girdle which, he took up, and whilst inspecting the precious stones set in it he
noticed a little pouch sewn to the girdle and fastened by a loop. He touched it
and felt something hard within. Curious as to what this might be, he opened the
pouch and found a cornelian engraved with various figures and strange
characters.
"This cornelian must be something very precious," thought he, "or my wife would
not wear it on her person with so much care."
In truth it was a talisman which the Queen of China had given her daughter,
telling her it would ensure her happiness as long as she carried it about her.
The better to examine the stone the prince stepped to the open doorway of the
tent. As he stood there holding it in the open palm of his hand, a bird suddenly
swooped down, picked the stone up in its beak and flew away with it.
Imagine the prince's dismay at losing a thing by which his wife evidently set such
store!
The bird having secured its prey flew off some yards and alighted on the ground,
holding the talisman it its beak. Prince Camaralzaman advanced, hoping the bird
would drop it, but as soon as he approached the thief fluttered on a little further
still. He continued his pursuit till the bird suddenly swallowed the stone and took
a longer flight than before. The prince then hoped to kill it with a stone, but the
more hotly he pursued the further flew the bird.
In this fashion he was led on by hill and dale through the entire day, and when
night came the tiresome creature roosted on the top of a very high tree where it
could rest in safety.
The prince in despair at all his useless trouble began to think whether he had
better return to the camp. "But," thought he, "how shall I find my way back? Must
I go up hill or down? I should certainly lose my way in the dark, even if my
strength held out." Overwhelmed by hunger, thirst, fatigue and sleep, he ended
by spending the night at the foot of the tree.
Next morning Camaralzaman woke up before the bird left its perch, and no
sooner did it take flight than he followed it again with as little success as the
previous day, only stopping to eat some herbs and fruit he found by the way. In
this fashion he spent ten days, following the bird all day and spending the night at
the foot of a tree, whilst it roosted on the topmost bough. On the eleventh day the
bird and the prince reached a large town, and as soon as they were close to its
walls the bird took a sudden and higher flight and was shortly completely out of
sight, whilst Camaralzaman felt in despair at having to give up all hopes of ever
recovering the talisman of the Princess Badoura.
Much cast down, he entered the town, which was built near the sea and had a
fine harbour. He walked about the streets for a long time, not knowing where to
go, but at length as he walked near the seashore he found a garden door open
and walked in.
The gardener, a good old man, who was at work, happened to look up, and,
seeing a stranger, whom he recognised by his dress as a Mussulman, he told
him to come in at once and to shut the door.
Camaralzaman did as he was bid, and inquired why this precaution was taken.
"Because," said the gardener, "I see that you are a stranger and a Mussulman,
and this town is almost entirely inhabited by idolaters, who hate and persecute all
of our faith. It seems almost a miracle that has led you to this house, and I am
indeed glad that you have found a place of safety."
Camaralzaman warmly thanked the kind old man for offering him shelter, and
was about to say more, but the gardener interrupted him with:
"Leave compliments alone. You are weary and must be hungry. Come in, eat,
and rest." So saying he led the prince into his cottage, and after satisfying his
hunger begged to learn the cause of his arrival.
Camaralzaman told him all without disguise, and ended by inquiring the shortest
way to his father's capital. "For," added he, "if I tried to rejoin the princess, how
should I find her after eleven days' separation. Perhaps, indeed, she may be no
longer alive!" At this terrible thought he burst into tears.
The gardener informed Camaralzaman that they were quite a year's land journey
to any Mahomedan country, but that there was a much shorter route by sea to
the Ebony Island, from whence the Isles of the Children of Khaledan could be
easily reached, and that a ship sailed once a year for the Ebony Island by which
he might get so far as his very home.
"If only you had arrived a few days sooner," he said, "you might have embarked
at once. As it is you must now wait till next year, but if you care to stay with me I
offer you my house, such as it is, with all my heart."
Prince Camaralzaman thought himself lucky to find some place of refuge, and
gladly accepted the gardener's offer. He spent his days working in the garden,
and his nights thinking of and sighing for his beloved wife.
Let us now see what had become during this time of the Princess Badoura.
On first waking she was much surprised not to find the prince near her. She
called her women and asked if they knew where he was, and whilst they were
telling her that they had seen him enter the tent, but had not noticed his leaving
it, she took up her belt and perceived that the little pouch was open and the
talisman gone.
She at once concluded that her husband had taken it and would shortly bring it
back. She waited for him till evening rather impatiently, and wondering what
could have kept him from her so long. When night came without him she felt in
despair and abused the talisman and its maker roundly. In spite of her grief and
anxiety however, she did not lose her presence of mind, but decided on a
courageous, though very unusual step.
