avelling in a distant
part of his kingdom, accompanied by this Wuzeer and the rest of his
court, he came upon a large garden, in walking round which he was
particularly struck by a little tree which grew there. It was a
bringal tree, not above two feet in height. It had no leaves, but on
it grew a hundred and one bringals. The Rajah stopped to count them,
and then turning to the Wuzeer in great astonishment, said, "It is to
me a most unaccountable thing, that this little tree should have no
leaves, but a hundred and one bringals growing on it. You are a wise
man--can you guess what this means?"

The Wuzeer replied, "I can interpret this marvel to you, but if I do,
you will most likely not believe me; promise therefore that if I tell
you, you will not cause me to be killed as having told (as you
imagine) a lie."

The Rajah promised, and the Wuzeer continued: "The meaning of this
little bringal tree, with the hundred and one bringals growing on it,
is this. Whoever marries the daughter of the Malee in charge of this
garden will have a hundred and one children--a hundred sons and one
daughter."

The Rajah said. "Where is the maiden to be seen?"

The Wuzeer answered, "When a number of great people like you and all
your court come into a little village like this, the poor people, and
especially the children, are frightened and run away and hide
themselves; therefore, as long as you stay here as Rajah you cannot
hope to see her. Your only means will be to send away your suite, and
cause it to be announced that you have left the place. Then, if you
walk daily in this garden, you may some morning meet the pretty Guzra
Bai, of whom I speak."

Upon this advice the Rajah acted; and one day whilst walking in the
garden he saw the Malee's young daughter, a girl of twelve years old,
busy gathering flowers. He went forward to accost her, but she, seeing
that he was not one of the villagers, but a stranger, was shy, and ran
home to her father's house.

The Rajah followed, for he was very much struck with her grace and
beauty; in fact, he fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and
thought he had never seen a king's daughter half so charming.

When he got to the Malee's house the door was shut; so he called out,
"Let me in, good Malee; I am the Rajah, and I wish to marry your
daughter."

The Malee only laughed, and answered, "A pretty tale to tell a simple
man, indeed! You a Rajah! why the Rajah is miles away. You had be