eir
fate to die like this. In this matter I have not sinned. That was
their fate from eternity; and from the beginning it was predestined
that my fate should be bound up with yours.'

The prince gave ear to the argument from preordainment, and as she was
a very lovely maiden he took her too in lawful marriage. She and
Jamila set up house together, and Dil-aram and Gul set up theirs; and
the prince passed the rest of his life with the four in perfect
happiness, and in pleasant and sociable entertainment.

Now has been told what the rose did to the cypress.

Finished, finished, finished!

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Translated from two Persian MSS. in the possession of the British
Museum and the India Office, and adapted, with some reservations, by
Annette S. Beveridge.

[2] Jessamine, ruby-decked.

[3] Life-giving diamond.

[4] World-gripper.

[5] Love-enkindler.

[6] Rose-cheek.

[7] Heartsease.

[8] Elias.

[9] Pleasure.

[10] Thirty-birds.

[11] Pomp and Pride.

[12] Of happy omen.

_BALL-CARRIER AND THE BAD ONE_

Far, far in the forest there were two little huts, and in each of them
lived a man who was a famous hunter, his wife, and three or four
children. Now the children were forbidden to play more than a short
distance from the door, as it was known that, away on the other side
of the wood near the great river, there dwelt a witch who had a magic
ball that she used as a means of stealing children.

Her plan was a very simple one, and had never yet failed. When she
wanted a child she just flung her ball in the direction of the child's
home, and however far off it might be, the ball was sure to reach it.
Then, as soon as the child saw it, the ball would begin rolling slowly
back to the witch, just keeping a little ahead of the child, so that
he always thought that he could catch it the next minute. But he never
did, and, what was more, his parents never saw him again.

* * * * *

Of course you must not suppose that all the fathers and mothers who
had lost children made no attempts to find them, but the forest was so
large, and the witch was so cunning in knowing exactly where they were
going to search, that it was very easy for her to keep out of the way.
Besides, there was always the chance that the children might have been
eaten by wolves, of which large herds roamed about in winter.

[Illustration: THE BOY IN THE WITCH'S HUT]

One day the old witch