Nevertheless he wept day and night, and would not be comforted, so the Rajah, his father, in great distress, sent for the sweeper who had been told to kill the Vizier’s son, and implored him to declare the truth concerning his end. Then the man confessed everything, and went and searched for the lad, and brought him back. The two boys became fast friends as before, and the Rajah’s son enquired the meaning of the lock of woman’s hair and lamp.
“It means,” said the Vizier’s son, “the name of a beautiful Princess called ‘Princess of the Lamp,’ and she lives in a distant country.”
So they set out to seek her, and soon found the Palace in which she lived, and outside a girl making a wreath of flowers for the Princess. The Rajah’s son begged the girl to let him make the hal or wreath, and, in making it, he placed a letter inside.
The Princess was very angry when she found the letter, and made the girl tell her the truth; but she would not receive the Prince after what he had done, so he had to return to his own country: thus was he punished for his cruelty to the Vizier’s son.
THE RAJAH’S SON AND THE VIZIER’S SON
For a second time the friendship of the Rajah’s son and the Vizier’s son caused great jealousy, so a mischief-maker was called, and he promised he would do all in his power to part them. Then he ordered a dooly and followed them into the forest. At the first opportunity he called to the eldest, who was the Vizier’s son, and pretended to whisper in his ear.
The Rajah’s son at once enquired what the man had said, and would not believe that it was nothing at all, so once again in great anger he ordered his friend to be killed.
But the Vizier’s son was very clever, and soon persuaded the executioner to spare his life, for he told him the Rajah’s son would very soon weary of being alone, and would ask for him back; and if the executioner could not bring him, he would most probably suffer death himself; thus he escaped, and went and hid himself.
In the meantime the Rajah’s son chanced to walk by the riverside, where he saw a very beautiful woman sitting beside her husband. He admired the woman very much, and communicated his feelings in looks, though he dared not do so in words.