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36 we | Prince Beder and.

i.

presence there will be necessary, and it will not be hard for you
to preserve the public peace, by causing it to be published that the
King of Persia was gone to visit his grandmother,’ ’

‘Queen Gulnare yielded. She took leave of the queen her
mother, and was back in the palace of the capital of Persia before
she had been missed. She immediately despatched persons to
recall the officers she had sent after the king, and to tell them she
knew where his majesty was, and that they should soon see him
again. She also governed with the prime minister and council as
quietly as if the king had been present.

To return to King Beder, whom the Princess Giauhara’s waiting-
woman had carried and left in the island before mentioned ; that
monarch was not a little surprised when he found himself alone, and
under the form of a bird. He felt. yet more unhappy that he
knew not where he was, nor in what part of the world the kingdom
of Persia lay. He was forced to remain where he was, and live
upon such food as birds of his kind were wont to eat, and to pes
the night on a tree, |

A few days after, a peasant that was skilled in taking Hirds with
nets chanced to come to the place where he was; when perceiving
so fine a bird, the like of which he had never seen before, he began
greatly to rejoice. He employed all his art to catch him, and at
length succeeded. Overjoyed at so great a prize, which he looked —
upon as of more- worth than all the other birds, because so rare,
he shut it up in a cage, and carried it to the city. As soon as he was

come into the market, a citizen stopt him, and asked him how much

he wanted for that bird.

Instead of. answering, the peasant asked the citizen what he
would do with him in case he should: buy. him? ‘What wouldst
thou have me to Ge with him, answered the citizen, “but roast and

eat him?’

‘If that be the. case,’ replied the “peasant, q suppose you