to divert him from his purpose. He took
leave, and on his departure, pulling off a ring set with a
magical gem, gave it to his second brother, saying, "Whenever you
perceive this ring press hard upon your finger, be assured that I
am lost beyond recovery." Having begun his journey, he did not
cease travelling till he reached the spot where was the bird's
cage, in which it used to pass the night, but in the daytime it
flew about for exercise and food.

It was the custom of the bird to return about sunset to the cage;
when, if it perceived any person near, it would cry out in a
plaintive tone, "Who will say to a poor wanderer, Lodge? who will
say to an unhappy Bulbul, Lodge?" and if the person replied,
"Lodge, poor bird!" it immediately hovered over his head, and
scattering upon him some earth from its bill, the person became
transformed into a stone. Such proved the fate of the unfortunate
prince.

The transformation of the eldest prince had no sooner taken place
than the ring pressed hard upon the finger of the second, who
exclaimed, "Alas! alas! my brother is lost; but I will travel,
and endeavour to find out his condition." It was in vain that the
sultan his father, and the sultana his mother, remonstrated. He
departed after he had delivered the magical ring to his younger
brother, and journeyed till he reached the cage of the bird; who
having ensnared him to pronounce the word lodge, scattered some
earth upon his head, when he, also, immediately became
transformed into stone.

At this instant the youngest prince was sitting at a banquet with
his father; when the ring pressed so hard to his finger, as to
put him to much pain. He rose up, and exclaimed, "There is no
refuge or asylum but with God; for his we are, and to him we must
return." The sultan, upon this, inquired the cause of his grief;
when he said, "My brother has perished."

The old sultan was loudly lamenting the loss of his two children,
when the youngest continued, "I will travel and learn the fate of
my brothers." "Alas!" said the father, "is it not enough that I
have lost them, but thou also wilt rush into destruction? I
entreat thee not to leave me." "Father," replied the prince,
"fate impels me to search for my brothers, whom, perhaps, I may
recover; but if I fail, I shall only have done my duty." Having
said this, he departed, in spite of the tears and lamentations of
his parents, and travelled till he had reached the residence of
the bird;