"More Fairy Tales from the Arabian Nights" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dixons Version)

This old man was a dervish, who had for many years retired from the world, and had neglected himself entirely, so that at last he had become what we have described.
Prince Bahman, who had been all that morning very anxious to see if he could meet with anybody that could tell of the place he was going to, stopped when he came near the dervish, as the first person he had met, and alighted from off his horse, according to the directions the religious woman had given to the Princess Parizade; and leading his horse by the bridle, advanced towards him, and saluting him, said: 'God prolong your days, good father, and grant you the fulfilment of your desires.'
The dervish returned the prince's salutation, but so unintelligibly that he could not understand one word he said. Prince Bahman perceived that this proceeded from the dervish's whiskers hanging over his mouth, and unwilling to go any further without the instruction he wanted, he pulled out a pair of scissors, and having tied his horse to a branch of the tree, said to the dervish: 'Good dervish, I want to have a talk with you; but your whiskers prevent my understanding what you say; if you consent, I will cut off part of them and of your eyebrows, for they disfigure you so much that you look more like a bear than a man.'
The dervish did not oppose the prince, but let him do it; and when the prince had cut off as much hair as he thought fit, he perceived that the dervish had a good complexion, and that he did not seem so old as he really was. 'Good dervish,' said he, 'if I had a glass, I would show you how young you look: you arc now a man, but before, nobody could tell what you were.'
The kind behaviour of Prince Bahman made the dervish smile. 'Sir,' said he, 'whoever you are, I am infinitely obliged to you for the good office you have done me, and am ready to show my gratitude by doing anything in my power for you. You must have alighted here for some reason or other. Tell me what it is, and I will endeavour to serve you if I can.'
'Good dervish,' replied Prince Bahman, 'I have come a long way, and am in search of the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the yellow water; I know these three things are not far from here, but cannot tell exactly where they are to be found; if you know, I beg you to show me the way, that I may not lose my labour after so long a journey.'
While the prince was speaking he observed that the dervish changed countenance, looked very serious, and remained silent; which compelled him to say, 'Good father, I fancy you heard me; tell me whether you know what I ask, that I may not lose my time, and have to go and learn for myself somewhere else.'
At last the dervish broke silence. 'Sir,' said he to Prince Bahman, 'I know the way you ask, but the friendship which I felt for you the first moment I saw you, and which has grown stronger from the service you have done me, kept me in suspense as to whether I should tell you what you desire.'
'What can hinder you?' replied the prince; 'and what difficulty do you find in doing so?'
'I will tell you,' replied the dervish. 'The danger to which you are going to expose yourself is greater than you can believe. A great number of gentlemen, of as much bravery and courage as you can have, have passed by here, and asked me the same question. Though I had used all my power to persuade them to desist, they would not believe me; at last I yielded, I was compelled to show them the way, and I can assure you they have all perished, and I have never seen one come back again. Therefore, if you have any regard for your life, take my advice: go no further, but return home.'
Prince Bahman persisted in his resolution. 'I believe,' said he to the dervish, 'that your advice is sincere. I am much obliged to you for your kind feeling; but whatever the danger may be, nothing shall make me change my mind: if any one attacks me, I am well armed, and as brave as any one.'
'But they who will attack you are not to be seen,' replied the dervish, 'and there are a great many of them; how will you defend yourself against invisible persons?'
'It is no matter,' answered the prince; 'all you say shall not persuade me to do anything contrary to my duty. Since you know the way, I beg you once more to tell me, and not refuse.'
When the dervish found he could not prevail upon Prince Bahman, and that he was obstinately bent on pursuing his journey, notwithstanding the wholesome advice he gave him, he put his hand into a bag that lay by him, and pulled out a bowl, which he gave to him. 'Since I cannot prevail on you to take my advice,' said he, 'take this bow], and when you are on horseback throw it before you, and follow it to the foot of a mountain, where it will stop. As soon as the bowl stops, alight, and leave your horse with the bridle over his neck, and he will stand in the same place till you return. As you go up the hill, you will see, right and left, a great quantity of large black stones, and will hear on all sides of you a confusion of voices, which will say a thousand irritating things to discourage you and prevent your climbing to the top of the hill; but take care, and be not afraid; and, above all things, do not turn your head to look behind you, for at that instant you will be changed into a black stone like those you see, which are all so many gentlemen who have failed. If you escape the danger, of which I give you but a slight description, and get to the top of the mountain, you will see a cage, and in that cage is the bird you seek: ask him where are the singing tree and the yellow water, and he will tell you. I have nothing more to say; this is what you have to do, and the danger you have to avoid; but if you would take my advice you would not expose your life. Consider once more, while you have time, that the difficulty is almost insuperable.'
