about　it；　or　he　has　a

design　on　my　ruin。　In　short；　how　can　he　suppose　that　I

should　lay　hold　of　a　man　so　well　armed；　though　he　is　but

little？　What　arms　can　I　make　use　of　to　reduce　him　to　my

will？　If　there　are　any　means；　I　beg　you　will　tell　them；　and

let　me　come　off　with　honor　this　time。〃



〃Don't　affright　yourself；　Prince；〃　replied　the　Fairy；

〃you　ran　a　risk　in　fetching　the　Water　of　the　Fountain　of

Lions　for　your　father；　but　there's　no　danger　in　finding

out　this　man；　who　is　my　brother　Schaibar；　but　is　so　far

from　being　like　me；　though　we　both　had　the　same　father；

that　he　is　of　so　violent　a　nature　that　nothing　can　prevent

his　giving　cruel　marks　of　his　resentment　for　a

slight　offense；　yet；　on　the　other　hand；　is　so　good　as　to

oblige　anyone　in　whatever　they　desire。　He　is　made

exactly　as　the　Sultan　your　father　has　described　him；

and　has　no　other　arms　than　a　bar　of　iron　of　five　hundred

pounds　weight；　without　which　he　never　stirs；　and　which

makes　him　respected。　I'll　send　for　him；　and　you　shall

judge　of　the　truth　of　what　I　tell　you；　but　be　sure　to

prepare　yourself　against　being　frightened　at　his　extraordinary

figure　when　you　see　him。〃　〃What！　my　Queen；〃　replied

Prince　Ahmed；　〃do　you　say　Schaibar　is　your　brother？

Let　him　be　never　so　ugly　or　deformed　I　shall　be　so　far

from　being　frightened　at　the　sight　of　him　that；　as　our

brother；　I　shall　honor　and　love　him。〃



The　Fairy　ordered　a　gold　chafing…dish　to　be　set　with

a　fire　in　it　under　the　porch　of　her　palace；　with　a　box　of

the　same　metal；　which　was　a　present　to　her；　out　of

which　taking　a　perfume；　and　throwing　it　into　the　fire；

there　arose　a　thick　cloud　of　smoke。



Some　moments　after　the　Fairy　said　to　Prince　Ahmed：

〃See；　there　comes　my　brother。〃　The　Prince　immediately

perceived　Schaibar　coming　gravely　with　his　heavy

bar　on　his　shoulder；　his　long　beard；　which　he　held　up

before　him；　and　a　pair　of　thick　mustachios；　which　he

tucked　behind　his　ears　and　almost　covered　his　face；　his

eyes　were　very　small　and　deep…set　in　his　head；　which

was　far　from　being　of　the　smallest　size；　and　on　his　head

he　wore　a　grenadier's　cap；　besides　all　this；　he　was　very

much　hump…backed。



If　Prince　Ahmed　had　not　known　that　Schaibar　was

Paribanou's　brother；　he　would　not　have　been　able　to

have　looked　at　him　without　fear；　but；　knowing　first

who　he　was；　he　stood　by　the　Fairy　without　the　least

concern。



Schaibar；　as　he　came　forward；　looked　at　the　Prince

earnestly　enough　to　have　chilled　his　blood　in　his　veins；

and　asked　Paribanou；　when　he　first　accosted　her；　who

that　man　was。　To　which　she　replied：　〃He　is　my　husband；

brother。　His　name　is　Ahmed；　he　is　son　to　the

Sultan　of　the　Indies。　The　reason　why　I　did　not　invite

you　to　my　wedding　was　I　was　unwilling　to　divert　you

from　an　expedition　you　were　engaged　in；　and　from

which　I　he