Bahman's departure, the Princess Perie-zadeh
always wore the knife and sheath in her girdle, and pulled it out
several times a day, to know whether her brother was yet alive. She
had the consolation to find he was in perfect health, and to talk of
him frequently with Prince Perviz.

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 much horror that she
threw it down.

"Ah! my dear brother," cried she, "woe's me! I have been the cause of
your death, and shall never see you more! Why did I tell you of the
speaking-bird, the singing-tree, and yellow-water! Why did I allow my
peace to be disturbed by the idle tales of a silly old woman!"

Prince Perviz was as much afflicted at the death of Prince Bahman as
the princess; but as he knew that she still passionately desired
possession of the speaking-bird, the singing-tree, and the
golden-water, he interrupted her, saying, "Sister, our regret for our
brother is vain and useless; our grief and lamentations cannot restore
him to life. It is the will of God. We must submit to it, and adore
the decrees of the Almighty without searching into them. Why should
you now doubt of the truth of what the holy woman told you? Our
brother's death is probably owing to some error on his part. I am
determined to know the truth, and am resolved myself to undertake this
search. To-morrow I shall set out."

The princess did all she could to dissuade Prince Perviz, conjuring
him not to expose her to the danger of losing two brothers; but all
the remonstrances she could urge had no effect upon him. Before he
went, that she might know what success he had, he left her a string of
a hundred pearls, telling her, that if they would not run when she
should count them upon the string, but remain fixed, that would be a
certain sign he had undergone the same fate as his brother; but at the
same time told her he hoped it would never happen, but that he should
have the happiness to see her again to their mutual satisfaction.

Prince Perviz, on the twentieth day after his departure, met the same
dervish in the same place as had his brother Bahman before him, and
asked of him the same question. The dervish urged the same
difficulties and re