Husain, Ali and Ahmed were the sons of the Sultan, who also had a beautiful niece, Noor-un-nihar, an orphan whom the Sultan brought up. The three Princes loved Noor, but the Sultan didn’t want them to marry her, for fear that they would quarrel. But when the Princes asked him to decide which of them she should marry, he gave them a task. “Travel to different kingdoms,” said the Sultan, “Bring back the most extraordinary thing you find as a gift for me, and then I will decide.” The Princes, disguised as merchants, promised to meet after one year at an inn on the outskirts of the city. Husain went to Bisnagar, an Indian port, famed for rich merchandise. A merchant was selling a carpet for thirty bags of gold! “It’s a magic carpet,” said the merchant, “Sit on it and it will fly you wherever you wish to go!” Husain had found a gift!
The Ivory Eye-Glass
Ali, the second brother, went to Shiraz, the capital of Persia, with a caravan. He posed as a jeweller from India, for Shiraz was famed for gold, silver, precious stones and many other items. He found a vendor trying to sell a tube made of ivory, with glass at each end, and was curious to know about it. It cost thirty bags of gold! “What’s special about it?” asked Ali. “Here! See for yourself!” said the vendor. Ali put the tube at one eye and peered into it. He saw his father, the Sultan! And then he saw Noor! The vendor smiled, “It’s very costly because, when you look through that eye-glass, you will be able to see whatever you wish to see!” Ali thought this was a very rare and extraordinary article and truly worthy to carry home as a gift for his father. So, he paid thirty bags of gold and bought it.
Ahmed reached Samarkand and there, he found a hawker selling an apple in the market for thirty five bags of gold! He wondered aloud why the apple should be so costly and the hawker said, “It is magical, sir! Just smelling its fragrance can cure the illness even of a dying person!” So, Ahmed bought it as a gift for his father. After a year, they all met at the inn and showed each other their special gifts. But Husain suddenly exclaimed, looking through the eye-glass, “Noor is ill! She’s dying!” The brothers sat on the magical carpet and were immediately transported to their father’s palace. Noor was indeed ill! Ahmed offered the fragrant apple and she revived suddenly! Now, it was a problem for the Sultan to decide the best gift. The eye-glass showed Noor to be ill; the carpet brought them home at once; and the apple revived her!
The Sultan had to find some way to decide which of his sons should marry Noor. So, he took them to a large field outside the city to hold a shooting contest using their bows and arrows. “Whoever shoots the arrow the farthest shall win Noor’s hand in marriage!” declared the Sultan. Husain shot first and it went far away to hit a tree. Ali’s arrow went even further and buried itself on a tree-trunk beyond Husain’s tree. Ahmed shot the next arrow and it vanished completely! No one could find it. The Sultan decided that since the arrow was missing, Ahmed could not be considered the winner. Ali’s arrow had been shot a greater distance away. Therefore, Noor’s hand was given in marriage to him. They lived happily there, while Ahmed left to search for the lost arrow. Husain became a disciple to a holy man for the rest of his life.