Only the princess and her women knew of Camaralzaman's disappearance, for
the rest of the party were sleeping or resting in their tents. Fearing some treason
should the truth be known, she ordered her women not to say a word which
would give rise to any suspicion, and proceeded to change her dress for one of
her husband's, to whom, as has been already said, she bore a strong likeness.
In this disguise she looked so like the prince that when she gave orders next
morning to break up the camp and continue the journey no one suspected the
change. She made one of her women enter her litter, whilst she herself mounted
on horseback and the march began.
After a protracted journey by land and sea the princess, still under the name and
disguise of Prince Camaralzaman, arrived at the capital of the Ebony Island
whose king was named Armanos.
No sooner did the king hear that the ship which was just in port had on board the
son of his old friend and ally than he hurried to meet the supposed prince, and
had him and his retinue brought to the palace, where they were lodged and
entertained sumptuously.
After three days, finding that his guest, to whom he had taken a great fancy,
talked of continuing his journey, King Armanos said to him:
"Prince, I am now an old man, and unfortunately 1 have no son to whom to leave
my kingdom. It has pleased Heaven to give me only one daughter, who
possesses such great beauty and charm that I could only give her to a prince as
highly born and as accomplished as yourself. Instead, therefore, of returning to
your own country, take my daughter and my crown and stay with us. I shall feel
that I have a worthy successor, and shall cheerfully retire from the fatigues of
government."
The king's offer was naturally rather embarrassing to the Princess Badoura. She
felt that it was equally impossible to confess that she had deceived him, or to
refuse the marriage on which he had set his heart; a refusal which might turn all
his kindness to hatred and persecution.
All things considered, she decided to accept, and after a few moments silence
said with a blush, which the king attributed to modesty:
"Sire, I feel so great an obligation for the good opinion your Majesty has
expressed for my person and of the honour you do me, that, though I am quite
unworthy of it, I dare not refuse. But, sire, I can only accept such an alliance if
you give me your promise to assist me with your counsels."
The marriage being thus arranged, the ceremony was fixed for the following day,
and the princess employed the intervening time in informing the officers of her
suite of what had happened, assuring them that the Princess Badoura had given
her full consent to the marriage. She also told her women, and bade them keep
her secret well.
King Armanos, delighted with the success of his plans, lost no time in assembling
his court and council, to whom he presented his successor, and placing his future
son-in-law on the throne made everyone do homage and take oaths of allegiance
to the new king.
At night the whole town was filled with rejoicings, and with much pomp the
Princess Haiatelnefous (this was the name of the king's daughter) was conducted
to the palace of the Princess Badoura.
Now Badoura had thought much of the difficulties of her first interview with King
Armanos' daughter, and she felt the only thing to do was at once to take her into
her confidence.
Accordingly, as soon as they were alone she took Haiatelnefous by the hand and
said:
"Princess, I have a secret to tell you, and must throw myself on your mercy. I am
not Prince Camaralzaman, but a princess like yourself and his wife, and I beg
you to listen to my story, then I am sure you will forgive my imposture, in
consideration of my sufferings."
She then related her whole history, and at its close Haiatelnefous embraced her
warmly, and assured her of her entire sympathy and affection.
The two princesses now planned out their future action, and agreed to combine
to keep up the deception and to let Badoura continue to play a man's part until
such time as there might be news of the real Camaralzaman.
Whilst these things were passing in the Ebony Island Prince Camaralzaman
continued to find shelter in the gardeners cottage in the town of the idolaters.
Early one morning the gardener said to the prince:
"To-day is a public holiday, and the people of the town not only do not work
themselves but forbid others to do so. You had better therefore take a good rest
whilst I go to see some friends, and as the time is near for the arrival of the ship
of which I told you I will make inquiries about it, and try to bespeak a passage for
you." He then put on his best clothes and went out, leaving the prince, who
strolled into the garden and was soon lost in thoughts of his dear wife and their
sad separation.
As he walked up and down he was suddenly disturbed in his reverie by the noise
two large birds were making in a tree.
Camaralzaman stood still and looked up, and saw that the birds were fighting so
savagely with beaks and claws that before long one fell dead to the ground,
whilst the conqueror spread his wings and flew away. Almost immediately two
other larger birds, who had been watching the duel, flew up and alighted, one at
the head and the other at the feet of the dead bird. They stood there some time
sadly shaking their heads, and then dug up a grave with their claws in which they
buried him.
As soon as they had filled in the grave the two flew off, and ere long returned,
bringing with them the murderer, whom they held, one by a wing and the other by
a leg, with their beaks, screaming and struggling with rage and terror. But they
held tight, and having brought him to his victim's grave, they proceeded to kill
him, after which they tore open his body, scattered the inside and once more flew
away.
