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Shishu Sansaar | Arabian Nights Stories-2

Arabian Nights Stories-2

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Story No 43-4/6

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43-4 - Prince Kamaraal Zamaan and the Princess of China (4 of 6) :
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 the Princess also got up. The Prince told her 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 years 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 and 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 little better 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 the Princess?

The Prince followed the bird 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 with an open gate. 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 had 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 you would never reach you 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 you could easily go to your country. A ship sailed to that island every year and that might take you 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 and wept in the night.
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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.

After it was 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 not 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 her unkindness. Besides she was also not sure whether she would find the Prince in his own country or not. Considering all this she decided 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 will 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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Created by Sushma Gupta on January 15, 2002
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 09/19/13