Prince Ali next spoke. “I acknowledge, brother,” said he, “that your carpet is a most surprising curiosity. But you must allow that there may be other rarities at least as wonderful. Here is an ivory tube, which appears to the eye no more a prodigy than your carpet. It cost me forty purses, and I am as well satisfied with my purchase as you can be with yours; for on looking at one end of this tube you can see whatever object you wish to behold. I would not have you take my word,” added Prince Ali, presenting the tube to him. “Take it, and make a trial of it yourself.”
Houssain took the ivory tube, and wished to see the Princess Nouronnihar, when Ali and Prince Ahmed, who kept their eyes fixed on him, were extremely surprised to see his countenance suddenly express extraordinary alarm and affliction. Prince Houssain did not give them time to ask what was the matter, but cried out, “Alas! princes, to what purpose have we undertaken such long and fatiguing journeys, with the hopes of being recompensed by the hand of the charming Nouronnihar, when in a few moments that lovely princess will breathe her last! I saw her in bed, surrounded by her women, all weeping and seeming to expect her death. Take the tube, behold yourselves the miserable state she is in, and mingle your tears with mine.”
Prince Ali took the tube out of Houssain’s hand, and after he had seen the same object with the deepest grief presented it to Ahmed, who also beheld the sad sight which so much concerned them all.
When Prince Ahmed had taken the tube out of Ali’s hands, and saw that the Princess Nouronnihar’s end was so near, he addressed himself to his two companions, and said, “Brothers, the Princess Nouronnihar, whom we all equally loved, is indeed just at death’s door; but provided we make haste and lose no time, we may preserve her life. This apple which you see cost the same sum as the carpet and the tube; but it has this surprising power—its smell will restore to life a sick person, whatever be the malady. I have made the experiment, and can show you its wonderful effect on the person of the Princess Nouronnihar if we hasten to assist her.”
“If that be all,” replied Prince Houssain, “we cannot make more despatch than by transporting ourselves instantly into her chamber by means of my carpet. Come, lose no time, sit down, it is large enough to hold us all.”
As soon as the order was given, the Princes Ali and Ahmed sat down by Houssain, and as their interest was the same, they all framed the same wish, and were transported instantaneously into the Princess Nouronnihar’s chamber.
The presence of the three princes, who were so little expected, alarmed the princess’s women and guards, who could not comprehend by what enchantment three men should be among them; for they did not know them at first; and the guards were ready to fall on them, as people who had got into a part of the palace where they were not allowed to come; but they quickly found out their mistake.
Prince Ahmed no sooner saw himself in Nouronnihar’s chamber than he rose off the carpet, and went to the bedside, and put the apple to her nostrils. The princess instantly opened her eyes, and sitting up, asked to be dressed, as if she had awakened out of a sound sleep. Her women presently informed her that she was obliged to the three princes, her cousins, and particularly to Prince Ahmed, for the sudden recovery of her health. She immediately expressed her joy at seeing them, and thanked them all together, but afterwards Prince Ahmed in particular. As she desired to dress, the princes contented themselves with telling her how great a pleasure it was to them to have come soon enough to contribute each in any degree towards relieving her from the imminent danger she was in, and what ardent prayers they had offered for the continuance of her life; after which they retired.
While the princess was dressing, the princes went to throw themselves at the sultan their father’s feet; but when they came to him, they found he had been previously informed of their unexpected arrival by the chief of the princess’s guards, and by what means the princess had been so suddenly cured. The sultan received and embraced them with the greatest joy, both for their return and the wonderful recovery of the princess, his niece, whom he loved as if she had been his own daughter. After the usual compliments the princes each presented the rarity which he had brought: Prince Houssain his carpet, Prince Ali his ivory tube, and Prince Ahmed the artificial apple; and after each had commended his present, as he put it into the sultan’s hands, they begged of him to pronounce their fate, and declare to which of them he would give the Princess Nouronnihar, according to his promise.
The Sultan of the Indies having heard all that the princes had to say in favor of their rarities remained some time silent, considering what answer he should make. At last he broke silence, and said to them in terms full of wisdom, “I would declare for one of you, my sons, if I could do it with justice. It is true, Ahmed, the princess, my niece, is obliged to your artificial apple for her cure; but let me ask you, whether you could have contrived to cure her if you had not known by Ali’s tube the danger she was in, and if Houssain’s carpet had not brought you to her so soon? Your tube, Ali, revealed to you and your brothers the illness of your cousin; but you must grant that the knowledge of her illness would have been of no service without the artificial apple and the carpet. And as for you, Houssain, your carpet was an essential instrument in effecting her cure; but consider, it would have been of little use if you had not been acquainted with her illness by Ali’s tube, or if Ahmed had not applied his artificial apple. Therefore, as the carpet, the ivory tube, and the artificial apple have no preference over each other, but on the contrary as each had an equal share in her cure, I cannot grant the princess to any one of you; and the only fruit you have reaped from your travels is the happiness of having equally contributed to restore her to health.