Weighed down with the importance of following these instructions, the brave young princess set out in the path indicated to her, and soon came upon the cave inhabited by the giants. Entering, she caused [[118]]the stone to open, after the manner described, secured the great, guttering diamond, and turned to fly back with it.
While she was speeding along, the sleeping giants wakened, discovered the great stone standing open—which, in her haste, the princess had neglected to close—found that their most precious treasure had been stolen, and hastened after the departing figure.
But the flight had been so swift that the giants, being slow at running, saw that they could not overtake her. Therefore they called out: “O, divine youth! If you are a boy, may you become a girl! And if you are a girl, may you, at once, become a boy!”
The swift young figure did not tarry, nor so much as slacken its speed for a breath. Running up to the waiting and anxious horse, she cried, gleefully: “Behold! thou valiant helper! Here is that which, without thee, I could not so much as dreamed of possessing.”
But the horse did not notice the precious thing. “Did I not hear voices calling after thee, my prince? Have the giants pronounced any strange thing upon thee? Because, if they have, you never can be rid of it.”
The answer was most joyous: “They did pronounce a most strange thing, indeed, my deliverer! [[119]]But not a curse. At last I have the desire of my heart; the desire of my weeping mother’s heart and the great desire of my father, the king. I need no longer be ashamed to enter his presence; since, now, I am really his son! Praise be to Allah, who is gracious to all!”
At this the horse was delighted, equally with the youth, and replied: “Verily, my prince—since you are, indeed, a prince—from this time forth, whatever you may wish, I will do it; without in the least disappointing you.”
Upon this the delighted pair flew back to the palace, as if upon the wings of the wind; where, as usual, the coal-black steed immediately disappeared.
The young prince entered the palace, and, after seeking audience with the king, presented himself before the throne, made low obeisance, and announced the success of his journey.
“Here, O, padisha! is the diamond which you have required at my hands.”