In the course of three days they arrived at the king’s palace, where the commander informed his Majesty that Masnapari was in attendance to plead his own cause, and that his daughter, and the prince of Yemen her lover, were now at hand to be disposed of as his Majesty might deem proper. Mahparí ordered, in the first place, that the father should be brought before him. Masnapari entered, and making a low obeisance, said, “Sire, I swear by your Majesty’s salt, which I have so often tasted, that I knew nothing of the transaction. I have come, however, obedient to your commands, accompanied by my family, and all of us are ready to undergo whatever be the decree of your Majesty.”—“Enough,” said the king, “you are innocent, and are accordingly forgiven; let us now examine the man who has caused this trouble.”
The attendants immediately introduced Hatim, and placed him before the king. When Mahparí beheld his noble form and fair countenance, all his resentment towards him vanished, and having seated Hatim beside him, he began to converse with him, and said, “You are a bold youth to enter our dominions; may I ask what is the cause of your journey hither?”—“Sire,” replied Hatim, “I had heard much of your Majesty, and of your heavenly realms, from Farokash the king of the demons, so that I felt an irresistible desire of visiting your country, and of tendering you my humble services, whatever might be the risk.”—“Who,” asked the king, “were your guides hither?”—“The subjects of Farokash,” said Hatim. “Know you,” continued the fairy king, “whether there be among the demons any learned and expert physician?”—“From what I have there observed,” replied Hatim, “I believe the subjects of Farokash have no skill in physic; but may I ask, what occasion has your Highness for a physician?”—“I shall tell you in good time,” said Mahparí, “for after all you may be able to serve me, as the human race are allowed to be the noblest and most skilful of the creation, and from their superior wisdom they are enabled to hold under their control the regions of the fairies and demons, as was the case with Solomon, on whom be peace.”—“Well,” said Hatim, “may I presume to ask, what would your Majesty with a physician?”
Mahparí, in a voice of sorrow, replied: “I have a son who is the admiration of the world, accomplished in every art and science that adorn the mind, matchless in the beauty and elegance of his form, and beside him I have no other child. He has been lately seized with a pain in his eyes, which constantly flow with water, so intense that he his now quite blind; nor does he experience a moment’s relief. If you can procure me a learned leech who may succeed in restoring him his sight, I shall ever remain grateful for your kindness.”—“May I ask,” said Hatim, “what reward will your Highness bestow on that physician who may be the means of curing the prince?”—“I will give him whatever he asks,” replied the king. “Agreed,” said Hatim; “I myself will undertake on these terms to restore the prince to perfect health.” The king then took Hatim by the hand, and solemnly swore to abide by his promise; and as it now waxed late, they agreed to retire to rest.
Hatim was ushered into a splendid apartment, while troops of fairies attended him to execute his commands. They presented him with every sort of food and a variety of delicious fruits, with cool water pure as crystal. When the morning dawned the fairy king conducted Hatim to the apartment of his son, who lay stretched upon the bed of restlessness. Hatim took out the talisman presented him by the bear’s daughter, and having dipped it in pure water, applied the liquid to the prince’s eyes. In the course of the day he obtained some relief, and the pain was greatly alleviated, but his sight was not yet in the least restored. Mahparí, with the anxiety of a parent, watched the progress of the cure, and addressing Hatim, said, “Most learned man, the eyes are indeed cured of the pain which they suffered; but alas! the vision I fear is forever lost.” After a little reflection, Hatim said, “Sire, there is a tree that grows amidst the shades of Zulmât[12], which is called the naudar: from this tree distils a liquid of rare qualities, of which if even a single drop could be procured, it would be the means of restoring the prince’s sight.” When Mahparí heard this, he addressed his fairy subjects, saying: “Is there one among you who has the courage to enter the regions of Zulmât, and bring me a vial full of the juice of the naudar?” The fairies with downcast looks listened to this proposal, and replied, “The vales of Zulmât abound with demons the very scent of whom we cannot endure; and besides, being our enemies, they would not leave one of us alive were we to venture thither.” The king, well aware of this fact, held down his head in grief, when Husnapari respectfully approached him, and said, “If my lord the king will forgive my past transgressions, and again restore to me the prince of Yemen, I will endeavor to find out the tree in question.”
