498 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

and her brothers, “‘that such marvels as you have shewn me could
have existed in the world ; what strange things, of which we had
not hitherto dreamt, constantly come before us.” “ And what in
all the world,” interrupted the bird, “can be more strange than
to see a father conversing with his own children without know-
ing them to be so?” ‘“ What do you mean by these remarks ?”
inquired the sultan. “Can your majesty,” said the bird, “ be
unmindful of the cruelty with which, many years ago, you treated
the sultana, your wife? Listen now to what I have to say. The
two brothers and the sister whom you behold are your children ;
they were exposed in a basket by the malicious sisters of the Sul-
tana and were rescued by the superintendent of your gardens,
who had them nursed and educated.”

This speech of the bird instantly made the sultan comprehend
the whole matter. “I have no difficulty, bird,” replied he, “
giving full credit to what your speech has discovered to me. T be
affection I already feel for them, tells me most plainly they are
my children. Come then and let me embrace you all, and give
you the first proof of my tender love as a father.” He rose and
embraced them all three, mingling his tears with theirs.

When the two princes and their sister had mutually embraced
each other with a new-felt ardour, the sultan said, “ In my person,
my children, you behold your father ; to-morrow I will bring you
the sultana, your mother ; prepare therefore to receive her.”

The sultan mounted his horse and returned with the utmost
diligence tothe capital The first thing he did on dismounting
and entering his palace was to order the grand vizier to make all
possible haste and draw up an accusation against the two
sisters of the sultana. They were arrested, carried from their
own houses, and separately interrogated, convicted, and con-
demned to death, and the sentence was at once executed.

In the meantime Sultan Khosrouschah, followed by his whole
court, went on foot to the gate of the great mosque, and after
having with his own hand taken the sultana out of the narrow
prison in which she had languished for so many years and suffer-
ed so much, “ Madam,” he cried, embracing her at the same
time with tears in his eyes, at seeing the wretched state she
was in, “Iam come to implore your pardon for the injustice
Ihave done you, and to make you all the reparation that is so
justly due to you from me. I have already begun it by the