t us go and see the speaking-bird."

As he went toward the hall, the emperor perceived a prodigious number
of singing-birds in the trees around, filling the air with their songs
and warblings, and asked why there were so many there, and none on the
other trees in the garden.

"The reason, sire," answered the princess, "is, because they come from
all parts to accompany the song of the speaking-bird, which your
majesty may see in a cage in one of the windows of the hall we are
approaching; and if you attend, you will perceive that his notes are
sweeter than those of any of the other birds, even the nightingale's."

The emperor went into the hall; and as the bird continued singing, the
princess raised her voice, and said, "My slave, here is the emperor.
Pay your compliments to him."

The bird left off singing that instant, all the other birds ceasing
also, and it said, "God save the emperor. May he long live!"

As the entertainment was served at the sofa near the window where the
bird was placed, the sultan replied, as he was taking his seat, "Bird,
I thank you, and am overjoyed to find in you the sultan and king of
birds."

As soon as the emperor saw the dish of cucumbers set before him,
thinking it was stuffed in the best manner, he reached out his hand
and took one; but when he cut it, was in extreme surprise to find it
stuffed with pearls.

"What novelty is this?" said he. "And with what design were these
cucumbers stuffed thus with pearls, since pearls are not to be eaten!"

He looked at the two princes and the princess to ask them the meaning;
when the bird, interrupting him, said, "Can your majesty be in such
great astonishment at cucumbers stuffed with pearls, which you see
with your own eyes, and yet so easily believe that the queen your wife
was the mother of a dog, a cat, and of a piece of wood?"

"I believed those things," replied the emperor, "because the nurses
assured me of the facts."

"Those nurses, sire," replied the bird, "were the queen's two sisters,
who, envious of her happiness in being preferred by your majesty
before them, to satisfy their envy and revenge have abused your
majesty's credulity. If you interrogate them, they will confess their
crime. The two brothers and the sister whom you see before you are
your own children, whom they exposed, and who were saved by the
intendant of your gardens, who adopted and brought them up as his own
children."

"Bird," cried the emperor, "I beli