ngdom of Persia lay. But if he had known, and had
tried the force of his wings, to hazard the traversing so many
extensive watery regions, and had reached it, what could he have
gained, but the mortification to continue still in the same form,
and not to be accounted even a man, much less acknowledged king
of Persia? He was forced to remain where he was, live upon such
food as birds of his kind were wont to have, and to pass the
night on a tree.

A few days afterwards, a peasant, skilled in taking birds with
nets, chanced to come to the place where he was; when perceiving
so fine a bird, the like of which he had never seen, though he
had followed that employment for a long while, he began greatly
to rejoice. He employed all his art to ensnare him; and at length
succeeded and took him. Overjoyed at so great a prize, which he
looked upon to be of more worth than all the other birds he
commonly took, he shut it up in a cage, and carried it to the
city. As soon as he was come into the market, a citizen stops
him, and asked how much he would have for his bird?

Instead of answering, the peasant demanded of the citizen what he
would do with him in case he should buy him? "What wouldst thou
have me to do with him," answered the citizen, "but roast and eat
him?" "If that be the case," replied the peasant, "I suppose you
would think me very well paid, if you should give me the smallest
piece of silver for him. I set a much higher value upon him, and
you should not have him for a piece of gold. Although I am
advanced in years, I never saw such a bird in my life. I intend
to make a present of him to the king; he will know its value
better than you."

Without staying any longer in the market, the peasant went
directly to the palace, and placed himself exactly before the
king's apartment. His majesty, being at a window where he could
see all that passed in the court, no sooner cast his eyes on this
beautiful bird, than he sent an officer of his eunuchs to buy it
for him. The officer going to the peasant, demanded of him how
much he would have for the bird? "If it be for his majesty,"
answered the peasant, "I humbly beg of him to accept it of me as
a present, and I desire you to carry it to him." The officer took
the bird to the king, who found it so great a rarity, that he
ordered the same officer to take ten pieces of gold, and carry
them to the peasant, who departed very well satisfied. The king
ordered the bird to be put in