PART V

THE MAGIC HAIRS

No sooner was the gardener gone than the prince took the hairs given him by the princess and rubbed them together. Immediately a slave appeared and asked, “What are thy commands, O prince?”

“Bring me a fine horse, a fine suit of clothes, and a set of weapons,” was the answer.

In another moment the slave brought all that had been commanded, and assisted the young man to dress and mount his horse. After this the prince rode all about the garden, trampling upon and destroying the plants. As he rode he glanced toward the palace and rejoiced to see that the three princesses were there and that he was recognized by them. He then gave the horse, clothes, and weapons to the slave and retired to a corner of the garden.

When the gardener returned—what should he see! The beautiful garden nearly in ruins, and the bald-headed assistant weeping in a corner. He began beating him, but the maidens called from a window: “Do not beat the lad! Verily, a rider from without came and destroyed the plants. Thy assistant is not to blame.”

After a few days the gardener again went away, and left the boy in charge of the place. The second time he called for a horse, destroyed many things which had escaped before, then sat down and awaited the return of the gardener. The maidens had fully recognized him this time. They rejoiced that the good prince had returned to the face of the earth, but, not knowing his plans, they bided his time and said nothing.

The gardener returned shortly, and was so greatly incensed at what he saw that he was about to chastise his assistant severely, when the maidens called commanding him to cease. A third time was the young prince left alone, and a third time did he despoil the garden—this time so grievously that not a branch was left. When the gardener returned he found nothing growing. Taking hold of the youth, he threw him without the gate.

Now, the prince was desirous of learning about the affairs of the kingdom. He had found that his brothers had not the courage to challenge one who appeared and behaved disrespectfully unto their father, the king. He went therefore to a jeweler and requested to be taken as an apprentice. The jeweler had no need of an assistant, but as the lad asked that he be permitted even to carry his coals, he was accepted.

Now, when the maidens had been brought unto the palace the king commanded that the first two prepare for their wedding. They, however, begged to be allowed forty days in which to prepare. When they had recognized the good prince they hoped for release, and, to assure themselves that he was upon the earth continually, they asked many things which none but he would have power to grant. One wanted a golden shuttle and a golden needle which would make lace without hands. The second asked for a golden tray, upon which must be a golden hen with forty golden chickens and all eating golden grains of barley. The third demanded a golden tray around which a golden rabbit and a golden hare were chasing each other.

Now, the wicked princes, believing that they had destroyed their brother, desired that the people might become dissatisfied with their father’s rule; so they pressed him to fulfill the requests of the princesses. The king did according to their desire; for he was very sad at heart and had no wish to live longer. Therefore he summoned all the jewelers of his kingdom and commanded that they execute the three orders. The jewelers, after consulting together, begged that they be granted forty days of grace. This request was granted by the king, who threatened certain death to all of them if, upon the fortieth day, his demands were not fulfilled. Thereupon, very much cast down in spirit, the jewelers were permitted to return to their homes.

The apprentice prince, seeing his master in this state, asked the cause of his anxiety. The master answered him roughly; but, as the youth persisted, he replied that the king’s sons had rescued three princesses, each of whom demanded a special article made of gold, before the two who were designed for them in marriage would consent to the nuptials. When asked to describe the articles, and after he had done so, the apprentice cried: “My master, I thought it had been some impossible thing that was required of thee. Trouble thyself no longer. Furnish me with a bag of nuts for food, another of raisins, and with forty candles. Thou shalt have these curious articles upon the morning of the fortieth day. Fear not!”

“Since the boy craves nuts and raisins,” said the master to himself, “I will permit him to have them. For myself, I shall need nothing long.”

The prince shut himself into a room, ate the nuts and raisins, burned his candles, and enjoyed himself. He was learning much about the kingdom and his brothers. Upon the fortieth night he rubbed the magic hairs which the maiden had given him, and commanded the slave, who appeared, to bring the articles demanded by the three princesses. They were brought and placed within a carved casket which stood in the room.

At early morning the jeweler appeared. He was pale with fear as he demanded how the boy had spent his time. “Why dost thou ask? My answer lies hidden within the casket.”

With trembling hands the master opened the casket, and was so overpowered at what he saw that he fell upon the apprentice’s neck in a swoon. When he had revived, he hastened to the palace and spread the precious creations before the king. Then were the three maidens very happy, for they knew that the good prince was not only upon the face of the earth, but that he possessed great power.

When the jeweler returned to the shop he was grieved because the apprentice requested his freedom, and would not be persuaded to remain. “Have I not saved thy life and the lives of thy fellow craftsmen? And wilt thou refuse me freedom?” asked the young man. So the jeweler permitted him to depart.

Then the prince went directly to the shop of a tailor, and again asked that he might serve an apprenticeship; and, although the tailor had no need of help, he refused to be turned away. This he did because he had heard of another request made by the maidens. They desired to gain more time and had asked for three robes, which had not been cut with scissors, nor sewn by needles; and each of which should be brought them in a filbert shell.

