The king was pleased that his son felt a desire [[210]]to know of the world, and gave his consent to the plan. The prince, accompanied by a few of his most intimate companions, went on board an outgoing ship and began the journey.
Day and night, without stopping, went the ship. After a considerable space of time, one morning, as the prince and his companions were standing upon the deck of the vessel, a most wonderful vision appeared upon the very edge of the horizon. So brilliant was it that the whole earth seemed illumined with the light thereof.
Then the prince turned to his companions, saying, “Verily, this which appears in the distance must be the object we seek.”
Several more days passed. The ship sailed nearer and nearer, and every day the wonder grew. Finally, when they were but a little distance, and after the captain had trimmed his vessel so as to view it from three sides, the bewildered prince exclaimed: “Do I look upon a vision unearthly, or am I dreaming a dream?”
When it became evening the ship let down her anchor.
We will leave the prince upon the deck of his vessel, while we return to the princess within the kiosk. [[211]]
She had noticed the approach of the ship and had marveled at its strange maneuvers. Finally, when it came to anchor directly in front of her dwelling, she set herself to examine it closely. But the name could not be made out; and while she, with her maids, were lost in conjecture as to whom it could belong, she saw the prince walking back and forth upon the deck.
Now, the prince was a youth who resembled the full moon in beauty; and, as this princess was unacquainted with young men, she became greatly interested and felt a strange drawing of the heart toward him.
And the prince—as if feeling the gaze upon him—stopped in his walk and looked directly at the kiosk, where he saw the princess standing in all her beautiful garments, and with the light of the setting sun shining full upon her. The sight was so unexpected and bewildering that he lost consciousness and fell down in a swoon.
After a time he recovered and looked eagerly at the window which had so entranced him. But the princess was not there.