'I am very much obliged to you for your repeated advice,' replied Prince Bahman, after he had received the bowl, 'but I cannot follow it. However, I will endeavour to conform to that part of it which bids me not look behind me as I go up, and I hope to come and see you again soon, and thank you more when I have got what I am in search of.' After these words, to which the dervish made no answer than that he should be overjoyed to see him again, and wished it might be the case, he mounted his horse, took leave of the dervish with a low bow, and threw the bowl before him.
The bowl rolled away with so much swiftness all along that Prince Bahman was obliged to spur his horse to follow without losing sight of it. When it came to the foot of the mountain which the dervish named, it stopped. The prince alighted. and his horse never stirred from the spot, though he had the bridle on his neck; and having first surveyed the mountain, and seen the black stones, the prince began to climb it, but had not gone four steps before he heard the voices mentioned by the dervish, though he could see nobody. Some said, 'Where is that fool going? where is he going? what does he want? don't let him pass.' Others, 'Stop him, catch him, kill him!' and others with a voice like thunder, 'Thief! assassin! murderer!' while some in a gibing tone, cried, 'No, no; do not hurt him; let the pretty fellow pass; the cage and bird are kept for him.'
Notwithstanding all those troublesome voices, Prince Bahman mounted with courage and resolution for some time, but the voices increased with so loud a din and so near him, both in front and behind, that at last he was seized with fear, his legs trembled under him, he staggered, and presently finding that his strength failed, he forgot the dervish's advice, turned about to run down the hill, and was that instant changed into a black stone, as had happened to so many before him. His horse likewise underwent the same change.
From the time of Prince Bahman's departure, the Princess Parizade always wore the knife and sheath in her girdle, and pulled it out several times a day to know whether her brother was alive. She had the consolation of seeing that he was in perfect health, and talked of him frequently with Prince Perviz.
On the fatal day that Prince Bahman was metamorphosed into a stone, as Prince Perviz and the princess were talking together in the evening, as usual, the prince desired his sister to pull out the knife, to know how their brother was. The princess drew out the knife, and, seeing the blood run down the point, was so seized with horror and grief, that she threw it down. 'Ah! my dear brother,' cried she, 'I have been the cause of your death, and shall never see you more! Oh, why did I tell you of the speaking bird, singing tree, and yellow water? Of what importance was it to me to know whether the religious woman thought this house ugly or handsome, or complete or not? I wish to Heaven she had never spoken! Deceitful hypocrite!' added she, 'is this the return you have made me for the kind reception I gave you? Why did you tell me of a bird, a tree, and a water which, imaginary as I am sure they are, yet disturb me by your enchantment?'
Prince Perviz was as much afflicted at the death of Prince Bahman as the princess; but not to waste time in needless regret, as he knew by the princess's sorrow that she still passionately desired the possession of the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water, he interrupted her, and said, 'Sister, our regret for our brother is vain and useless; it cannot restore him to life; it is the will of God, and we must submit to it, and adore the decrees of the Almighty without searching into them. Why should you doubt of the truth of what the holy woman told you? Do you think she spoke to you of three things that were not in existence? that she invented them on purpose to deceive you when you had received her with so much goodness and civility? Let us rather believe that our brother's death is owing to some fault of his, or some accident. It ought not to prevent us from pursuing our object. I offered to go on this journey, and am in the same mind still; his example has no effect upon my resolution; to- morrow I will go myself.'
The princess did all she could to dissuade Prince Perviz, imploring him not to expose her to the danger of losing two brothers instead of one; but all she could urge had no effect upon him. Before he went, that she might know what success he had, he left her a string of a hundred pearls, telling her that if they would not run when she told them upon the string, but remain fixed, that should be a certain sign that he had undergone the same fate as his brother.
