charge
upon myself; only tell me the place and the way to it, and I will defer
my journey no longer than till to-morrow."

"Brother," said Prince Perviz, "it is not proper that you, who are the
head of our family, should be absent. I desire my sister should join
with me to oblige you to abandon your design, and allow me to undertake
it. I hope to acquit myself as well as you, and it will be a more
regular proceeding." "I am persuaded of your goodwill, brother," replied
Prince Bahman, "and that you would succeed as well as myself in this
journey; but I have resolved and will undertake it. You shall stay at
home with our sister, and I need not recommend her to you."

The next morning Bahman mounted his horse, and Perviz and the princess
embraced and wished him a good journey. But in the midst of their
adieus, the princess recollected what she had not thought of before.
"Brother," said she, "I had quite forgotten the accidents which attend
travellers. Who knows whether I shall ever see you again? Alight, I
beseech you, and give up this journey. I would rather be deprived of the
sight and possession of the Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the
Golden Water, than run the risk of never seeing you more."

"Sister," replied Bahman, smiling at her sudden fears, "my resolution is
fixed. The accidents you speak of befall only those who are unfortunate;
but there are more who are not so. However, as events are uncertain, and
I may fail in this undertaking, all I can do is to leave you this
knife."

Bahman pulling a knife from his vestband, and presenting it to the
princess in the sheath, said: "Take this knife, sister, and give
yourself the trouble sometimes to pull it out of the sheath; while you
see it clean as it is now, it will be a sign that I am alive; but if you
find it stained with blood, then you may believe me dead and indulge me
with your prayers."

The princess could obtain nothing more of Bahman. He bade adieu to her
and Prince Perviz for the last time and rode away. When he got into the
road, he never turned to the right hand nor to the left, but went
directly forward toward India. The twentieth day he perceived on the
roadside a hideous old man, who sat under a tree near a thatched house,
which was his retreat from the weather.

His eyebrows were as white as snow, as was also the hair of his head;
his whiskers covered his mouth, and his beard and hair reached down to
his feet. The nails of his hands and fee