t were grown to an extensive
length, while a flat, broad umbrella covered his head. He had no
clothes, but only a mat thrown round his body. This old man was a
dervish for so many years retired from the world to give himself up
entirely to the service of God that at last he had become what we have
described.

Prince Bahman, who had been all that morning very attentive, to see if
he could meet with anybody who could give him information of the place
he was in search of, stopped when he came near the dervish, alighted, in
conformity to the directions which the devout woman had given the
Princess Periezade, and leading his horse by the bridle, advanced toward
him and saluting him, said: "God prolong your days, good father, and
grant you the accomplishment of your desires."

The dervish returned the prince's salutation, but so unintelligibly that
he could not understand one word he said and Prince Bahman, perceiving
that this difficulty proceeded from the dervish's whiskers hanging over
his mouth, and unwilling to go any further without the instructions he
wanted, pulled out a pair of scissors he had about him, and having tied
his horse to a branch of the tree, said: "Good dervish, I want to have
some talk with you, but your whiskers prevent my understanding what you
say; and if you will consent, I will cut off some part of them and of
your eyebrows, which disfigure you so much that you look more like a
bear than a man."

The dervish did not oppose the offer, and when the prince had cut off as
much hair as he thought fit, he perceived that the dervish had a good
complexion, and that he was not as old as he seemed. "Good dervish,"
said he, "if I had a glass I would show you how young you look: you are
now a man, but before, nobody could tell what you were."

The kind behaviour of Prince Bahman made the dervish smile and return
his compliment. "Sir," said he, "whoever you are, I am obliged by the
good office you have performed, and am ready to show my gratitude by
doing anything in my power for you. You must have alighted here upon
some account or other. Tell me what it is, and I will endeavour to serve
you."

"Good dervish," replied Prince Bahman, "I am in search of the Talking
Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water; I know these three
rarities are not far from hence, but cannot tell exactly the place where
they are to be found; if you know, I conjure you to show me the way,
that I may not lose my labour after so