r they described him and the load he carried."

The man then related what each of the princes, had said; upon
which the sultan demanded if it was true. They answered, "My
lord, we have not seen the camel; but we chanced, as we were
sitting on the grass taking some refreshment, to observe that
part of the pasture had been grazed; upon which we supposed that
the camel must have been blind of an eye, as the grass was only
eaten on one side. We then observed the dung of a camel in one
heap on the ground, which made us agree that its tail must have
been cut off, as it is the custom for camels to shake their
tails, and scatter it abroad. On the grass where the camel had
lain down, we saw on one side flies collected in great numbers,
but none on the other: this made us conclude that one of the
panniers must have contained sweets, and the other only grain."
Upon hearing the above, the sultan said to the complainant,
"Friend, go and look for thy camel, for these observations do not
prove the theft on the accused, but only the strength of their
understandings and penetration."

The sultan now ordered apartments for the princes, and directed
that they should be entertained in a manner befitting their rank;
after which he left them to their repose. In the evening, when
the usual meal was brought in, the elder prince having taken up a
cake of bread, said, "This bread, I am sure, was made by a sick
woman." The second, on tasting some kid, exclaimed, "This kid was
suckled by a bitch:" and the third cried out, "Certainly this
sultan must be illegitimate." At this instant the sultan, who had
been listening, entered hastily, and exclaimed, "Wherefore utter
ye these affronting speeches?" "Inquire," replied the princes,
"into what you have heard, and you will find all true."

The sultan now retired to his haram, and on inquiry, found that
the woman who had kneaded the bread was sick. He then sent for
the shepherd, who owned that the dam of the kid having died, he
had suckled it upon a bitch. Next, in a violent passion, he
proceeded to the apartments of the sultana mother, and
brandishing his cimeter--threatened her with death, unless she
confessed whether he was son to the late sultan or not.

The sultana was alarmed, and said, "To preserve my life, I must
speak truth. Know then that thou art the son of a cook. Thy
father had no male offspring, at which he was uneasy: on the same
day myself and the wife of the cook lay in, I of a dau