ery
unhappy. Consult the Talking Bird, who is wise and far-seeing, and let
me hear what he says."

So the bird was sent for and the case laid before him.

"The princes must on no account refuse the Sultan's proposal," said he,
"and they must even invite him to come and see your house."

"But, bird," objected the princess, "you know how dearly we love each
other; will not all this spoil our friendship?"

"Not at all," replied the bird, "it will make it all the closer."

"Then the Sultan will have to see me," said the princess.

The bird answered that it was necessary that he should see her, and
everything would turn out for the best.

The following morning, when the Sultan inquired if they had spoken to
their sister and what advice she had given them, Prince Bahman replied
that they were ready to agree to his Highness's wishes, and that their
sister had reproved them for their hesitation about the matter. The
Sultan received their excuses with great kindness, and told them that
he was sure they would be equally faithful to him, and kept them by his
side for the rest of the day, to the vexation of the grand-vizir and
the rest of the court.

When the procession entered in this order the gates of the capital, the
eyes of the people who crowded the streets were fixed on the two young
men, strangers to every one.

"Oh, if only the Sultan had had sons like that!" they murmured, "they
look so distinguished and are about the same age that his sons would
have been!"

The Sultan commanded that splendid apartments should be prepared for
the two brothers, and even insisted that they should sit at table with
him. During dinner he led the conversation to various scientific
subjects, and also to history, of which he was especially fond, but
whatever topic they might be discussing he found that the views of the
young men were always worth listening to. "If they were my own sons,"
he said to himself, "they could not be better educated!" and aloud he
complimented them on their learning and taste for knowledge.

At the end of the evening the princes once more prostrated themselves
before the throne and asked leave to return home; and then, encouraged
by the gracious words of farewell uttered by the Sultan, Prince Bahman
said: "Sire, may we dare to take the liberty of asking whether you
would do us and our sister the honour of resting for a few minutes at
our house the first time the hunt passes that way?"

"With the utm