Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Arab countries; Folklore -- Arab countries; Tales -- Arab countries
The Princes Bahman and Perviz, who, as they were dressing themselves in
their own apartments, saw their sister in the garden earlier than usual,
as soon as they could get out went to her, and met her as she was
returning with a gold box under her arm, which much surprised them.
"Sister," said Bahman, "you carried nothing with you when we saw you
before with the gardener, and now we see you have a golden box; is this
some treasure found by the gardener, and did he come and tell you of
it?"
"No, brother," answered the princess, "I took the gardener to the place
where this casket was concealed, and showed him where to dig; but you
will be more amazed when you see what it contains."
The princess opened the box, and when the princes saw that it was full
of pearls, which, though small, were of great value, they asked her how
she came to the knowledge of this treasure. "Brothers," said she, "come
with me and I will tell you." The princess, as they returned to the
house, gave them an account of her having consulted the Bird, as they
had agreed she should, and the answer he had given her; the objection
she had raised to preparing a dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls,
and how he had told her where to find this box. The sister and brothers
formed many conjectures to penetrate into what the Bird could mean by
ordering them to prepare such a dish; but after much conversation, they
agreed to follow his advice exactly.
As soon as the princess entered the house, she called for the head cook;
and after she had given him directions about the entertainment for the
emperor, said to him: "Besides all this, you must dress an extraordinary
dish for the emperor's own eating, which nobody else must have anything
to do with besides yourself. This dish must be of cucumbers stuffed with
these pearls;" and at the same time she opened him the box, and showed
him the jewels.
The chief cook, who had never heard of such a dish, started back, and
showed his thoughts by his looks; which the princess penetrating, said:
"I see you take me to be mad to order such a dish, which one may say
with certainty was never made. I know this as well as you; but I am not
mad, and give you these orders with the most perfect recollection. You
must invent and do the best you can, and bring me back what pearls are
left." The cook could make no reply, but took the box and retired; and
afterward the princess gave directions to all the domestics to have
everything in order, both in the house and gardens, to receive the
emperor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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