to me to know whether the religious woman thought this house ugly or handsome, or complete or not? I wish to Heaven she had never spoken: Deceitful hypocrite!' added she, 'is this the return you have made me for the kind reception I gave you? Why did you tell me of a bird, a tree, and a water which, imaginary as I am sure they are, yet disturb me by your enchantment?'
Prince Perviz was as much afflicted at the death of Prince Bahman as the princess; but not to waste time in needless regret, as he knew by the princess's sorrow that she still passionately desired the possession of the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water, he interrupted her, and said, 'Sister, our regret for our brother is vain and useless; it cannot restore him to life; it is the will of God, and we must submit to it, and adore the decrees of the Almighty without searching into them. Why should you doubt of the truth of what the holy woman told you? Do you think she spoke to you of three things that were not in existence? that she invented them on purpose to deceive you when you had received her with so much goodness and civility? Let us rather believe that our brother's death is owing to some fault of his, or some accident. It ought not to prevent us from pursuing our object. I offered to go on this journey, and am in the same mind still; his example has no effect upon my resolution; to-morrow I will go myself.'
The princess did ah she could to dissuade Prince Perviz, imploring him not to expose her to the danger of losing two brothers instead of one; but all she could urge had no effect upon him. Before he went, that she might know what success he had, he left her a string of a hundred pearls, telling her that if they would not run when she told them upon the string, but remain fixed, that should be a certain sign that he had undergone the same fate as his brother.
Prince Perviz, on the twentieth day from his setting out, met with the same dervish in the same place that his brother Bahman had done before him. He went up to him, and, after he had saluted him, asked him if he could tell him where to find the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water. The dervish made the same remonstrances as he had done to Prince Bahman,
