Page:Fairy tales from the Arabian nights.djvu/305

 The bowl rolled away with so much swiftness all along that Prince Bahman was obliged to spar 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