Princess Lila Part-II
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The second brother, Ali chose the road which led to the old city of Shiraz. It was a beautiful city with splendid buildings. It had many shops selling beautiful, handcrafted goods. However, none seemed to meet his requirements.
He reached a shop selling telescopes. He thought, `I am sure the princess has never seen a spy-glass before. Let me get one for her.
`Show me the best spy-glass you have,’ he told the merchant. The merchant showed him a rusty old telescope.
`This is so ugly’, said Ali.
`This is my most valuable spy-glass worth five hundred pieces of gold,’ said the shopkeeper, `it looks ugly, but it is a magic telescope.’
`If you look through it you can see any person, place or thing that you wish to see,’ said the man.
Ali took the spy-glass. `Let me see my father, the sultan,’ he commanded. Immediately he saw the Sultan’s palace and his father consulting with his advisors.
`Now I would like to see Princess Lila,’ he ordered.
The glass went blank. Slowly Princess Lila emerged. She was dancing her garden, pretty as a picture.
Ali was thrilled! My brothers can never match my gift. He was happy to handover the gold to the merchant. He set off jauntily towards the spot where they had parted.
In the meantime, the youngest son, Ahmed reached the famous city of Samarkand. It was even more beautiful than the other cities. Ahmed admired the fine city. He then headed for the marketplace. He went from shop to shop, but nowhere could he find a suitable gift for the princes.
`An apple for give hundred pieces of gold .A magic apple is going cheap at only five hundred!’
Ahmed stopped in his tracks.
`Why would a mere apple be worth so much?’ he asked the seller.
`This is a golden apple,’ said the man.
`Even so, it is not worth five hundred pieces of gold,’ said Ahmed.
`It has magical properties,’ said the apple –seller.
`If a sick person smells this apple he will get well at once.’
`That Ahamed be so,’ said Ahamed.
`Take this apple my boy. You will not regret it,’ said the apple –seller. `There is none like it. If at any time you are displeased with it come to this place and will return your gold.’
Hesitantly Ahamed bought the apple and started homewards.
All three brothers met the appointed place. They hugged each other. They had been parted for one long year.
`Can I see Princess Lila through your spy-glass?’ asked Akbar.
He looked through the glass and had a worried frown on his face. `All is not well, my brothers. The princess is very ill, and may well die.’
`My apple can save her!’ shouted Ahamed Jubilantly.
`Yes, but we have a long way to travel we may not reach her in time,’ said Ali.
`Get onto carpet,’ said Akbar proudly.
Soon they were flying through the night sky. The carpet over Baghdad and landed on the princess’ palace wall.
Ahmed ran into the princess’ chamber and held the apple to her nose. Lila slowly opened her eyes. The brothers were overjoyed!
They returned to the Sultan’s palace. They narrated all that had happened and showed him their gifts.
`This is the magic carpet, father that saved Princess Lila’s life. It transported us here in the nick of time.’
`My gift was more useful,’ said Ali. `Without the spy-glass we would not have known the princess was ill.’
`Actually, father, it was the apple which saved her life,’ said Ahmed.
The sultan was placed in a difficult position once again. Which gift was worthier? Each gift had played a part in saving Lila.
The sultan called his sons one by one.
`Akbar, if you marry Lila will you gift the carpet?’ he asked his eldest son.
`No father. I cannot do that. If she has the carpet she will fly away and I may never find her,’
When Ali was called, the sultan posed the same question. `Will you gift spy-glass to the princess?’
`What good will it does her?’ said Ali. `She will not look at me. She may see someone better –looking than me. Then she will leave me. If, I keep the glass I can see her whenever I want.’
I can see her whenever I want.’
The youngest son, Ahmed readily agreed to give the apple to Lila.’
`Tell me, Ahamed, why would you want to present her with the apple?’
`If the apple is with her,’ said Ahmed, `she will never fall sick. If she remains healthy she will remain happy. Her happiness is my happiness.’
The sultan made his decision `You, Ahmed love the princess the most, you will marry her.’