Mahparí, delighted, said to her in return, “Fair lady, I heartily forgive your pranks; nay, on receiving an explanation from your father, I extended my full pardon to you all; but so far as regards the prince of Yemen, I have no control over him; he is entirely at his own disposal.” Hatim then addressed the beautiful fairy, saying, “Noble lady, if it is your wish that I should dwell with you during the whole of my life, it is more than I can by any means promise you; but if you will be satisfied with my remaining in your society only during my own pleasure, and having full liberty to depart when I think proper, then I sincerely promise not to deceive you.” The beautiful fairy replied, in the accents of love, “Alas! I can lay no claim to your affections, but say you will stay with me for at least a few days. My time shall be wholly spent in the enjoyment of your society; and when I shall have sufficiently admired you, then your departure will be in your own choice.”—“Enough,” said Hatim, “for the present; lose no time in the accomplishment of your dangerous enterprise.”
Husnapari, accompanied with seven thousand fairy troops, immediately set out upon her journey; and so swiftly did she wing her course, that all her convoy were left far in the rear. In the space of forty days she entered the regions of darkness and arrived at the tree of naudar, the top of which seemed to pierce the skies. From its trunk flowed a liquid white as milk and sweet as honey. She caught the drops in her vial as they fell, and when it was filled she carefully sealed it up, and began to retrace her steps from the dreary abode. Meanwhile a host of demons, many thousand in number, who acted as guards of the tree of naudar, observed the beautiful fairy as she was returning, and immediately pursued her. Husnapari increased her speed, and fled swiftly as the bird that flies for its life. The demons followed fast for the space of four farasangs, when finding that they were losing ground, they returned to their haunts.
Forty days later the beautiful fairy arrived at the court of her sovereign, and presenting to his Majesty the vial containing the precious elixir, she detailed the events of her journey. The king was boundless in his gratitude, and exalted her into the rank of the most select in his household. Hatim dipped his talisman into the elixir, and applied a few drops of it to the eyes of the prince, which still continued shut. At the end of eight days he repeated the process, and a complete cure ensued. When the prince again beheld the faces of his father and mother, his joy was unbounded. Grateful, he prostrated himself at the feet of Hatim, who speedily raised him to his bosom, saying, “Let thy thanks be rendered unto God.”
In the meantime the fairy king offered for Hatim’s acceptance treasures to such an extent as would defy calculation. Hatim, after expressing his sense of the king’s bounty, said, “Sire, this vast wealth is useless to me unless your subjects conduct me to the dominions of Farokash, and convey the treasures thither.” To this Mahparí readily assented; whereupon Hatim rejoined: “Sire, I value not gold and jewels; all I wish from your Majesty is the fulfilment of the agreement which you were pleased to make with me, that I should receive from you whatever I asked.”—“State your wish,” replied Mahparí, “and you shall not be disappointed.”—“Give me then,” said Hatim, “the Shahmuhra which adorns your hand.”
The fairy king, on hearing this request, silently held down his head, and after some time said, “I see how it is; the daughter of Harith the merchant has sent you hither in quest of the Shahmuhra.”—“True, sire,” replied Hatim, “and I on my part have undertaken to procure it for her.”—“Well,” continued the king, “I will strictly abide by my promise, but the daughter of Harith shall never possess this treasure.” Hatim suggested that as soon as he had acquitted himself of his task, the Shahmuhra might possibly be returned. At this suggestion the king unfixed the Shahmuhra from his arm and fastened it on that of Hatim, who immediately perceived its rare qualities; for he had no sooner placed it on his arm than all the treasures of gold and precious stones concealed within the bosom of the earth were clearly displayed to his eyes; nor was he at any loss to discover the reason why Harith’s daughter so eagerly desired the possession of this key of wealth.
Mahparí summoned into his presence three of his most cunning magicians, and gave them instructions to this effect: “When this man shall have delivered the Shahmuhra to Harith’s daughter, and she in consequence accepts her lover in marriage, you shall transport yourselves thither, and after she has had it ten days in her possession, bring it back to me.” Hatim then took leave of the fairy king, and proceeded to the residence of Husnapari, with whom he spent three months in the enjoyment of every happiness. At length he bade adieu to the beautiful lady, and accompanied by the fairies, of whom some carried his treasures and others conveyed himself in a litter, he left the capital, and in a few days reached the territories of Farokash. When arrived at the line of separation between the two regions, the fairies left him, and the demons, who had previously been his guides, and had remained there during his absence in fairy-land, took him up and conveyed him with his treasures to their own capital. Hatim had an interview with Farokash, who received him with the utmost kindness and hospitality. Next day he continued his homeward journey, and, by his former route through the cave, in the course of time arrived safe in the city of Suri.