to tear away the bad blades. But,
instead, it saw something lying in the earth, which turned out to be a
diamond, very large and bright. 'Oh, ho!' said the gazelle to itself,
'perhaps now I can do something for my master who bought me with all the
money he had; but I must be careful or they will say he has stolen it.
I had better take it myself to some great rich man, and see what it will
do for me.'

Directly the gazelle had come to this conclusion, it picked up the
diamond in its mouth, and went on and on and on through the forest, but
found no place where a rich man was likely to dwell. For two more days
it ran, from dawn to dark, till at last early one morning it caught
sight of a large town, which gave it fresh courage.

The people were standing about the streets doing their marketing, when
the gazelle bounded past, the diamond flashing as it ran. They called
after it, but it took no notice till it reached the palace, where the
sultan was sitting, enjoying the cool air. And the gazelle galloped up
to him, and laid the diamond at his feet.

The sultan looked first at the diamond and next at the gazelle; then he
ordered his attendants to bring cushions and a carpet, that the gazelle
might rest itself after its long journey. And he likewise ordered milk
to be brought, and rice, that it might eat and drink and be refreshed.

And when the gazelle was rested, the sultan said to it: 'Give me the
news you have come with.'

And the gazelle answered: 'I am come with this diamond, which is
a pledge from my master the Sultan Darai. He has heard you have a
daughter, and sends you this small token, and begs you will give her to
him to wife.'

And the sultan said: 'I am content. The wife is his wife, the family is
his family, the slave is his slave. Let him come to me empty-handed, I
am content.'

When the sultan had ended, the gazelle rose, and said: 'Master,
farewell; I go back to our town, and in eight days, or it may be in
eleven days, we shall arrive as your guests.'

And the sultan answered: 'So let it be.'

All this time the poor man far away had been mourning and weeping for
his gazelle, which he thought had run away from him for ever.

And when it came in at the door he rushed to embrace it with such joy
that he would not allow it a chance to speak.

'Be still, master, and don't cry,' said the gazelle at last; 'let us
sleep now, and in the morning, when I go, follow me.'

With the first ray of dawn they go