With her last breath she drew in the odor of the apple. She opened her eyes and looked about her. "Why do I lie here?" she asked, "and why are you weeping? I am perfectly well." The three Princes now left the room and came to the Sultan, their father. He was overjoyed to see them once more, and they told their tales, and gave their gifts, and bade him say which of them should have the Princess. He took a long look to think it over, then said: "It is not possible to say wi th perfect justice. It is true, Ahmed, that you cured the Princess with your apple, but you could not have known she was sick if she had not been seen through Ali's tube, and you could not have reached her in time if you had not ridden on Houssain's carpet. No. You have all brought wonderful gifts, but it would not be right to give the Princess to one more than to another. We must try another way." So he bade them go out to the plain, each with a bow and an arrow, he who shot his arrow the farthest should have the Princess. They were followed by the Sultan and all the people, and the three brothers shot in turn. Houssain drew h is bow and shot his arrow a great distance. | 她用最后残留的呼吸嗅着苹果的香气。 接着她张开眼睛四处看着。 C 「我怎么躺在这儿?」她问:「你们为什么哭? 我很好啊!」 这时三个王子离开寝宫来到父亲面前。 他见他们都回来了不禁大喜,他们述说了所见所闻,并把礼物献出来,请示父王何人该娶公主。 父王考虑了许久,然后说道:「这不算是十分公正。 阿米德用苹果治愈公主是事实。不过,要是你不在阿里的管子中看见公主病了,你便不知她是病着的;再者,假使不坐哈森的毯子,那么就不能及时救到她。 你们都带着奇妙的礼物回来了,所以让公主和其中一个结婚而不和另一个结婚,都是不对的。 C 我们必须再想其它的办法。」 C 所以他命令他们到平原上去,每人一把弓、一支箭。谁射最远,谁就娶公主。 君王和老百姓都跟在后面,兄弟三人依次射着。 哈森拉弓射得极远。 |