l stops, alight, leave your horse
with the bridle over his neck, and he will stand in the same place
till you return. As you ascend you will see on your right and left a
great number of large black stones, and will hear on all sides a
confusion of voices, which will utter a thousand injurious threats to
discourage you, and prevent your reaching the summit of the mountain.
Be not afraid; but above all things, do not turn your head to look
behind you; for in an instant you will be changed into such a black
stone as those you see, which are all youths who have failed in this
enterprise. If you escape the danger, of which I give you but a faint
idea, and get to the top of the mountain, you will see a cage, and in
that cage is the bird you seek; ask him which are the singing-tree and
the yellow-water, and he will tell you. I have nothing more to say,
except to beg you again not to expose your life, for the difficulty is
almost insuperable."

After these words, 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 gallop 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. He had not gone
four steps before he heard the voices mentioned by the dervish, though
he could see nobody. Some one said, "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, before, and on all sides,
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. His horse likewise, at the same
moment, underwent the same change.

From the time of Prince