h the fire had not yet
reached. Having passed through it, he saw before him a large valley
and a wood beyond. He rallied his last energies to reach it, and sank
down exhausted near a tree, where, by the light of the burning forest,
he saw that the fire was not likely to penetrate so far; more, his
failing strength did not permit him to observe, and weariness closed
his eyes.

When he awoke, his first thought was of his father. He felt refreshed
by a short sleep, and hastened onward. The country, although it was
autumn, was blooming as though it were spring; nature had not purchased
her fruits with her blossoms, but fruit and blossoms glowed side by
side in sisterly concord. He had never seen such green fresh turf, nor
such a variety of flowers. Straight before him opened a beautiful
grove, with splendid orange and date trees, where he sat down and took
refreshment in the cool solitude. As he sat buried in thought, he
heard a voice call, "Ali! Ali!" Astonished, he looked round but saw
no one. Thinking he had been mistaken, he continued eating his repast
quietly. Suddenly the voice again cried directly opposite to him,
"Ali! Ali!" and the name was repeated in several places. He now
discovered a quantity of beautiful parrots flying about, which looked
at him, and repeated with complacency his name. "Who has taught them
this?" said Ali, to himself, and a sweet glow darted through his veins.
The parrots still repeated, "Ali! Ali! Come! Come!" and fluttered
from bough to bough. He followed them, and found himself at length
before a thick hedge that was impenetrable. The birds flew over it,
perched within it, and again cried, "Ali! Ali!" He now looked for an
entrance, and finding one, at last entered, and saw a splendid lawn,
enclosed by a semicircular hedge, both ends of which terminated by a
rocky wall. In the centre of the turf was a flowerbed, whither one of
the birds flew, again repeating his name. Looking at the plants, he
discovered they were all arranged in letters;--great was his delight
when he found an A. and G. beautifully entwined, and he no longer
doubted where he was. He discovered the beautiful grotto, and hastened
to it, exclaiming, "My Gulhyndi, where art thou?" To these words a
sweet voice replied:

"Ali, dear Ali! where canst thou be?
Oft thy Gulhyndi weeps for thee."

"What is that? It is not her voice, it is not the voice of birds."

"My Ali! My beloved friend! thy Gu