Then the youngest sister took it and said: ‘Long life to the youth who took the twigs from my hand, and restored life to a prince.’ She drank, and put the bowl down.
At last the Arab took the wine and said: ‘Long life to the youth who gave me a blow, and sent me over nine mountains.’ He drank, and put the bowl down.
Then the prince appeared from under the throne, took the wine and said: ‘I have also toasts to propose. May God grant long life to the maiden from whom I took the handkerchief.’ He took from his pocket the handkerchief and gave it to the eldest sister. ‘May God grant long life to the maiden from whom I took the rings,’ and he gave the rings to the second sister. ‘May God grant long life to the maiden from whom I took the twigs.’ He returned the twigs to the youngest sister, and turning to the Arab, he said: ‘May God grant long life to the Arab whom I struck and sent over nine mountains.’ He drank, and put down the bowl.
Then the three sisters jumped up and said: ‘He will marry me.’ ‘No! me.’ And they began to quarrel. The prince said: ‘Wherefore quarrel one with another? I shall wed the youngest sister, since I am the youngest of three brothers, and you elder shall wed my elder brothers.’ The maidens asked him: ‘What is the object of thy journey hither?’ ‘To seek for the other golden slipper, and lo! I have found it here,’ answered the prince. ‘Because of this slipper, nine brothers, devis, are imprisoned in a certain town, and if I return without it, I, too, shall be imprisoned to-day with them.’ ‘This slipper is thine, and as many more as thou wishest, take them with thee, seat thyself on the Arab’s back, and in three hours thou wilt be in the town,’ said the sisters.
The prince did as they told him. He filled a bag with golden slippers, sat on the Arab’s back, and in three hours he was in the town.
The devis rejoiced greatly. They called the merchant, and he brought slippers. He took one by one his own slippers, but, behold, not one of them would fit the golden slipper. Then, when the prince produced his bagful of golden slippers, the merchant was proved a liar.
The prince gave the merchant into the hands of the devis, and said: ‘Do to him what ye please, sell all his possessions, but I must go at once on my way.’ When the devis heard this, they begged him to stay with them. But he would not consent.
The prince came to the three beautiful sisters, and married the youngest. The sisters gave the Arab a saddle bag in which was everything for the journey, placed in his hand a tree, and said: ‘Go to the kingdom of the prince’s father, and when thou art near the palace, in such and such a place, plant this tree. It will turn into a great plane tree, and underneath, a beautiful stream will flow; there, on the banks of the stream, lay the cloth, and prepare everything for our coming.’
The Arab did everything as he was commanded. Then the maidens came. Every man and woman in the kingdom heard of this, and went out to look at them. The parents were mourning for their long-lost son.
The cup of water had not changed to blood, but they had given up all hope of finding him. At last they could stand it no longer, and they too went to see the maidens.