18- Three Princes - Page 2

brothers. While he lamented their unhappy fate with
showers of tears, the recollection of his own perilous situation,
in the power of their murderer, filled his mind with terror; but
after the agonies of thought were over, the natural courage of a
princely heart rose in his bosom, and he meditated how to revenge
the death of his brothers on the savage infidel. An opportunity
happened that same night. The prince having composed his mind,
finished his work, and when the Jew arrived to examine it,
dissembled so well, that no appearance of his inward melancholy
was displayed. The Jew applauded his diligence, and taking him
home, made him sit down to supper with himself and family,
consisting of a wife and two young lads. It being the middle of
summer, and the weather sultry, they retired to sleep on the open
terrace of the house, which was very lofty. In the dead of night,
when the Jew and his family were fast locked in the arms of
slumber, the prince, who had purposely kept himself awake, seized
the sabre of the treacherous infidel, and with a dexterous blow
struck off his head; then snatching up the two children, hurled
them headlong from the terrace, so that their brains were dashed
out on the stone pavement of the court below. He then uplifted
the sabre to destroy the Jew's wife, but the thought that she
might be of use to him withheld his hand. He awoke her gently,
commanded her to make no noise, and follow him down stairs,
where, by degrees, he informed her of his adventures, the
discovery he had made of the murder of his brothers, and his
revenge on her treacherous husband and ill-fated children, whom,
however, he would not have destroyed had he not been apprehensive
of their cries alarming the neighbourhood. The Moosulmaun woman,
for such she secretly was, did not regard the death of the wicked
Jew, who had married her against her will, and often used her
with great harshness, and her sorrows for the children were
softened by the salvation of her own life. She also felt
sentiments of tenderness towards the prince, whose injuries in
the murder of his unfortunate brothers had compelled him to
revenge, and felt herself obliged to his mercy in letting her
live. She now informed him that in the Jew's laboratory were many
valuable medicines, and among them the very water of life he was
in search of; which intelligence was most gratifying to the
prince, who offered to take the woman under his protection, and
she willingly consented to accompany him to a country inhabited
by true believers. Having packed up the medicines, with some
valuable jewels, and put them, with various refreshments and
necessaries, on two camels, they mounted and left the city
undiscovered, nor did any accident occur on