The prince, who had watched the whole scene with much interest, now drew
near the spot where it happened, and glancing at the dead bird he noticed
something red lying near which had evidently fallen out of its inside. He picked it
up, and what was his surprise when he recognised the Princess Badoura's
talisman which had been the cause of many misfortunes. It would be impossible
to describe his joy; he kissed the talisman repeatedly, wrapped it up, and
carefully tied it round his arm. For the first time since his separation from the
princess he had a good night, and next morning he was up at day-break and
went cheerfully to ask what work he should do.
The gardener told him to cut down an old fruit tree which had quite died away,
and Camaralzaman took an axe and fell to vigorously. As he was hacking at one
of the roots the axe struck on something hard. On pushing away the earth he
discovered a large slab of bronze, under which was disclosed a staircase with
ten steps. He went down them and found himself in a roomy kind of cave in
which stood fifty large bronze jars, each with a cover on it. The prince uncovered
one after another, and found them all filled with gold dust. Delighted with his
discovery he left the cave, replaced the slab, and having finished cutting down
the tree waited for the gardener's return.
The gardener had heard the night before that the ship about which he was
inquiring would start ere long, but the exact date not being yet known he had
been told to return next day for further information. He had gone therefore to
inquire, and came back with good news beaming in his face.
"My son," said he, "rejoice and hold yourself ready to start in three days' time.
The ship is to set sail, and I have arranged all about your passage with the
captain
"You could not bring me better news," replied Camaralzaman, "and in return I
have something pleasant to tell you. Follow me and see the good fortune which
has befallen you."
He then led the gardener to the cave, and having shown him the treasure stored
up there, said how happy it made him that Heaven should in this way reward his
kind host's many virtues and compensate him for the privations of many years.
"What do you mean?" asked the gardener. "Do you imagine that I should
appropriate this treasure? It is yours, and I have no right whatever to it. For the
last eighty years I have dug up the ground here without discovering anything. It is
clear that these riches are intended for you, and they are much more needed by
a prince like yourself than by an old man like me, who am near my end and
require nothing. This treasure comes just at the right time, when you are about to
return to your own country, where you will make good use of it."
But the prince would not hear of this suggestion, and finally after much
discussion they agreed to divide the gold. When this was done the gardener said:
"My son, the great thing now is to arrange how you can best carry off this
treasure as secretly as possible for fear of losing it. There are no olives in the
Ebony Island, and those imported from here fetch a high price. As you know, I
have a good stock of the olives which grew in this garden. Now you must take
fifty jars, fill each half full of gold dust and fill them up with the olives. We will then
have them taken on board ship when you embark."
The prince took this advice, and spent the rest of the day filling the fifty jars, and
fearing lest the precious talisman might slip from his arm and be lost again, he
took the precaution of putting it in one of the jars, on which he made a mark so
as to be able to recognise it. When night came the jars were all ready, and the
prince and his host went to bed.
Whether in consequence of his great age, or of the fatigues and excitement of
the previous day, I do not know, but the gardener passed a very bad night. He
was worse next day, and by the morning of the third day was dangerously ill. At
daybreak the ship's captain and some of his sailors knocked at the garden door
and asked for the passenger who was to embark.
"I am he," said Camaralzaman, who had opened the door. "The gardener who
took my passage is ill and cannot see you, but please come in and take these
jars of olives and my bag, and I will follow as soon as I have taken leave of him."
The sailors did as he asked, and the captain before leaving charged
Camaralzaman to lose no time, as the wind was fair, and he wished to set sail at
once.
As soon as they were gone the prince returned to the cottage to bid farewell to
his old friend, and to thank him once more for all his kindness. But the old man
was at his last gasp, and had barely murmured his confession of faith when he
expired.
Camaralzaman was obliged to stay and pay him the last offices, so having dug a
grave in the garden he wrapped the kind old man up and buried him. He then
locked the door, gave up the key to the owner of the garden, and hurried to the
quay only to hear that the ship had sailed long ago, after waiting three hours for
him.
It may well be believed that the prince felt in despair at this fresh misfortune,
which obliged him to spend another year in a strange and distasteful country.
Moreover, he had once more lost the Princess Badoura's talisman, which he
feared he might never see again. There was nothing left for him but to hire the
garden as the old man had done, and to live on in the cottage. As he could not
well cultivate the garden by himself, he engaged a lad to help him, and to secure
the rest of the treasure he put the remaining gold dust into fifty more jars, filling
them up with olives so as to have them ready for transport.
Whilst the prince was settling down to this second year of toil and privation, the
ship made a rapid voyage and arrived safely at the Ebony Island.
