I shall ascend the mountain,
and I hope to come and see you again soon, and thank you when I
have obtained what I am seeking." After these words, to which the
dervish made no other answer than that he should be overjoyed to
see him again, the prince mounted his horse, took his leave of
the dervish with a respectful salute, and threw the bowl before
him.

The bowl rolled away unceasingly with as much swiftness as when
prince Bahman first hurled it from his hand, which obliged him to
put his horse to the same pace to avoid losing sight of it, and
when it had reached the foot of the mountain it stopped. The
prince alighted from his horse, laid the bridle on his neck; and
having first surveyed the mountain, and seen the black stones,
began to ascend; but had not gone four steps, before he heard the
voices mentioned by the dervish, though he could see nobody. Some
said, "Where is that fool going? where is he going? what would he
have? do not let him pass." Others, "Stop him, catch him, kill
him;" and others with a voice like thunder, "Thief! assassin!
murderer!" while some in a gibing tone cried, "No, no, do not
hurt him; let the pretty fellow pass, the cage and bird are kept
for him."

Notwithstanding all these troublesome voices, prince Bahman
ascended with courage and resolution for some time, but the
voices redoubled with so loud a din near him, both behind and
before, that at last he was seized with dread, his legs trembled
under him, he staggered, and finding that his strength failed
him, he forgot the dervish's advice, turned about to run down the
hill, and was that instant changed into a black stone; a
metamorphosis which had happened to many before him, who had
attempted the ascent. His horse likewise underwent the same
change.

From the time of prince Bahman's departure, the princess Perie-zadeh
always wore the knife and sheath in her girdle, and pulled it out
several times in a day, to know whether her brother was alive. She had
the consolation to understand he was in perfect health, and to talk of
him frequently with prince Perviz, who sometimes prevented her by
asking her what news.

On the fatal day that prince Bahman was transformed into a stone,
as prince Perviz and the princess were talking together in the
evening, as usual, the prince desired his sister to pull out the
knife to know how their brother did. The princess readily
complied, and seeing the blood run down the point was seized with
so muc