t, and, kissing them, said, "Lord Genie, I humbly
entreat you to suspend your rage, and hear my history, and that of the
hind, which you see; and if you find it more wonderful and surprising
than the adventure of this merchant, whose life you wish to take, may
I not hope that you will at least grant me one half part the blood of
this unfortunate man?"

After meditating some time, the genie answered, "Well then, I agree to
it."

THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST OLD MAN AND THE HIND

The hind, whom you, Lord Genie, see here, is my wife. I married her
when she was twelve years old, and we lived together thirty years,
without having any children. At the end of that time I adopted into my
family a son, whom a slave had borne. This act of mine excited against
the mother and her child the hatred and jealousy of my wife. During my
absence on a journey she availed herself of her knowledge of magic to
change the slave and my adopted son into a cow and a calf, and sent
them to my farm to be fed and taken care of by the steward.

Immediately on my return I inquired after my child and his mother.

"Your slave is dead," said she, "and it is now more than two months
since I have beheld your son; nor do I know what has become of him."

I was sensibly affected at the death of the slave; but as my son had
only disappeared, I flattered myself that he would soon be found.
Eight months, however, passed, and he did not return; nor could I
learn any tidings of him. In order to celebrate the festival of the
great Bairam,[8] which was approaching, I ordered my bailiff to bring
me the fattest cow I possessed, for a sacrifice. He obeyed my
commands. Having bound the cow, I was about to make the sacrifice,
when at the very instant she lowed most sorrowfully, and the tears
even fell from her eyes. This seemed to me so extraordinary that I
could not but feel compassion for her, and was unable to give the
fatal blow. I therefore ordered her to be taken away, and another
brought.

[Footnote 8: Bairam, a Turkish word, signifies a feast day or holiday.
It commences on the close of the Ramadan--or the month's fast of the
Mohammedans. At this feast they kill a calf, goat, or sheep; and after
giving a part to the poor, eat the rest with their friends. It
commences with the new moon, and is supposed to be instituted in
memory of the sacrifice of his son by Abraham. The observance of the
lesser Bairam is confined to Mecca.]

My wife, who was present, see