The transformation of the eldest prince had no sooner taken place than the ring pressed hard upon the finger of the second, who exclaimed, “Alas! alas! my brother is lost; but I will travel, and endeavour to find out his condition.”  It was in vain that the sultan his father, and the sultana his mother, remonstrated.  He departed after he had delivered the magical ring to his younger brother, and journeyed till he reached the cage of the bird; who having ensnared him to pronounce the word lodge, scattered some earth upon his head, when he, also, immediately became transformed into stone.

At this instant the youngest prince was sitting at a banquet with his father; when the ring pressed so hard to his finger, as to put him to much pain.  He rose up, and exclaimed, “There is no refuge or asylum but with God; for his we are, and to him we must return.”  The sultan, upon this, inquired the cause of his grief; when he said, “My brother has perished.”

The old sultan was loudly lamenting the loss of his two children, when the youngest continued, “I will travel and learn the fate of my brothers.”  “Alas!” said the father, “is it not enough that I have lost them, but thou also wilt rush into destruction?  I entreat thee not to leave me.”  “Father,” replied the prince, “fate impels me to search for my brothers, whom, perhaps, I may recover; but if I fail, I shall only have done my duty.”  Having said this, he departed, in spite of the tears and lamentations of his parents, and travelled till he had reached the residence of the bird; where he found his brothers transformed into images of stone.  At sunset the bird began its usual tone; but the prince suspecting some deceit, forbore to speak, till at length the Bulbul retired to his cage, and fell asleep; when watching the opportunity, the prince darted upon it, and fastened the door.  The bird awoke at the noise, and seeing himself caught, said, “Thou hast won the prize, O glorious son of a mighty sultan!” “If so,” exclaimed the prince, “inform me by what means thou hast enchanted so many persons as I see around me changed into images of marble, and how I may release them from their unhappy state.”  “Behold,” replied the bird, “yonder two heaps of earth, one white and the other blue.  The blue enchants, and the other will recover from transformation.”

The prince immediately took up handfuls of the white earth, and scattering it over the numerous images, they instantly became animated and restored to all their functions.  He embraced his two brothers, and received their thanks; also those of the sons of many sultans, bashaws, and great personages, for giving them new life.  They informed him that near the spot was a city, all the inhabitants of which had been, like them, transformed into stone.  To this he repaired, and having relieved them from their enchantment, the people out of gratitude made him rich presents, and would have chosen him for their sovereign, but he declined their offer, and resolved to conduct his brothers in safety to their father.