Your perspective glass , Prince Ali , informed you and your brothers that you were like to lose the Princess your cousin , and there you must own a great obligation . `` You must also grant that that knowledge would have been of no service without the artificial apple and the tapestry . And lastly , Prince Houssain , the Princess would be very ungrateful if she should not show her acknowledgment of the service of your tapestry , which was so necessary a means toward her cure . But consider , it would have been of little use if you had not been acquainted with the Princess 's illness by Prince Ali 's glass , and Prince Ahmed had not applied his artificial apple . Therefore , as neither tapestry , ivory perspective glass , nor artificial apple have the least preference one before the other , but , on the contrary , there 's a perfect equality , I can not grant the Princess to any one of you ; and the only fruit you have reaped from your travels is the glory of having equally contributed to restore her health . `` If all this be true , '' added the Sultan , `` you see that I must have recourse to other means to determine certainly in the choice I ought to make among you ; and that , as there is time enough between this and night , I 'll do it to-day . Go and get each of you a bow and arrow , and repair to the great plain , where they exercise horses . I 'll soon come to you , and declare I will give the Princess Nouronnihar to him that shoots the farthest . '' The three Princes had nothing to say against the decision of the Sultan . When they were out of his presence they each provided themselves with a bow and arrow , which they delivered to one of their officers , and went to the plain appointed , followed by a great concourse of people . The Sultan did not make them wait long for him , and as soon as he arrived Prince Houssain , as the eldest , took his bow and arrow and shot first ; Prince Ali shot next , and much beyond him ; and Prince Ahmed last of all , but it so happened that nobody could see where his arrow fell ; and , notwithstanding all the diligence that was used by himself and everybody else , it was not to be found far or near . And though it was believed that he shot the farthest , and that he therefore deserved the Princess Nouronnihar , it was , however , necessary that his arrow should be found to make the matter more evident and certain ; and , notwithstanding his remonstrance , the Sultan judged in favor of Prince Ali , and gave orders for preparations to be made for the wedding , which was celebrated a few days after with great magnificence . Prince Houssain would not honor the feast with his presence . In short , his grief was so violent and insupportable that he left the Court , and renounced all right of succession to the crown , to turn hermit . Prince Ahmed , too , did not come to Prince Ali 's and the Princess Nouronnihar 's wedding any more than his brother Houssain , but did not renounce the world as he had done . But , as he could not imagine what had become of his arrow , he stole away from his attendants and resolved to search after it , that he might not have anything to reproach himself with . With this intent he went to the place where the Princes Houssain 's and Ali 's were gathered up , and , going straight forward from there , looking carefully on both sides of him , he went so far that at last he began to think his labor was all in vain ; but yet he could not help going forward till he came to some steep craggy rocks , which were bounds to his journey , and were situated in a barren country , about four leagues distant from where he set out . II When Prince Ahmed came pretty nigh to these rocks he perceived an arrow , which he gathered up , looked earnestly at it , and was in the greatest astonishment to find it was the same he shot away . `` Certainly , '' said he to himself , `` neither I nor any man living could shoot an arrow so far , '' and , finding it laid flat , not sticking into the ground , he judged that it rebounded against the rock . `` There must be some mystery in this , '' said he to himself again , `` and it may be advantageous to me .
Perhaps fortune , to make me amends for depriving me XXXXX what I thought the greatest happiness , may have reserved a greater blessing for my comfort . ''
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