Almost immediately the dragons also arrived, and said: “Where is the green parrot who stole the fruit?”
“Look and see,” said the old Fakir. “I know not what you want; no green parrot is here, nor do I know where the pomegranate is that he took away.”
Then he went on quietly counting his beads while the dragons searched everywhere; but at last, wearied out and finding nothing, they went away, feeling very angry at the loss of their fairy.
As soon as they had gone, the Fakir caused the Prince to resume his original form, and, handing him the pomegranate, said: “Go back to your Palace; and when you have got there, break the pomegranate, and out of it will step the most beautiful woman you have ever seen; take her to be your wife, and may luck go with you.”
The young Prince then mounted his steed, and thanked the old Fakir for all his assistance.
As he neared his father’s Palace he came to a well in a garden, and having tied his horse to a tree, he went and rested beside the well, and looked at the pomegranate.
“I think I will break it now, and see if a fairy comes out, for if I wait to do so in my father’s house before all his courtiers, suppose no fairy appeared, I should be ashamed to death.”
So saying, he broke it, and immediately a most lovely woman appeared, bright and dazzling as the sun itself. As soon as he beheld her, he was so entranced that he fell into a swoon. Then the fairy lifted his head very gently, and placing it on her knee, allowed him to sleep on.
While he slept a young woman of low caste came to draw water. Seeing the beautiful fairy, she enquired of her if the sleeping man was the King’s youngest son, and if she was the Anar Pari whom he had gone to seek.
Hearing that this was so, she was filled with envy, and planned in her mind how she might take the life of the fairy. So she went up to her, and said: “O fairy, you are most beautiful, but I would be beautiful too if I had on your clothes: come, let us exchange our dresses (or sarees), and see how you look in my clothes.”