Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 12.djvu/3

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fecond Ali, the youngeft Ahmed, and the Princefs his Niece * Nourennohar. The Princefs Nouronnihar was the Daughter of a younger Brother of the Sultan's, to whom the Sultan in his Life-time allowed a confiderable Revenue; but that Prince had not been married long, before he died and left the Princefs very young. The Sultan, in Confideration that there was always a brotherly Love and Friendship be-tween them, and that the Prince his Brother was attach'd to his Perfon, took upon himfelf the Care of his Daugh-ter's Education, and brought her up in his Palace with the three Princes; where her Wit and Beauty, which were fingular, and her Virtue diftinguifh'd her among all the Princeffes of her Time. The Sultan her Uncle propofed to marry her, when fhe arrived at a proper Age, and to contract an Alliance with fome neighbouring Prince by that Means: But when he perceived, that the three Princes his Sons loved her paffio-nately, he thought more ferioufly on that Affair. He was very much concern'd, but his Grief did not proceed from their Paffions preventing his forming an Alliance he defigned: But the Difficulty he forefaw to make them a-gree, and that the two youngeft fhould confent to yield her up to their elder Brother. He fpoke to each of them a-part; and after having remonftrated the Impoffibility of one Princefs's being the Wife of three, and the Trouble they might create, if they perfifted in their Paffion; he did all he could to perfwade them to come to ftand to a De-claration of the Princefs's in favour of one of them, or to defift from their Intentions, and to think of other Matches among the neighbouring Princes. But as he found them pofitively obftinate, he fent for them all toge-ther, and faid to them, Children, fince for your Good and Quiet I have not been able to perfwade you no longer to a-fpire to the Princefs your Coufin; and as I have no Incli-nation to make ufe of my Authority to give her to one preferable before the other two, I fancy I have thought of a proper Expedient, which will pleafe you all, and preferve the Union among you, if you will but hear me, and do as

  • An Arabian Word that fignifies Day-light.
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