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Story No 43-3/6

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43-3 - Prince Kaamaraal Zamaan and the Princess of China (3 of 6):
The Princess' Brother Searches For the Prince

Now the Princess of China had a nurse and the nurse had a son named Maarzvaan, who was the foster brother of the Princess and was brought up with her. They were good friends also. Maarzvaan was interested in astrology like secret arts and learned a lot from masters and was still thirsty for knowledge. He came back to his country after quite some time, and he saw many heads placed on the gate of the city through which he entered the city. He asked about those heads and his sister also. People told him many things. As he came home his mother told him everything. He asked his mother if she could arrange a private meeting with the Princess without the knowledge of the King. She said she would try.

She was the only person who could go to the Princess without the permission of the officer. She said to him - "You know that I have brought up the Princess and I myself also have a daughter of same age. They are friends since childhood, since my daughter is married the Princess has not been able to see her for some time, but she still loves her. She would love to see my daughter without being seen by anybody else." The officer said - "I can do anything for the pleasure of the Princess. Go and bring your daughter at midnight and I will open the gate for you."

When midnight came, the nurse took her son in the guise of a girl to the Princess. The guard opened the gate and they entered the palace. The nurse first went to the Princess and said - "O Princess, This is not a woman, but my son who has returned from his travels just now and wants to kiss your hand. I hope your highness will admit him to that honor." "What? My brother Maarzvaan has come to see me? Take off my veil. Oh, We will see each after quite a time."

Maarzvaan came in and both were very happy to see each other. Maarzvaan said - "I am happy to say that I have brought the remedy for you, you are in so much of need." He took out a book and some other things. Seeing them the Princess cried out - "So you also think that I am mad, but I am not; and listen to me." Then the Princess told him the whole story including the exchange of the ring. Maarzvaan said - "If whatever you say is correct, which I believe is true, you will have to keep some patience. Let me visit those countries which I have not visited so far and then we might find some solution." He took leave from the Princess and set out for his new journey. He went from city to city, island to island but he heard only about the Princess.

After four months, he arrived at Torf, a seaport town, where he heard no more of Badooraa the Princess of China, but where all were talking about the Prince Kaamaraal Zamaan. He got very happy to know this and he tried to find where he could see the Prince. He could go by land or by sea, the sea path was shorter; so he embarked on a merchant ship and would have arrived at the capital safely, when just before arriving at the port, it collided with a rock and sunk just in front of the Prince Kaamaraal's castle. Maarzvaan was a good swimmer so he came on the shore safely. He changed his clothes and after his arrival in the city he was introduced to the Vazeer.

Vazeer was very satisfied with his conduct and knowledge, so he said to him - "You are no common man. You have traveled a great way.  Have you learned about treating a sick man too." Maarzvaan said - "If I know what the ailment is, perhaps I can be of some help." The Vazeer related the whole story of the Prince Kaamaraal in detail. Maarzvaan got very happy to hear the account of the sickness of the Prince, because luckily by shipwreck, he had found the person he was looking for. He had no doubt in his mind that this was the same Prince he was looking for. He immediately expressed his desire to see him. The Vazeer took him to the Prince. The Sultaan was also with him.

As he saw the Prince lying on the bed his eyes shut, he could not help saying, "What can be a greater resemblance?" As the Prince heard him, he opened his eyes. Maarzvaan said a short verse in compliment, neither the Sultaan nor the Vazeer could understand it, but Kaamaraal got so happy to hear the verse, that he asked his father to move from his place and asked Maarzvaan to sit at his place. The Sultaan asked about him and he told that he had come from China. He said - "If you will be able to cure my son I will reward to your satisfaction." And he went away so that Maarzvaan could treat him freely.

Maarzvaan said to the Prince - "Now there is no need to be sad. The lady you wish for is Princess Badooraa, the daughter of Gaioor, the King of China, because you both have experienced the same thing on the same night. But Your Highness is the only person who could cure you effectively. For this you will have to travel to China. But before you can undertake this great voyage you should be all right, so think of the recovery of your health first." Prince got so happy with this conversation that he got up and dressed himself in nice clothes. This gave a great relief to the Sultaan. He embraced Maarzvaan and ordered to rejoice Prince's recovery in his kingdom. He set all prisoners free, gave lots of alms to the poor.

The Prince soon started recovering and when he felt comfortable to take this long journey, he asked Maarzvaan to take him to China, but there was one difficulty - how to take leave from the Sultaan. Maarzvaan said - "Don't worry about that, I will manage it. I have my duty to you and the Princess. You have not gone out for some time so take the leave to go for hunting for 2-3 days. Your father should surely grant your request. Then arrange for two good horses - one for mounting and the other to change; and leave the rest to me."

Next day the Prince asked the Sultaan's permission to go for hunting, which the Sultaan readily gave but with the caution that he wouldn't stay out for more than one night which might cause his ill health as he was still not perfectly all right. He then ordered for all necessary things for his travel and the Prince got ready to go. They started their journey. When the night fell, they stayed in an inn. They had dinner there and slept till midnight. Then Maarzvaan gave him his own suit to wear and to take another for himself. They mounted the fresh horses and ran fast. At daybreak they were in a forest.

Maarzvaan asked the Prince to wait for him. He then killed the Prince's horse, torn his suit, smeared it with blood, threw it on the highway. The Prince asked the reason for this, at this Maarzvaan said - "Very soon your father will know that you have not returned and will try to know about what had happened to you. He will send his people to search for you. When they will come to this place, they will see these blood stained clothes and tell him that the wild beasts have eaten you. Thus I will escape the Sultaan's anger. The Sultaan will then stop searching you and we will be able to do our work safely. This is a violent way of proceeding to alarm an old father with the death of his son, but his joy will be greater when he will know that his son is alive and well."

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Created by Sushma Gupta on January 15, 2002
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 09/19/13