Story Summary
Discover The Tale of the Enchanted Prince from Arabian Nights, where a Sultan saves a petrified prince from a sorceress's curse and restores a lost kingdom.
A Sultan, intrigued by a fisherman's catch of strange, multi-colored fish, discovers a lonely palace of black marble in a desolate valley. Inside, he finds a handsome young Prince whose lower half has been turned to cold stone. The Prince tearfully recounts his tragedy: his wife, a powerful sorceress, had betrayed him for a slave. When the Prince attempted to kill the lover in a fit of jealousy, the Queen used her dark arts to transform the Prince's body into marble and his entire kingdom into a lake. The citizens were turned into fish—white for Muslims, red for Magians, blue for Christians, and yellow for Jews. Every day, the sorceress returned to lash the petrified Prince. Moved by the Prince's plight, the Sultan devised a clever ruse. He slew the Queen's lover in his tomb and took his place. Disguising his voice, the Sultan tricked the Queen into believing her lover had recovered and would only speak if she restored the Prince and his city. Once the magic was undone and the kingdom restored, the Sultan revealed himself and executed the sorceress, freeing the Prince and forming a lifelong bond between their two realms.
The Moral
Deception and cruelty may hold power for a time, but wisdom and justice will eventually break the strongest chains.
“I am a man who is half stone and half flesh, living a death that never ends.”
Fun Fact
The use of 'nested stories' or 'frame narratives' like this one is a hallmark of Middle Eastern literature, allowing Scheherazade to prolong her life by keeping the King in suspense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moral of The Tale of the Enchanted Prince?
The moral is that justice eventually triumphs over cruelty and betrayal. It also highlights how a wise and compassionate leader can use their wits to right the wrongs of the world.
Why were the fish in the story four different colors?
The four colors represented the different religious groups living in the kingdom: white for Muslims, red for Magians, blue for Christians, and yellow for Jews. This reflects the multicultural nature of the historical period.
How did the Sultan save the Enchanted Prince?
The Sultan killed the Queen's lover and hid in his place. He then used the Queen's love for the slave to trick her into reversing all her curses before finally killing her.
Who is the antagonist in The Tale of the Enchanted Prince?
The antagonist is the Prince's wife, a vengeful sorceress who uses her magic to punish her husband and his entire kingdom after her secret affair is discovered.
Where does this story originate?
This story is part of the One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights). It is a 'nested' story told within the larger narrative of 'The Fisherman and the Jinni.'
What happened to the kingdom at the end of the story?
Once the sorceress was tricked into lifting the curse, the lake turned back into a bustling city and the fish were restored to their human forms as the kingdom's citizens.
