ere
lion-hunting in the Kaffir land, where the plains are covered with
grass the color of a green olive; and here I ran races with the
ostrich, but I soon outstripped him in swiftness. At last I came to
the desert, in which lie the golden sands, looking like the bottom
of the sea. Here I met a caravan, and the travellers had just killed
their last camel, to obtain water; there was very little for them, and
they continued their painful journey beneath the burning sun, and over
the hot sands, which stretched before them a vast, boundless desert.
Then I rolled myself in the loose sand, and whirled it in burning
columns over their heads. The dromedarys stood still in terror,
while the merchants drew their caftans over their heads, and threw
themselves on the ground before me, as they do before Allah, their
god. Then I buried them beneath a pyramid of sand, which covers them
all. When I blow that away on my next visit, the sun will bleach their
bones, and travellers will see that others have been there before
them; otherwise, in such a wild desert, they might not believe it
possible."

"So you have done nothing but evil," said the mother. "Into the
sack with you;" and, before he was aware, she had seized the South
Wind round the body, and popped him into the bag. He rolled about on
the floor, till she sat herself upon him to keep him still.

"These boys of yours are very lively," said the prince.

"Yes," she replied, "but I know how to correct them, when
necessary; and here comes the fourth." In came the East Wind,
dressed like a Chinese.

"Oh, you come from that quarter, do you?" said she; "I thought you
had been to the garden of paradise."

"I am going there to-morrow," he replied; "I have not been there
for a hundred years. I have just come from China, where I danced round
the porcelain tower till all the bells jingled again. In the streets
an official flogging was taking place, and bamboo canes were being
broken on the shoulders of men of every high position, from the
first to the ninth grade. They cried, 'Many thanks, my fatherly
benefactor;' but I am sure the words did not come from their hearts,
so I rang the bells till they sounded, 'ding, ding-dong.'"

"You are a wild boy," said the old woman; "it is well for you that
you are going to-morrow to the garden of paradise; you always get
improved in your education there. Drink deeply from the fountain of
wisdom while you are there, and bring home a bottleful for