m the garden,' said the sultan.

And the youth answered, 'The dates have all been eaten by some bird:
there is not one left.'

The sultan was silent for a moment: then he asked, 'Where were you when
the bird came?'

The lad answered: 'I watched the date tree till the cocks were crowing
and it was getting light; then I lay down for a little, and I slept.
When I woke a slave was standing over me, and he said, "There is not
one date left on the tree!" And I went to the date tree, and saw it was
true; and that is what I have to tell you.'

And the sultan replied, 'A son like you is only good for eating and
sleeping. I have no use for you. Go your way, and when my date tree
bears again, I will send another son; perhaps he will watch better.'

So he waited many months, till the tree was covered with more dates than
any tree had ever borne before. When they were near ripening he sent one
of his sons to the garden: saying, 'My son, I am longing to taste those
dates: go and watch over them, for to-day's sun will bring them to
perfection.'

And the lad answered: 'My father, I am going now, and to-morrow, when
the sun has passed the hour of seven, bid a slave come and gather the
dates.'

'Good,' said the sultan.

The youth went to the tree, and lay down and slept. And about midnight
he arose to look at the tree, and the dates were all there--beautiful
dates, swinging in bunches.

'Ah, my father will have a feast, indeed,' thought he. 'What a fool my
brother was not to take more heed! Now he is in disgrace, and we know
him no more. Well, I will watch till the bird comes. I should like to
see what manner of bird it is.'

And he sat and read till the cocks crew and it grew light, and the dates
were still on the tree.

'Oh my father will have his dates; they are all safe now,' he thought
to himself. 'I will make myself comfortable against this tree,' and he
leaned against the trunk, and sleep came on him, and the bird flew down
and ate all the dates.

When the sun rose, the head-man came and looked for the dates, and there
were no dates. And he woke the young man, and said to him, 'Look at the
tree.'

And the young man looked, and there were no dates. And his ears were
stopped, and his legs trembled, and his tongue grew heavy at the thought
of the sultan. His slave became frightened as he looked at him, and
asked, 'My master, what is it?'

He answered, 'I have no pain anywhere, but I am ill everywhere. My whole
bod