Then Badialzaman returned to Morhagian’s room, and found him snoring so loud that everything around him shook.  The prince entered, though not without trembling, and walked over him till he was able to seize the sword when he struck him a violent blow on the neck.  Morhagian awoke, cursing his daughter, and cried out to the prince, whom he recognised, “Make an end of me.”  The prince answered that what he had done was enough, and he left him, and Morhagian died.

The prince carried off Morhagian’s sword, which he thought would be useful to him in other encounters; and as he went, he passed a magnificent stable in which he saw a splendid horse.  He returned to the fairy and related to her what he had done, and added that he would like to carry off the horse, but he feared it would be very difficult.  “Not so difficult as you think,” said she.  “Go and cut off some hair from his tail, and take care of it, and whenever you are in need, burn one or two of the hairs, and he will be with you immediately [and will bring you whatever you require].”

After this the three fairies assembled together, and the prince promised that the two princes, his brothers, should marry the other two sisters.  Each fairy reduced her palace to the size of a small ball, which she gave to the prince

The prince then took the three fairies to the bottom of the well.  His father, the Sultan, had long believed that he was dead, and had put on mourning for him.  His two brothers often came to the well, and they happened to be there just at the time.  Badialzaman attracted their attention by his shouts, told them what had happened, and added that he had brought the three fairies with him.  He asked for a rope and fastened the eldest fairy to it, calling out, “Pull away, Prince Rostam, I send you your good fortune.”  The rope was let down again, and he fastened the second fairy to it, calling out “Brother Gaiath Eddin, pull up your good fortune too.”

The third fairy, who was to marry Badialzaman, begged him to allow himself to be drawn up before her [as she was distrustful of his brothers], but he would not listen to her.  As soon as the two princes had drawn her up so high that they could see her, they began to dispute who should have her.  Then the fairy cried out to Badialzaman, “Prince, did I not warn you of this ?”

The princes were obliged to agree that the Sultan should settle their dispute.  When the third fairy had been drawn out of the well, the three fairies endeavoured to persuade the two princes to draw up their youngest brother, but they refused, and compelled them to follow them.  While they carried off the youngest princess, the other two asked leave to say adieu to Prince Badialzaman They cried out from the top of the well, “Prince have patience till Friday, when you will see six bulls pass by—­three red ones and three black ones.  Mount upon one of the red ones and he will bring you up to the earth, but take good care not to mount upon a black one, for he would carry you down to the Seventh Earth."[FN#435]