Page 307 - Bulbul Hezar

this treasure? The princess, as they returned back to the house,
gave them an account of her consulting the bird, as they had

agreed she should, and the answer he gave her, to prepare a dish
of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, and how he had told her
where to find this box. The princes and princess raised many
conjectures to penetrate into what the bird could mean by such
a dish; and though they could not by any means guess at his
reason for so doing, they nevertheless followed his advice.
As soon as the princess got into the house, she called for the

head cook, and after she had given him directions about the
entertainment for the sultan, she said to him, Besides all this,
you must dress an extraordinary dish for the sultan's own
eating, which nobody else must touch besides yourself. This
dish must be cucumbers stuffed with these pearls; and at the
same time she opened the box, and shewed him the pearls.
The chief cook, who had never heard of such a dish, started
back, and shewed by looks his thoughts; which the princess
penetrating into, said, I see thou takest me to be mad, to order

such a dish; but thou must know I have my reasons for so doing;
therefore go and do the best thou canst, and bring me back
what pearls are left. The cook made no reply, but took the box,
and went away: and afterwards the princess gave _______

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