addressed themselves to me to ask the way, I do not know that any one made use of the plan you propose. All I know is, they all perished. If you persist in your design, you can make the experiment. You will be fortunate if it succeeds; but I would advise you not to expose yourself to the danger.'
'My good father,' replied the princess, 'nothing prevents my persisting. I am sure I shall succeed, and am resolved to try the experiment. Nothing remains for me but to know which way I must go, a favour I beg you not to refuse me.'
The dervish exhorted her again for the last time to consider well what she was going to do; but finding her resolute, he took out a bowl and said, 'Take this bowl; mount your horse again, and when you have thrown it before you, follow it through all its windings, till it stops at the bottom of the mountain: there stop, alight off your horse, and ascend the mountain. Go, you know the rest; and be sure not to forget what I have told you.'
After the Princess Parizade had thanked the dervish, and taken leave of him, she mounted her horse, threw the bowl before her, and followed it till it stepped at the foot of the mountain.
The princess alighted, and stopped her ears with cotton-wool, and after she had well examined the way by which she was to get to the top, she began at a moderate pace. She heard the voices, and perceived the great service the cotton was to her. The higher she went, the louder and more numerous the voices seemed; but they could not make any impression on her. She heard a great many affronting speeches and jeering very disagreeable to a woman, which she only laughed at. At last she got so high that she began to perceive the cage and bird, which also tried to frighten her, crying in a thundering voice, notwithstanding the smallness of its size, 'Retire, fool, and come no higher.'
The princess, nevertheless, redoubled her haste. At last she got to the top of the mountain, where the ground was level, and running straight to the cage, clapped her hand upon it, and cried, 'Bird, I have you in spite of you, and you shall not escape me.'
While the Princess Parizade was pulling the cotton-wool out of her ears, the bird said to her, 'Brave lady, be not angry with me for joining in with the voices. Though in a cage, I was content;
