43-4
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Prince Kamaraal
Zamaan and the Princess of China:
Loss of Talismaan
Soon
Maarzvaan brought the Prince to China. Both, the Prince and the Princess
got very happy to see each other. The King of China was also got happy to see
his daughter cured, so he married his daughter to the Prince and both
started living happily.
Soon
after the marriage, Prince Kaamaraal Zamaan dreamt one night that his
father Shaah Zamaan was on the death bed and was calling him - "My
son, Oh my son whom I loved so dearly, has abandoned me." The Prince
awoke suddenly and with him got up the Princess also. The Prince told his
dream. So next morning she went to her father to take leave to see her
father-in-law. Her father did not want to part with her, but seeing the
situation he allowed her to go with her husband, but asked her to come
back in a year time.
The
King of China made the preparation for journey, rather he himself went with
them for several days. The Prince and the Princess traveled for a month and at
last came to a meadow where the weather was warm so the Prince thought to camp
there. The servants pitched the tents and the Princess got at ease by
loosing her girdle and went to sleep. The Prince also came there to intend to
sleep, but observed the girdle lying by her. He took it up and looked at
the diamonds and rubies studded in it. He noticed a purse also hanging to
it. He opened the purse an found a carnelian engraved with unknown
figures and characters.
He
thought that this carnelian should be very valuable otherwise she would
not have carried it in her girdle. In fact, it was Badooraa's Talismaan
which her mother gave to her as a charm to keep her safe as long as she
had her. The Prince wanted to look at that Talismaan nicely so he took it
out to the light, and when he was holding it out, a bird came and snatched
it away from him. This made him very troubled - what will he reply to her?
The
Prince followed her but as he advanced the bird also flew forward. At last
she perched on a high tree. Now the Prince was helpless so he decided to
come back, but which way he should take to come back? He could not decide
so he lay down under a tree and passed the night there. He woke up early
in the morning, before the bird left the tree. The bird again flew and the
Prince again followed her with no success for the whole day eating only
fruits. He did this for 10 days keeping an eye on her day and night. On
the 11th day she came near a great city, she flew over the wall, the
Prince lost her sight and so lost the hope to get the Princess' Talismaan.
The
Prince was very much grieved, he entered the city. The city was built by
the seaside. He roamed around aimlessly. At last he came to its port.
There he saw a garden whose gate was open. An old gardener was working
there. He looked at the Prince, thought him a stranger, so he let him in
and shut the door. He asked him why was he so cautious? The gardener said
- "You look like a stranger to me and a Muslim too and this city
belongs to idolaters. Here they do not treat the Muslims very well. It is
a miracle that you have come so far safely.
Then he
said - "You look tired, refresh yourself, and take some rest." Prince
ate heartily and then the gardener asked him what brought him there. The
Prince told him the whole story and then asked him how near was his
father's territory. He said - "It seems in vain to find my Princess
after wandering for 11 days in this wilderness. I don't know even whether
she is alive or not."
The
gardener said - "There is no way to go there by land because the
roads are difficult, journey is long, and you will have to cross many
barbarous kingdoms that he would never reach his father's nation. It was a
year's journey from that city to any country where only Muslim lived. The
shortest route will be to go to the Island of Ebony, from where he could
easily go to his own country. A ship sailed to that island every year and
that might take him to those islands. One ship left only a few days ago,
if you could come here earlier... but for now you will have to wait for a
year and till then you can stay with me taking it as your own
house." The Prince was happy that he met such a good person in the
country of strangers. He stayed there till the next ship was about to
leave. He worked in the garden for the whole day wept in the night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now
the Princess slept for a long time and when she awoke she did not find the
Prince with her. She asked her slaves if they saw him, they said that they
saw him entering the tent but did not see him coming out of the tent. As
she was talking to them she took up her girdle and found her little purse
open and the Talismaan gone. She knew for sure that the Prince might have
taken it out to see it, and he would bring it back with him only.
After
it went dark, and the Prince didn't come back she became sad and cursed the Talismaan and the maker of it. Only she and her slaves knew that he had
gone, because his men were still sleeping in their tents. She
thought lest the men betray her, she warned her slaves to do anything
which might create any suspicion in their mind. She dressed herself in the
guise of the Prince and ordered them to pack their baggage and begin their
journey.
They
traveled for several months by land and by sea, the Princess under
the name of Kaamaraal Zamaan. They came to the Island of Ebony on their
way. Its King was Aramaanos. People informed that the Prince Kaamaraal
Zamaan has landed in the city. The King immediately went to the Prince to
meet him. He received the Princess as if he was welcoming the Prince of
his friend. He made the arrangements of her stay in a private house and
entertained her for three days. After three days she was to continue her
journey, so when she was alone, the King said to her - "You see,
Prince, I am old and have no son of my own. I have only a daughter -
Princess Haital Nefoos. She is very beautiful. Instead of looking for her
a husband here and
there, you stay back here, marry her and accept my crown. Nothing will
give me greater pleasure than to marry my daughter to you and to have an
heir in you."
This
offer put the Princess in confusion. She thought it was not appropriate to
deceive for a lady of such a rank like hers. She found difficult also to
refuse his offer because that showed his unkindness. Besides she was not
sure whether she would find the Prince in his own country or not. Considering all
this she determined to accept the proposal of the King of the Island of
Ebony, King Aramaanos. After a brief silence she said - "I am very much
honored for this honor you conferred upon me, but I have a condition that Your
Majesty will give me some time to decide. So the marriage ceremony was put off for
the next day.
The
Princess told everything to the men so that they should be aware of what
was happening and kept her slaves also under her confidence. The King was
also very happy that he had got an heir. Next day he called his council
and announced the marriage of his daughter to the son of his friend. And
after this marriage, he descended from the throne, crowned the Princess
and asked his people to treat his son-in-law as their King. He descended
from the throne and the Princess ascended the throne. As soon as the
council broke up, the new King was proclaimed and the people of the
kingdom rejoiced for several days.
Now
when the two beauties were alone, she opened the secret to the new
Princess and asked her to keep it which she promised faithfully to do. The
new Princess said - "Princess, Your fate is really strange. I pray that
you get your husband soon and I can keep this secret till you get him. I will happily
assist you and you continue to rule. I ask you a favor that you treat me
as your friend." "So be it."
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