Antoine Galland

“ When she came near him she alighted off her horse, and leading him by the bridle, she 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. ”

“ Prince Bahman desired her to give him the cage to carry. 'Brother,' replied the princess, 'the bird is my slave, and I will carry him myself; if you will be so kind as to carry the branch of the singing tree, there it is; only hold the cage while I get on horseback.' When she had mounted her horse, and Prince Bahman had given her the cage, she turned round and said to Prince Perviz, 'I leave the flagon of golden water to your care, if it will not be too much trouble for you to carry it.' Prince Perviz took charge of it with pleasure. ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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. ”

“ Before they went out of the sultan's presence. Prince Bahman said, 'Sir, may we presume to request that your majesty will do us and our sister the favour to pass by our house, and rest and refresh yourself, the first time you go hunting in our neighbourhood? ' It is not worthy of your presence; but monarchs sometimes have condescended to take shelter in a cottage.'
'Gentlemen,' replied the sultan, 'your house cannot be otherwise than beautiful, and worthy of you. I will call and see it with pleasure; you and your sister are already dear to me. ”

“ 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.'
When the Princess Parizade had in her hand the three things which the religious woman had told her of, and for which she had felt so great a desire, she said to the bird, 'Bird, all you have done for me as yet is not enough. ”

“ After a time the keeper, while walking on the canal banks, saw another floating basket, containing another babe, whom he and his wife adopted in exactly the same way, and named Perviz.
Later still there appeared a third basket containing the little princess, whom they called Parizade, and brought up with the two boys. The keeper and his wife grew so extremely fond of these children, whom they taught to call them father and mother, that they determined not to make any inquiries into the mystery of the children's origin, nor to tell them that they were not really their own. ”

“ The second is the singing tree, the leaves of which form a harmonious concert of different voices, and never cease. The third is the yellow water of gold colour, a single drop of which being poured into a vessel properly prepared, in whatever part of the garden, increases so as to fill it immediately, and rises up in the middle like a fountain, which continually plays, and yet the basin never overflows.'
'Ah! my good mother,' cried the princess, 'how much am I obliged to you for the knowledge of these things! I never before heard that there were such curious and wonderful things in the world ”

“ The keeper was so overjoyed to find his adopted children so accomplished in body and mind, and so well justifying the care and expense he had bestowed upon their education, that he determined, before he died, to build them a country house at some distance from the city, surrounded by woods, meadows, and corn-land, and to furnish it most magnificently. ”

“ 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 bowl, 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. ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 ah she could to dissuade Prince Perviz, imploring him not to expose her to the danger of losing two brothers instead of one ”