When she had put the horse into the stable she asked the object of his
journey, and he told her the whole story of his adventures, finally
asking her, "And whom have you married, dear sister?"
She answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the Falcons. He will
come home to-night. But I must carefully conceal you, for he is
furious against my brothers." So saying, she concealed the Prince.
In a little while the Falcon-emperor came home, and the whole city
quaked with the tumult of his approach. Supper was served at once, but
not before he had cried to his wife, "I smell men's flesh!"
The wife answered, "What are you thinking of, husband?"
At last, after talking for some time of this thing and that, she asked
him, "Would you do any harm to my brothers if they were to come here?"
The Emperor said, "It would surely go hard with the eldest and the
second, but I would do nothing to the youngest." Then she told him of
her youngest brother's arrival.
The Falcon-emperor commanded his wife to bring her brother before him,
and as soon as he beheld him he fell upon his neck and kissed him.
"Welcome, dear brother-in-law!"
"A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's husband!" answered the
Prince; upon which they sat down to supper.
After supper the Emperor asked his brother-in-law concerning the
object of his journey, and the Prince replied that he was seeking
Steelpacha, and told him all his adventures. But the Emperor began to
counsel him.
"Give up your journey," said he. "Just let me tell you something about
Steelpacha. That very day on which he stole your wife I was awaiting
him with five thousand falcons, and waged a fearful battle with him.
Blood flowed knee-deep around us, yet we could not prevail against
him. And how shall you, a single man, overmaster him? So I give you
this well-meant advice: Go back home. So much of my treasure as your
heart desires is yours; take it and go."
But the Prince answered, "Hearty thanks for your offer, but go back
with my task unperformed I will not. No, never! I must yet find
Steelpacha." For he thought to himself, "Why should I not? Have I not
three lives?"
When the Falcon-emperor became convinced that he could not move him
from his purpose he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to him,
with these words, "Here, take this feather of mine, and if you come
into great danger strike a fire and burn it I will come at once to
your aid with all my forces."
So the Prince took the feather and set forth to seek Steelpacha.
For a long time he went up and down through the wide world, until at
last he reached a third city. He had hardly entered it when a woman
called to him from a balcony, "Dismount and come into the court!"
The Prince turned his horse and rode into the court. Behold, there was
his youngest sister! They fell into each other's arms and lavished
kisses upon each other. She led the horse into the stable, the brother
into the castle. Then the Prince asked, "Sister, whom have you
married?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account