登陆注册
5158000000092

第92章 The Story Of The Sham Prince, Or The Ambitious Tai

But the queen interrupted him, 'That is not my son!' she cried.

'That is not the face the Prophet has shown me in my dreams!'

Just as the king was about to reason with her, the door was thrown violently open, and Prince Omar rushed in, followed by his keepers, whom he had managed to get away from.He flung himself down before the throne, panting out, 'Here will I die; kill me at once, cruel father, for I cannot bear this shame any longer.'

Everyone pressed round the unhappy man, and the guards were about to seize him, when the queen, who at first was dumb with surprise, sprang up from her throne.

'Hold!' cried she.'This and no other is the right one; this is the one whom my eyes have never yet seen, but whom my heart recognises.'

The guards had stepped back, but the king called to them in a furious voice to secure the madman.

'It is I who must judge,' he said in tones of command; 'and this matter cannot be decided by women's dreams, but by certain unmistakable signs.This one' (pointing to Labakan) 'is my son, for it was he who brought me the token from my friend Elfi--the dagger.'

'He stole it from me,' shrieked Omar; 'he betrayed my unsuspicious confidence.'

But the king would not listen to his son's voice, for he had always been accustomed to depend on his own judgment.He let the unhappy Omar be dragged from the hall, whilst he himself retired with Labakan to his own rooms, full of anger with the queen his wife, in spite of their many years of happy life together.

The queen, on her side, was plunged in grief, for she felt certain that an impostor had won her husband's heart and taken the place of her real son.

When the first shock was over she began to think how she could manage to convince the king of his mistake.Of course it would be a difficult matter, as the man who declared he was Omar had produced the dagger as a token, besides talking of all sorts of things which happened when he was a child.She called her oldest and wisest ladies about her and asked their advice, but none of them had any to give.At last one very clever old woman said: 'Did not the young man who brought the dagger call him whom your majesty believes to be your son Labakan, and say he was a crazy tailor? '

'Yes,' replied the queen; 'but what of that?'

'Might it not be,' said the old lady, 'that the impostor has called your real son by his own name? If this should be the case, I know of a capital way to find out the truth.'

And she whispered some words to the queen, who seemed much pleased, and went off at once to see the king.

Now the queen was a very wise woman, so she pretended to think she might have made a mistake, and only begged to be allowed to put a test to the two young men to prove which was the real prince.

The king, who was feeling much ashamed of the rage he had been in with his dear wife, consented at once, and she said: 'No doubt others would make them ride or shoot, or something of that sort, but every one learns these things.I wish to set them a task which requires sharp wits and clever hands, and I want them to try which of them can best make a kaftan and pair of trousers.'

The king laughed.'No, no, that will never do.Do you suppose my son would compete with that crazy tailor as to which could make the best clothes? Oh, dear, no, that won't do at all.'

But the queen claimed his promise, and as he was a man of his word the king gave in at last.He went to his son and begged that he would humour his mother, who had set her heart on his making a kaftan.

The worthy Labakan laughed to himself.'If that is all she wants,'

thought he, 'her majesty will soon be pleased to own me.'

Two rooms were prepared, with pieces of material, scissors, needles and threads, and each young man was shut up in one of them.

The king felt rather curious as to what sort of garment his son would make, and the queen, too, was very anxious as to the result of her experiment.

On the third day they sent for the two young men and their work.

Labakan came first and spread out his kaftan before the eyes of the astonished king.'See, father,' he said; 'see, my honoured mother, if this is not a masterpiece of work.I'll bet the court tailor himself cannot do better.

The queen smiled and turned to Omar: 'And what have you done, my son?'

Impatiently he threw the stuff and scissors down on the floor.'Ihave been taught how to manage a horse, to draw a sword, and to throw a lance some sixty paces, but I never learnt to sew, and such a thing would have been thought beneath the notice of the pupil of Elfi Bey, the ruler of Cairo.'

'Ah, true son of your father,' cried the queen; 'if only I might embrace you and call you son! Forgive me, my lord and husband,'

she added, turning to the king, 'for trying to find out the truth in this way.Do you not see yourself now which is the prince and which the tailor? Certainly this kaftan is a very fine one, but I should like to know what master taught this young man how to make clothes.'

The king sat deep in thought, looking now at his wife and now at Labakan, who was doing his best to hide his vexation at his own stupidity.At last the king said: 'Even this trial does not satisfy me;but happily I know of a sure way to discover whether or not I have been deceived.'

