e think. Ah! I know.' And he sent for the old
woman, who by the orders of the head, was waiting below.

'Your son has carried out my wishes very nicely,' he said. 'The garden
is larger and better than that of any other king. But when I walk across
it I shall need some place to rest on the other side. In forty days
he must build me a palace, in which every room shall be filled with
different furniture from a different country, and each more magnificent
than any room that ever was seen.' And having said this he turned round
and went away.

'Oh! he will never be able to do that,' thought she; 'it is much more
difficult than the hill.' And she walked home slowly, with her head
bent.

'Well, what am I to do next?' asked the head cheerfully. And the old
woman told her story.

'Dear me! is that all? why it is child's play,' answered the head; and
troubled no more about the palace for thirty-nine days. Then he told the
old woman to go to the bridge and call for Hassan.

'What do you want, old woman?' asked Hassan, when he appeared, for he
was not as polite as the others had been.

'Your master commands you to build the most magnificent palace that ever
was seen,' replied she; 'and you are to place it on the borders of the
new garden.'

'He shall be obeyed,' answered Hassan. And when the sultan woke he saw,
in the distance, a palace built of soft blue marble, resting on slender
pillars of pure gold.

'That old woman's son is certainly all-powerful,' cried he; 'what shall
I bid him do now?' And after thinking some time he sent for the old
woman, who was expecting the summons.

'The garden is wonderful, and the palace the finest in the world,' said
he, 'so fine, that my servants would cut but a sorry figure in it. Let
your son fill it with forty slaves whose beauty shall be unequalled, all
exactly like each other, and of the same height.'

This time the king thought he had invented something totally impossible,
and was quite pleased with himself for his cleverness.

Thirty-nine days passed, and at midnight on the night of the last the
old woman was standing on the bridge.

'Bekir! Bekir! Bekir!' cried she. And a negro appeared, and inquired
what she wanted.

'The head, your master, bids you find forty slaves of unequalled beauty,
and of the same height, and place them in the sultan's palace on the
other side of the garden.'

And when, on the morning of the fortieth day, the sultan went to the
blue palace, and wa