FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   631   632   633   634   635   636   637   638   639   640   641   642   643   644   645   646   647   648   649   650   651   652   653   654   655  
656   657   658   659   660   661   662   663   664   665   666   667   668   669   670   671   672   673   674   675   676   677   678   679   680   >>   >|  
you upon undertaking such a long journey, with any other design than to try you. I find you have courage and resolution. You deserve I should make you the richest and happiest prince in the world. Return to Bussorah, and you shall find immense wealth in your palace. No king ever possessed so rich a treasure." The sultan was not pleased with this dream. "Alas!" thought he to himself, when he awoke, "how much was I mistaken? That old man, whom I took for our prophet, is no other than the production of my disturbed imagination. My fancy was so full of him, that it is no wonder I have seen him again. I had best return to Bussorah; what should I do here any longer? It is fortunate that I told none but my mother the motive of my journey: I should become a jest to my people, if they knew it." Accordingly, he set out again for his kingdom, and as soon as he arrived there, the queen asked him, whether he returned well pleased? He told her all that had happened, and was so much concerned for having been so credulous, that the queen, instead of adding to his vexation, by reproving or laughing at him, comforted him. "Forbear afflicting yourself, my son," said she; "if God has appointed you riches, you will have them without any trouble. Be contented; all that I recommend to you is, to be virtuous; renounce the delights of dancing, music, and wine: shun all these pleasures, they have already almost ruined you; apply yourself to make your subjects happy; by securing their happiness, you will establish your own." Sultan Zeyn vowed that he would for the future follow his mother's advice, and be directed by the wise viziers she had chosen to assist him in supporting the weight of government. But the very night after he returned to his palace, he saw the old man the third time in a dream, who said to him, "The time of your prosperity is come, brave Zeyn: to-morrow morning, as soon as you are up, take a little pick-axe, and dig in the late sultan's closet; you will there find a rich treasure." As soon as the sultan awoke, he got up, ran to the queen's apartment, and with much eagerness told her the new dream of that night. "Really, my son," said the queen smiling, "this is a very positive old man; he is not satisfied with having deceived you twice: have you a mind to believe him again?" "No, madam," answered Zeyn, "I give no credit to what he has said; but I will, for my own satisfaction, search my father's close
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   631   632   633   634   635   636   637   638   639   640   641   642   643   644   645   646   647   648   649   650   651   652   653   654   655  
656   657   658   659   660   661   662   663   664   665   666   667   668   669   670   671   672   673   674   675   676   677   678   679   680   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

sultan

 
mother
 

returned

 

pleased

 
palace
 

journey

 
Bussorah
 

treasure

 

future

 

renounce


delights

 

happiness

 

follow

 

advice

 

recommend

 

virtuous

 

subjects

 
dancing
 

securing

 

pleasures


Sultan
 

ruined

 
establish
 
Really
 

smiling

 

positive

 

satisfied

 

eagerness

 
apartment
 

closet


deceived

 
satisfaction
 

search

 

father

 

credit

 

answered

 

government

 

weight

 

supporting

 

viziers


chosen

 

assist

 

morning

 

prosperity

 

contented

 
morrow
 

directed

 
mistaken
 

thought

 

prophet