Prince Perviz, on the twentieth day from his setting out, met with the same dervish in the same place that his brother Bahman had done before him. He went up to him, and, after he had saluted him, asked him if he could tell him where to find the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water. The dervish made the same remonstrances as he had done to Prince Bahman, telling him that a young gentleman, who very much resembled him, was with him a short time before; that, overcome by his importunity, he had shown him the way, given him a guide, and told him how he should act; but that he had not seen him since, and doubted not he had shared the same fate as all before him.
'Good dervish,' answered Prince Perviz, 'I know of whom you speak; he was my elder brother, and I know of his death, but not what it was.'
' I can tell you,' replied the dervish; 'he was changed into a black stone, as all I speak of have been; and you must expect the same fate unless you observe more exactly than he did the good advice I gave him, if you persist in your resolution, which I once more entreat you to renounce.'
'Dervish,' said Prince Perviz, 'I cannot say how much I am obliged to you for the care you take of my life, as I have done nothing to deserve your kindness; but I thoroughly considered this enterprise before I undertook it, and 1 cannot give it up; therefore I beg you to do me the same favour as you did my brother. Perhaps I may have better success in following your directions.'
'Since,' said the dervish, 'I cannot persuade you to give up your obstinate resolution, if my age did not prevent me and I could stand, I would get up to bring you a bowl I have here, which will show you the way.'
Without giving him time to say more, the prince alighted from his horse and went up to the dervish, who had taken a bowl out of his bag, and gave it him, with the same directions as he had given Prince Bahman; and after warning him not to be frightened at the voices he would hear without seeing anybody, however threatening they might be, but to continue his way up the hill till he saw the cage and bird, he let him go.
Prince Perviz thanked the dervish, and when he had remounted his horse, and taken leave, he threw the bowl before his horse, and followed it. When the bowl came to the bottom of the hill it stopped, and the prince got off his horse, and stood some time to recollect the dervish's directions. He encouraged himself, and began to walk up with a resolution to reach the top; but before he had gone six steps he heard a voice, which seemed to be that of a man behind him, say, in an insulting tone, 'Stay, rash youth, that I may punish you for your boldness.'
At this affront, the prince forgot the dervish's advice, clapped his hand upon his sword and drew it, and turned about to revenge himself; but scarcely had he had time to see that nobody followed him, when he and his horse were changed into black stones.
In the meantime the Princess Parizade strung over her chaplet several times a day; and when she had nothing else to do, she told the pearls over her fingers one after another. When she went to bed she put it about her neck, and in the morning when she awoke counted over the pearls again to see if they would slide.
The day that Prince Perviz was changed into a stone, she was pulling over the pearls as usual, when all of a sudden she could not stir them, and never doubted that it was a certain token that the prince, her brother, was dead. As she had determined beforehand what to do, in case it should so happen, she lost no time in outward show of grief, which she concealed as much as possible; but disguising herself in man's apparel, she mounted her horse the next morning, having told her servants she should return in two or three days, and took the road her brothers had done before her.
The princess, who was used to riding on horseback, supported the fatigue of so long a journey better than other ladies could have done; and as she made the same days' journey as her brothers, she also met the dervish on the twentieth day. When she came near him she alighted off her horse, and leading him by the bridle, went and sat down by the dervish, and after she had saluted him, she said, 'Good dervish, give me leave to rest by you; and do me the favour to tell me if there are somewhere hereabouts a speaking bird, a singing tree, and golden water.'
' Madam,' answered the dervish, 'for so I must call you, since by your voice I know you to be a woman disguised in man's apparel, I thank you, and receive the honour you do me with great pleasure. I know very well the place where these things you speak of are to be found; but what makes you ask this question?'
'Good dervish,' replied the princess, 'I have a very great desire to possess them.'
'Madam,' replied the dervish, 'these things are even more singular and surprising than they have been represented to you; but you have not been told of the difficulties and dangers which must be surmounted in order to obtain them. Take my advice; go no farther; return, and do not urge me to contribute towards your ruin.'
'Good father,' said the princess, 'I have come a long way, and should be sorry to return home without accomplishing my wish. You talk of difficulties and danger to my life, but you do not tell me what those difficulties are, and wherein the danger consists. This is what I desire to know, that I may consider it, and judge whether I can or cannot trust my courage and strength to undertake it.'