As the palace of the new king, or rather of the Princess Badoura, overlooked the
harbour, she saw the ship entering it and asked what vessel it was coming in so
gaily decked with flags, and was told that it was a ship from the Island of the
Idolaters which yearly brought rich merchandise.
The princess, ever on the look out for any chance of news of her beloved
husband, went down to the harbour attended by some officers of the court, and
arrived just as the captain was landing. She sent for him and asked many
questions as to his country, voyage, what passengers he had, and what his
vessel was laden with. The captain answered all her questions, and said that his
passengers consisted entirely of traders who brought rich stuffs from various
countries, fine muslins, precious stones, musk, amber, spices, drugs, olives, and
many other things.
As soon as he mentioned olives, the princess, who was very partial to them,
exclaimed:
"I will take all you have on board. Have them unloaded and we will make our
bargain at once, and tell the other merchants to let me see all their best wares
before showing them to other people."
"Sire," replied the captain, "I have on board fifty very large pots of olives. They
belong to a merchant who was left behind, as in spite of waiting for him he
delayed so long that I was obliged to set sail without him."
"Never mind," said the princess, "unload them all the same, and we will arrange
the price."
The captain accordingly sent his boat off to the ship and it soon returned laden
with the fifty pots of olives. The princess asked what they might be worth.
"Sire," replied the captain, "the merchant is very poor. Your Majesty will not
overpay him if you give him a thousand pieces of silver."
"In order to satisfy him and as he is so poor," said the princess, "I will order a
thousand pieces of gold to be given you, which you will be sure to remit to him."
So saying she gave orders for the payment and returned to the palace, having
the jars carried before her. When evening came the Princess Badoura retired to
the inner part of the palace, and going to the apartments of the Princess
Haiatelnefous she had the fifty jars of olives brought to her. She opened one to
let her friend taste the olives and to taste them herself, but great was her surprise
when, on pouring some into a dish, she found them all powdered with gold dust.
"What an adventure! how extraordinary!" she cried. Then she had the other jars
opened, and was more and more surprised to find the olives in each jar mixed
with gold dust.
But when at length her talisman was discovered in one of the jars her emotion
was so great that she fainted away. The Princess Haiatelnefous and her women
hastened to restore her, and as soon as she recovered consciousness she
covered the precious talisman with kisses.
Then, dismissing the attendants, she said to her friend:
"You will have guessed, my dear, that it was the sight of this talisman which has
moved me so deeply. This was the cause of my separation from my dear
husband, and now, I am convinced, it will be the means of our reunion."
As soon as it was light next day the Princess Badoura sent for the captain, and
made further inquiries about the merchant who owned the olive jars she had
bought.
In reply the captain told her all he knew of the place where the young man lived,
and how, after engaging his passage, he came to be left behind.
"If that is the case," said the princess, "you must set sail at once and go back for
him. He is a debtor of mine and must be brought here at once, or I will confiscate
all your merchandise. I shall now give orders to have all the warehouses where
your cargo is placed under the royal seal, and they will only be opened when you
have brought me the man I ask for. Go at once and obey my orders."
The captain had no choice but to do as he was bid, so hastily provisioning his
ship he started that same evening on his return voyage.
When, after a rapid passage, he gained sight of the Island of Idolaters, he judged
it better not to enter the harbour, but casting anchor at some distance he
embarked at night in a small boat with six active sailors and landed near
Camaralzaman's cottage.
The prince was not asleep, and as he lay awake moaning over all the sad events
which had separated him from his wife, he thought he heard a knock at the
garden door. He went to open it, and was immediately seized by the captain and
sailors, who without a word of explanation forcibly bore him off to the boat, which
took them back to the ship without loss of time. No sooner were they on board
than they weighed anchor and set sail.
Camaralzaman, who had kept silence till then, now asked the captain (whom he
had recognised) the reason for this abduction.
"Are you not a debtor of the King of the Ebony Island?" asked the captain.
"I? Why, I never even heard of him before, and never set foot in his kingdom!"
was the answer.
"Well, you must know better than I," said the captain. "You will soon see him
now, and meantime be content where you are and have patience."
The return voyage was as prosperous as the former one, and though it was night
when the ship entered the harbour, the captain lost no time in landing with his
passenger, whom he conducted to the palace, where he begged an audience
with the king.
Directly the Princess Badoura saw the prince she recognised him in spite of his
shabby clothes. She longed to throw herself on his neck, but restrained herself,
feeling it was better for them both that she should play her part a little longer. She
therefore desired one of her officers to take care of him and to treat him well.
Next she ordered another officer to remove the seals from the warehouse, whilst
she presented the captain with a costly diam