He ordered his swiftest horse to be saddled, mounted, and rode off alone into a forest at some little distance.Here lived a kindly fairy called Adolzaide, who had often helped the kings of his race with her good advice, and to her he betook himself.

In the middle of the forest was a wide open space surrounded by great cedar trees, and this was supposed to be the fairy's favourite spot.When the king reached this place he dismounted, tied his horse to the tree, and standing in the middle of the open place said:

'If it is true that you have helped my ancestors in their time of need, do not despise their descendant, but give me counsel, for that of men has failed me.'

同类推荐
  • 明道杂志

    明道杂志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十诵羯磨比丘要用

    十诵羯磨比丘要用

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 七佛所说神咒经

    七佛所说神咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 类证活人书

    类证活人书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 四十二章经

    四十二章经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 肯堂医论

    肯堂医论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 别笑,我是高分创意作文(高中生越写越聪明的作文宝典)

    别笑,我是高分创意作文(高中生越写越聪明的作文宝典)

    牛顿之所以能成为伟大的科学家,其原因在于他能站在巨人的肩膀上!今天,你也可以站在巨人的肩膀上,去攀登作文的高峰。本书不仅有名师、名家的技法解析指导,更有大量的满分佳作和素材库,让你拥有别人难以企及的高度,从而更轻松地登上作文的高峰。
  • 凌睿,是你赠我美丽泡沫

    凌睿,是你赠我美丽泡沫

    美丽温柔的少女柳含曦,从小在修道院长大。在执行一次工作任务中,一把尖刀对准了含曦。千钧一发之际,年轻帅气的凌睿救下了她,让她与死神擦肩而过。含曦对凌睿有莫名好感,却发现他是当红影星柳如烟的男朋友。她如遭雷击,柳如烟正是当年抛下她的亲生母亲。他们再次相遇,冰释前嫌。
  • 超级妖龙分身

    超级妖龙分身

    荒古大地以武为尊,妖兽遍地。叶林意外获得一具妖龙分身,吞万物化元精,从此叶林杀戮天地四海,一柄长剑力破虚空。
  • 会昌解颐录

    会昌解颐录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 莎车府乡土志

    莎车府乡土志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 战争的艺术

    战争的艺术

    安托万·亨利·若米尼(AntoineHenri Jomini,1779.3.61869.3.22),军事理论家,法国拿破仑时期的将军,俄国步兵上将。
  • 高道李真果

    高道李真果

    《高道李真果》是一部传记体小说,塑造了一个极富神秘色彩的传奇人物——李真果,他遍读圣贤经典,问道玄门绝学,精练各派武术,集武功、丹道、道家医术绝学于一身。本书以社会性质截然不同的几个时代为背景,通过传主所经历的清朝末年、民国时期、抗日战争、新中国成立和改革开放初期等历史巨大变迁,讲述大道士李真果穿越百年、历经艰辛磨难的传奇人生,彰显其爱国爱教、悬壶济世的美德,全面而真实生动地反映他“忧以天下,乐以天下”、载道行道的修真之旅和中华民族精神及人格风范。
  • 凤归:医相倾国

    凤归:医相倾国

    “只要我活着,我便会让你们生不如死!”地牢里,她被日夜鞭打、饱受精神折磨九十九天,终于得以脱身。*——*——*穿成一个丑女,董书香蛋疼后淡定如斯。要嫁姐姐她必须填房?目睹一场‘暴力围攻’。两个哥哥要考举做官必须赚钱?赚钱法子一个接一个。奈何...天下大乱,征兵起。一场血战,亲人离。她不仅是丑女,还成了瞎子。*——*——*三年后,那一年,他成了皇上钦点的首席医官。那一年,他是四国商会的神秘主人。那一年,他踏上朝堂斗权贵,节节高升。......*——*——*
  • 换票儿

    换票儿

    龙七爷踱出茶馆,看到县公署门前围聚着一群人。他蹊跷地眯起眼睛,老老地朝人群那边看看,“喀巴喀巴”转动两圈左手的核桃,而后“歘歘歘歘”地朝人群走去。龙七爷年过花甲,依旧体健腿轻,走路像是竞走,带动得脑后一条小辫子左摇右摆,如同喝醉了酒。看到天福号饭庄大掌柜的走来,人们的目光都聚焦在龙七爷身上。就像龙七爷是块磁石,他们的眼睛是铁球,眼神复杂,有的惊恐,有的忧伤,有的企盼,有的彷徨。龙七爷扫视一圈各色人脸,目光落到一个年轻人脸上,问:“怎么回事?”