The king felt that he was in the power of some strange evil. At the urgent request of his sons he summoned the tailors of the kingdom and gave them the command. Now, the tailors had trembled greatly when they learned what had been required of the jewelers. They felt assured that not one of them could fulfill the imperial order; nevertheless, since they wished to live as long as possible, they asked for forty days in which to prepare the three robes. “Very well,” replied their sovereign, “but if my command is not obeyed, upon the forty-first day you all shall lose your heads.”

When the master of the prince returned, in great dejection, to his shop, the new apprentice asked the cause of his anxiety. “Do not vex me!” was the impatient answer. But, as the day wore on, the prince learned the cause of his master’s hopelessness. “Is that anything to trouble thee?” asked the youth. “Give to me forty bags of nuts, forty bags of raisins, and forty candles. Upon the forty-first day thou shalt have what thou desirest.” The tailor, because he did not like to grieve a lad who showed so much interest, gave to him all that he had asked. The prince shut himself up as beforehand, and upon the fortieth night bade the slave, whom he had summoned with the magic hairs, to bring the three robes and place them within a brazen casket upon the table. When morning came the tailor, without experiencing any degree of hope, came to the door and asked what had been accomplished. The apprentice desired him to open the casket and behold the fulfillment of his promise. The tailor was overjoyed, and hastened to the palace; whereupon the king at once gave order that the wedding festivities should begin.

A tournament of javelin throwing was arranged to take place upon the running grounds, in which, upon the first day, the eldest prince was to show his skill. The whole city turned out to witness the spectacle; and the grateful tailor said to his apprentice, “Come, let us go together and see the eldest prince play Zerid.” But the youth objected on account of his baldness; saying that he feared something might hit him accidentally and hinder the healing of the sores.

So the tailor left him alone in the shop. The prince then summoned the slave of the magic hairs and commanded that a tall black horse, a set of javelins, and a black suit of clothes be brought him. This was done immediately. The prince cast off his hateful headdress, arrayed himself in the handsome clothing, mounted his horse, and rode to the place of tournament, where the eldest son of the king was playing. It was easy to recognize his brother. Riding directly to him, the newcomer challenged to single combat, and, with a wonderful throw, so wounded him in the arm that he fell off his horse. In the confusion which followed, the victor returned to the shop of the tailor, gave back the horse, the javelins, and the clothing, sent the slave to his place under the earth, and sat down to await the coming of his master.

When the tailor appeared he cried: “O, my son! It is well that thou didst not go with me to-day.” Then he sat down and related all that had passed. But, during the relation, the prince learned that there was a great uprising planned against the king, and that the son of the grand vizier was to murder the two princes and take the throne. This had all come about through the restlessness of the people, which had been caused by the long unkindness of the king’s sons.

The next day, when the second son of the king was to rule the tournament, the tailor again took his departure. His apprentice instantly summoned the slave of the magic hairs, and ordered a yellow horse, a suit made from cloth of gold, and a set of gold-mounted javelins. When these were furnished him he rode to the place of tournament, and dismounted his second brother by wounding him in the leg; after which he returned quickly to the shop, resumed his former appearance, and sat down to await the coming of his master. When the tailor returned, and related the events of the day, the apprentice praised Allah that he had not accompanied him.

Now, upon the third day was the son of the grand vizier to rule the exhibition of skill. So the prince was exceedingly anxious to see his master depart. When the tailor was once out of sight, a white horse and a silver-embroidered suit with silver-mounted javelins were ordered from the slave of the magic hairs. When these arrived the prince made haste to array himself and to depart, as before, to the running ground. The grand vizier’s son was challenged, and with rare skill he was run through the heart and killed.

This time the victor did not disappear, as he had done upon each of the previous days, but continued to ride about openly, until he was arrested and dragged before the king. Before his entrance there the king had given orders that the murderer should have his head stricken off. As the prince approached the throne he said: “O, most noble and gracious sovereign! My brothers abandoned me in the well; the son of the grand vizier plotted against thy most precious life; and wilt thou now kill me, thy faithful son?”

When the king knew indeed that it was the son whom he had so deeply mourned, he was overjoyed. Falling upon the neck of the young prince, he wept and asked: “My son, what dost thou desire? Shall I command the death of thy two brothers?” But the young man was as noble when victory crowned him as when the bitterness of defeat had taxed his powers. He answered: “My father, since I am so happy as to find thee still unharmed, let us say, Allah be praised! Allah’s will be done! But do thou, I pray thee, give a palace, far away from thine own, unto each of my brothers; command that the elder be married to the first princess, the second to the second princess; then do thou graciously permit me to marry the youngest, whom I deeply love and through whom it has been possible for me thus to rescue thee and preserve unto thee thy kingdom.”

So it all came about as the brave young prince had requested. The two brothers were given palaces at a distance from that of the king; there was feasting and rejoicing upon the part of all the people during forty days; after which the youngest son of the king was married to the most beautiful princess and lived happily ever afterward.

Here endeth this story, with Salaam! which meaneth peace.