462 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

his artificial apple fn the cure itself. Thus, then, as neither the
carpet, the ivory tube, nor the artificial apple possesses the least
preference the one over the other, but appear equally rare and
excellent, and I can bestow the Princess Nourounnihar only upon
one of you, you must yourselves be aware that the only advan-
tage you have derived from your travels is the glory of having
equally contributed to the re-establishment of her health.

“If this be the fact,’ continued the sultan, “you see that it
is necessary for me to have recourse to some other method to
determine me in my choice, and to point out to me on whom I
ought to bestow the princess; and as it is still some length of
time before the night will approach, I wish this affair to be
settled to-day. Let each of you, then, go and procure a bow and
one arrow, and repair to the great plain without the walls, where
the horses are exercised. I will prepare to go there myself ; and
I now declare, that I will give the Princess Nourounnihar in mar-
triage to him who shall shoot his arrow to the greatest distance.”

The three princes had nothing to say in reply to the decision
which the sultan had pronounced. When they had left his pre-
sence, they each furnished themselves with a bow and arrow,
which they gave to one of their attendants, who had all assembled
as soon as they heard of their arrival ; and they all repaired to
the plain, followed by an innumerable crowd of people.

The sultan did not make them wait ; and as soon as he wag
arrived, Prince’ Houssain, as being the eldest, took his bow and
made the first shot. Prince Ali then drew his, and the arrow
fell at some little distance beyond that of Houssain ; Prince
Ahmed shot the last, but the arrow went out of sight, and no
one saw it fall. They ran and searched about, but notwith-
standing all the care and diligence of the surrounding people,
and of Prince Ahmed himself, the arrow could nowhere, either
far or near, be discovered. Although it was most probable that
this arrow had been shot to a greater distance, and that he in
consequence deserved the hand of the princess, yet, as it waS
necessary for the arrow to be found to render that fact quite
certain, notwithstanding every remonstrance he could use with
the sultan, the latter did not hesitate to determine in favour of
Prince Ali. He therefore gave orders to have the preparations
made to celebrate the nuptials, which were solemnized in a few
days with the greatest magnificence.