The King, his father, summoned all the cleverest Hakeems, or native physicians, to his son’s bedside; but they could do nothing, and day by day the poor Prince lay at the point of death. In vain the Princess waved her fan; he was too ill to respond, and the five cruel sisters rejoiced to think their plan had succeeded so well.
At last the youngest Princess could bear her suspense no longer; so, calling her servants together, she told them she was going by herself to a distant country on a pilgrimage, dressed like a Fakir, and none must follow her.
At first her servants would not consent, and declared they would follow wherever she went, but after a time the Princess had her way, and set out on her journey.
She wandered many miles that day, and at evening, weary and footsore, sat down under a tree to rest. While she sat there an eagle and a parrot began to talk in a neighbouring branch. “What news?” began the parrot.
“Have you not heard of the magic box, and the Princess, and how her sisters placed broken glass on the couch of the Prince, and how even now he lies at the point of death?”
“This is indeed sad news; and is there no remedy for his illness?”
“The remedy is simple, if they but knew it. You have only to gather the refuse from an eagle’s nest, add water to it, and apply it to the hurt, when, after three applications, the glass will come away, and the flesh speedily heal.”
This conversation was eagerly listened to by the Princess; and afterwards she carefully gathered the refuse beside the eagle’s nest, and again started with all haste on her journey.
Arrived at the town, she began to cry in the streets, “A Hakeem, a Hakeem!” (or doctor), and was instantly summoned to the King’s Palace; for he had promised even to give up his kingdom to any one who would save his son. So the Princess in this disguise hastened into the King’s presence, and there arranged to treat the Prince, on condition that no other remedy should be tried by others at the same time.
At the first application of her remedy small pieces of glass were seen to drop out, at the second, still more, and, at the last, all fell out, and not one was left! This gave the Prince such relief that he opened his eyes and regained consciousness, but did not recognise in the new Hakeem, dressed as a Fakir, his former friend, the Princess. At last he got well, and was able to leave his room, so the Princess went to the Rajah, and begged permission to return to her own country.