nature,
although her labours began ere the sunbeams played on the waters of
the Tigris, and ended not till the stars were reflected from its
surface. Such was the business of the disconsolate Nouri, when the
voluptuous Almurah was proclaimed Sultan throughout his extensive
dominions; nor was it long before his subjects felt the power of their
Sultan; for, Almurah resolving to inclose a large tract of land for
hunting and sporting, commanded the inhabitants of fourteen hundred
villages to be expelled from the limits of his intended inclosure.

A piteous train of helpless and ruined families were in one day driven
from their country and livelihood, and obliged to seek for shelter
amidst the forests, the caves, and deserts, which surround the more
uncultivated banks of the Tigris.

Many passed by the cottage of Nouri the widow, among whom she
distributed what little remains of provision she had saved from the
earnings of her labours the day before; and, her little stock being
exhausted, she had nothing but wishes and prayers left for the rest.

It happened, among the numerous throngs that travelled by her cottage,
that a young man came with wearied steps, bearing on his shoulders an
old and feeble woman; setting her down on the ground before the door
of Nouri, he besought her to give him a drop of water, to wash the
sand and the dust from his parched mouth.

Nouri, having already distributed the contents of her pitcher,
hastened to the river to fill it for the wearied young man; and, as
she went, she begged a morsel of provisions from a neighbour, whose
cottage stood on a rock which overlooked the flood.

With this, and her pitcher filled with water, the good Nouri returned,
and found the feeble old woman on the ground, but the young man was
not with her.

"Where," said Nouri, "O afflicted stranger, is the pious young man
that dutifully bore the burden of age on his shoulders?"

"Alas!" answered the stranger, "my son has brought me hither from the
tyranny of Almurah, and leaves me to perish in the deserts of Tigris.
No sooner were you gone for the water, than a crowd of young damsels
came this way, and led my cruel son from his perishing mother. But,
courteous stranger," said she to Nouri, "give me of that water to
drink, that my life fail not within me, for thirst, and hunger, and
trouble are hastening to put an end to the unhappy Houadir."

The tender and benevolent Nouri invited Houadir into the cottage, and
t