The Three Princes And The Princess Nouronnihar.docx

“The Three Princes and the Princess Nouronnihar” SUMMARY The Great Sultan of India has three sons: Hussein, the oldest; Ali, the middle; and Ahmed, the youngest. The Great Sultan also cares for his niece, the princess Nouronnihar, whose father had died. The Great Sultan had planned to marry Nouronnihar to a foreign noble, but his sons all want to marry her. Knowing the youngest two would not cede her to Hussein simply because of his seniority, the ruler suggests she choose her own husband. They refuse to comply. Thus, the Great Sultan stages a competition: each prince will travel to a faraway land to collect the greatest rarity he can fine. Whoever brings back the most valuable item will be granted the princess’s hand. Eager, the princes set off immediately. Prince Hussein travels to the kingdom of Bisnagar, where he finds a merchant selling a plain-looking carpet for a huge sum of money. He inquires after it, to learn that the carpet will transport its owner wherever he pleases. Though he knows this gift would likely win the contest, he is skeptical, so the carpet merchant promises to test it with him. Hussein agrees, and he and the merchant sit on the carpet and are transported to Hussein’s lodging in town. Meanwhile, Prince Ali travels to the kingdom of Persia, where he finds a merchant selling a strange ivory tube for a huge sum. He inquires after it, to learn that one can see anything in the world by peering into the tube. To test it, Ali wishes to see his father and then Nouronnihar, and then looks into it. It works. He then buys the wonderful tube, and heads back home to meet his brothers. Finally, Prince Ahmed travels far away to the kingdom of Samarcand, where he finds a merchant selling a small, unremarkable artificial apple. The merchant insists that the apple can cure absolutely any disease with one smell, and that it had saved practically everyone in the city at one time. When Ahmed asks for a proof, many passersby attest to its power; however, Ahmed does not believe it until he sees the apple cure a sick wife with his own eyes.

When the brothers reunite at a designated meeting place, they compare gifts. However, when Ali peers through his ivory tube, he sees a most unwelcome sight: the princess is on her deathbed in their home kingdom far away, certain to die within a few days. Troubled, Hussein offers to transport them home on his carpet. When they arrive, Ahmed uses his apple to cure her immediately. At first, everyone believes Ahmed should marry the princess, since his gift cured her. However, the Great Sultan rationalizes that each item was instrumental to her survival, so he devises an archery contest to decide the question. Ali wins the contest, and the wedding is held soon afterwards.

Elements of a Story “The Three Princes and the Princess Nouronnihar” Setting: 

India

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Kingdom of Bisnagar, Kingdom of Persia, Kingdom of Samarcand

Characters: 

The Three Princes: Prince Hussein, Prince Ali and Prince Ahmed

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Princess Nouronnihar

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The Great Sultan of India

Plot: Beginning: The Great Sultan of India has three sons and a niece, which is the princess Nouronnihar. Rising Action: The Great Sultan had planned to marry Nouronnihar and his three sons want to marry the Princess. The Sultan stages a competition wherein the princes will travel to find the greatest rarity. Whoever brings back the most valuable item will be granted the princess’s hand.

Climax: Prince Hussein found a plain-looking carpet that can transport the owner wherever he pleases. While Prince Ali found a strange ivory tube that can see anything in the world by peering into the tube; and Prince Ahmed found an artificial apple that can cure disease. When they reunites, Prince Ali sees the princess on his ivory tube, certain to die within a few days and through the carpet of Prince Hussein, they travel back to their kingdom and Prince Ahmed cure the princess using the artificial apple. Falling Action: The Great Sultan rationalizes that each item by the three Prince was instrumental to princess’s survival, so he devises an archery instead to decide the question. Resolution: Prince Ali won the contest and later he marry princess Nouronnihar. Conflict: Man vs. Man. The conflict of the story is when the Great Sultan stages a competition for his sons for them to marry the princess and when the princess had an illness. Point of View: Narrator/Third Person Omniscient. Theme: The Three Princes and the Princess Nouronnihar is not just about love but we could state the theme as adventure and challenges of the main characters.

The Arabian Nights: One Thousand and One Nights

“The Three Princes and the Princess Nouronnihar”

By: Ara Angelika R. Liñan BEED 1-1