🏻 *_PRINCE AHMAD AND THE FAIRY_* 🧚🏻♀🧚🏻♀🧚🏻♀
*Part 11*
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Prince Ahmed, who had believed that the sultan his father would have been satisfied with so singular and useful a tent as that which he had brought, and that he would not have imposed any new task upon him which might hazard the fairy's displeasure; was thunderstruck at this new request, notwithstanding the assurance she had given him of granting him whatever lay in her power. After a long silence, he said, 'I beg of your majesty to be assured that there is nothing I would not undertake to prolong your life, but I wish it might not be by means of my wife. For this reason I dare not promise to bring the water. All I can do is to assure you I will ask her; but it will be with as great reluctance as when I asked for the tent.'
The next morning Prince Ahmed returned to the fairy Pari Banou, and related to her sincerely and faithfully all that had passed at the sultan his father's court, from the giving of the tent, which he told her he received with the utmost gratitude, to the new request he had charged him to make, and when he had done, he added: 'but, my princess, I only tell you this as a plain account of what passed between me and my father. I leave you to your own discretion to gratify or reject this new desire. It shall be as you please.'
'No, no,' replied the fairy Pari Banou, 'whatever advice the magician can give him (for I see that he hearkens to her), he shall find no fault with you or me. There is a great deal of wickedness in this demand, 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 while the other two are awake alternately. But let not that frighten you. I will give you means to pass by them without any danger.'
The fairy Pari Banou was at that time hard at work with her needle; and as she had by her several balls of thread, she took up one, and presenting it to Prince Ahmed, said, 'First take this ball of thread; I will tell you presently the use of it. In the second place, you must have two horses; one you will ride yourself, and the other you will lead, which must be loaded with a sheep cut into four quarters, and killed to-day. 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 before you the ball of thread, which will roll till it comes to the gates of the castle. 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. Be not frightened, but throw each of them a quarter of the sheep, and then clap spurs to your horse, and ride to the fountain. Fill your bottle without alighting, and then return with the same speed. The lions will be so busy eating that they will let you pass.'
Prince Ahmed set out the next morning at the time appointed by the fairy, and followed her directions carefully. When he arrived at the gates of the castle, he distributed the quarters of the sheep among the four lions, and passing through the midst of them with haste, got to the fountain, filled his bottle, and returned as safe and sound as he went. When he was a little distance from the castle gates, he turned round; and perceiving two of the lions coming after him, he drew his sabre, and prepared for defence. But as he went forward, he saw one of them turned off the road, 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 therefore put his sword again into 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 way they came, though not without frightening all that saw them, who fled or hid themselves, though they walked gently, and showed no signs of fierceness.
A great many officers came to attend the prince while he dismounted, and conducted him to the apartments of the sultan, who was at that time conversing with his favourites. He approached the throne, laid the bottle at the sultan's feet, kissed the rich carpet which covered the footstool, and rising, said, 'I have brought you, sir, the health-giving water which your majesty so much desired to keep in your treasury; but at the same time wish you such health that you may never have occasion to make use of it.'
After the prince had finished speaking, the sultan placed him on his right hand, and then said, 'Son, I am very much obliged to you for this valuable present; also for the great danger you have exposed yourself to upon my account, which I have been informed of by the magician who knows the fountain of lions; but do me the pleasure,' continued he, 'to tell me by what incredible power you have been preserved.'
To be continued.
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