the King’s Son | , oz 203

carefully considered mine, which was: so much to his liking that he
said to the officers, ‘Take the finest horse in my stable, with the
richest harness, and a robe of the most sumptuous brocade to put
upon that person who wrote the six hands, and bring him hither
to,me’ At this command the officers could not forbear laughing.
The sultan grew angry at their boldness, and was ready to punish
them, till they told him, ‘ Sir, we humbly beg your majesty’s pardon;
these hands were not written by a man, but by an ape.’

‘What do you say?’ said the sultan. ‘Those admirable cha-
racters, are they not written by the hands of a man te

‘No, sir’ replied the officers; ‘we do assure your majesty that
it was an ape, who wrote them in our presence.’

The sultan was too much surprised at this not to desire a sight
of me, and therefore said, ‘ Bring me speedily. that wonderful ape.’

The officers returned to the vessel and:showed the captain their-
order, who answered that the sultan’s commands must be obeyed.
Whereupon they clothed me with that rich brocade robe and carried
me ashore, where they set me on horseback, whilst the sultan waited
for me at his palace with a great number of courtiers, whom. he
gathered together to do me the more honour.

The cavalcade having begun, the harbour, the streets, the public
places, windows, terraces, palaces,,and houses were filled with an
infinite number of people of all sorts, who flocked from all parts of
the city to see me; for the rumour. was spread in.a moment that the
sultan had chosen an ape to be his grand vizier; and after having
served for a spectacle to the people, who could not forbear to express
their surprise by redoubling their shouts and cries, I arrived at the
palace of the sultan. on ts

_ I found the prince on his throne in the midst of the grandees; I
made my bow three times very low, and at last kneeled and kissed
the ground before him, and afterwards sat down in the posture of
an ape. The whole assembly admired me, and could not com-