Page 241 - Bulbul Hezar

and took her horse, which stood in the same place where she
left him. Before she mounted, Prince Bahman, who would help

her, desired her to give him the cage to carry. Brother, replied
the princess, the bird is my slave, and I will carry him myself;
but there is the branch of the singing tree, if you will take the
pains to carry that; but hold the cage while I get on horseback.
When she had mounted her horse, and Prince Bahman had
given her the cage, she turned about, and said to Prince Perviz,
brother, I leave the golden water to your care, if it will not be

too great a trouble for you to carry.
When Prince Bahman and Prince Perviz, and all the gentlemen,
had mounted their horses, the princes Parizade waited for some
of them to lead the way first. The two princes paid that
compliment to the gentlemen, and they again to the princess,
who, finding that none of them would accept of the honour, but
that it was reserved for her, addressed herself to them, and said,
- Gentlemen, I expect that some of you should lead the way; to
which one, in the name of the rest, replied, Madam, were we

strangers to your being a woman, yet after what you have done
for us, there is no honour we would not willingly pay you,
notwithstanding all your modesty; therefore, desire you would

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