Then the dervish repeated to the Princess Parizade what he had said to the Princes Bahman and Perviz, of the difficulty of climbing to the top of the mountain, the noise and din of the terrible threatening voices which she would hear on all sides, without seeing anybody; and the great quantity of black stones, alone sufficient to strike terror into her and everyone else. He entreated her to reflect that those stones were many brave gentlemen, thus enchanted for omitting to observe the principal condition of success, which was not to look behind them before they had got possession of the cage.
When the dervish had done, the princess replied, 'From what I gather, the difficulty in this affair is, first, the getting up to the cage, without being frightened at the terrible din of voices; and, secondly, not looking behind. As to this last, I hope I shall be mistress enough of myself to observe it. As to the first, I own that such voices are capable of striking terror into the most undaunted; but as in all enterprises and dangers every one may use contrivances, I desire to know if I may make use of them.'
'And what do you here intend to do?' said the dervish.
'To stop my ears with cotton,' answered the princess, 'that however loud and terrible the voices may be, they may make less impression upon my imagination, and my mind remain free from the disturbance which might make me lose my reason.'
'Madam,' replied the dervish, 'of all the persons who have addressed themselves to me to ask the way, I do not know that any one made use of the plan you propose. All I know is, they all perished. If you persist in your design, you can make the experiment. You will be fortunate if it succeeds; but I would advise you not to expose yourself to the danger.'
'My good father,' replied the princess, 'nothing prevents my persisting. I am sure I shall succeed, and am resolved to try the experiment. Nothing remains for me but to know which way I must go, a favour I beg you not to refuse me.'
The dervish exhorted her again for the last time to consider well what she was going to do; but finding her resolute, he took out a bowl and said, 'Take this bowl; mount your horse again, and when you have thrown it before you, follow it through all its windings, till it stops at the bottom of the mountain: there stop, alight off your horse, and ascend the mountain. Go, you know the rest; and be sure not to forget what I have told you.'
After the Princess Parizade had thanked the dervish, and taken leave of him, she mounted her horse, threw the bowl before her, and followed it till it stopped at the foot of the mountain.
The princess alighted, and stopped her ears with cotton-wool, and after she had well examined the way by which she was to get to the top, she began at a moderate pace. She heard the voices, and perceived the great service the cotton was to her. The higher she went, the louder and more numerous the voices seemed; but they could not make any impression on her. She heard a great many affronting speeches and jeering very disagreeable to a woman, which she only laughed at. At last she got so high that she began to perceive the cage and bird, which also tried to frighten her, crying in a thundering voice, notwithstanding the smallness of its size, 'Retire, fool, and come no higher.'
The princess, nevertheless, redoubled her haste. At last she got to the top of the mountain, where the ground was level, and running straight to the cage, clapped her hand upon it, and cried, 'Bird, I have you in spite of you, and you shall not escape me.'
While the Princess Parizade was pulling the cotton-wool out of her ears, the bird said to her, 'Brave lady, be not angry with me for joining in with the voices. Though in a cage, I was content; but since I am destined to be a slave, I would rather be yours than any other person's in the world, since you have obtained me so courageously and so worthily. From this instant I swear inviolable faith to you, and an entire submission to all your commands. I know who you are, and will tell you. You do not know yourself; but the time will come when I shall do you a service, for which you will feel obliged to me. As a proof of my sincerity, tell me what you desire, and I am ready to obey you.'
The princess's joy at her success was inexpressible, because it had cost her the lives of two beloved brothers, and given her more trouble and danger than she could have imagined before she tried it, notwithstanding what the dervish had said. 'Bird,' said she, 'I wish for many things which are of the greatest importance to me. I have been told that there is not far off a golden water; before all things, I ask you to tell me where it is.' The bird showed her the place, which was close by, and she went and filled a little silver flagon which she had brought with her. She returned to the bird, and said, 'Bird, this is not enough; I want also the singing tree; tell me where it is.'
'Turn round,' said the bird, 'and you will see behind you a wood, where you will find this tree.' The princess went into the wood, and by the harmonious sounds she heard soon knew the tree among many others, but it was very large and high. She came back to the bird and said, 'Bird, I have found the singing tree, but I can neither pull it up by the roots nor carry it.'
The bird replied, 'It is not necessary that you should take it up by the roots; break off a branch, and carry it to plant in your garden; it will take root as soon as it is put into the earth, and in a little time will grow to as fine a tree as this you see.'