As the children grew older their beauty and air of distinction became
more and more marked, and their manners had all the grace and ease that
is proper to people of high birth. The princes had been named by their
foster-father Bahman and Perviz, after two of the ancient kings of
Persia, while the princess was called Parizade, or the child of the
genii.

The intendant was careful to bring them up as befitted their real rank,
and soon appointed a tutor to teach the young princes how to read and
write. And the princess, determined not to be left behind, showed
herself so anxious to learn with her brothers, that the intendant
consented to her joining in their lessons, and it was not long before
she knew as much as they did.

From that time all their studies were done in common. They had the
best masters for the fine arts, geography, poetry, history and science,
and even for sciences which are learned by few, and every branch seemed
so easy to them, that their teachers were astonished at the progress
they made. The princess had a passion for music, and could sing and
play upon all sorts of instruments she could also ride and drive as
well as her brothers, shoot with a bow and arrow, and throw a javelin
with the same skill as they, and sometimes even better.

In order to set off these accomplishments, the intendant resolved that
his foster children should not be pent up any longer in the narrow
borders of the palace gardens, where he had always lived, so he bought
a splendid country house a few miles from the capital, surrounded by an
immense park. This park he filled with wild beasts of various sorts,
so that the princes and princess might hunt as much as they pleased.

When everything was ready, the intendant threw himself at the Sultan's
feet, and after referring to his age and his long services, begged his
Highness's permission to resign his post. This was granted by the
Sultan in a few gracious words, and he then inquired what reward he
could give to his faithful servant. But the intendant declared that he
wished for nothing except the continuance of his Highness's favour, and
prostrating himself once more, he retired from the Sultan's presence.

Five or six months passed away in the pleasures of the country, when
death attacked the intendant so suddenly that he had no time to reveal
the secret of their birth to his adopted children, and as his wife had
long been dead also, it seemed as if the princes and the