that didn't exist." In the year 1874 I picked up a story with exactly the same leit-motif in Rangpur, though the details differ. It is curious to find the same idea in two such widely separated countries. Rangpur borders on Assam, many hundreds of miles east of Persia, and has no connexion of any kind with that country. Here are the two stories.
From Persian Tales, by D. L. R. Lorimer and E. 0. Lorimer, p. 94.
The Story of the Prince who didn't Exist.
Once upon a time there was a time
When there was no one but
God.
There was a King who had three sons, two of them were dead and the third didn't exist; he also had three treasure houses, two of them were empty and the third had no door. In the treasury that had no door there were three bows and arrows, two of them were broken and the third had no string; there were also three knives, two of which were broken and the third had no blade. In the stable three were three horses, two of them were dead and the third had given up the ghost; there were also three sets of saddles and bridles, two of them had rotted away and of the third there was no trace.
The King's son who didn't exist went into the treasury without a door and carried off the bow and arrow without a string and the knife without a blade. Then he went into the stable and saddled the horse who had given up the ghost with the saddle and bridle of which there was no trace. He mounted and rode off to hunt.
As he rode he came upon three deer, two of whom were dead and the third was lifeless. He shot with the stringless bow and arrow at the lifeless deer, and cut off its head with the bladeless knife and tied it on the back of the horse who had given up the ghost. Then he proceeded on his way till he came to a ruin with three rooms in it; two of them had fallen down and the third had no roof. He went into the roofless room and saw that
