Page 81 - Bulbul Hezar

limited the prospect of the sultaness's apartment, and from
thence floated with the current down the gardens. By chance

the intendant of the sultan's gardens, one of the principal and
most considerable of the officers of the kingdom, was
walking by the side of this canal, and, perceiving a basket
floating, called to a gardener, who was not far off, and bid
him come presently to him, and reach him that basket, which
he shewed him, that he might see what was in it. The
gardener, with a spade he had in his hand, brought the basket

to the side of the canal, and took it up, and gave it to him.
The intendant of the gardens was extremely surprised to see
a child in the basket, which, though he easily knew it to be
but just born, had very fine features. This intendant had been
married several years, and though he had always been
desirous of having children, Heaven had never blessed him
with any. This accident interrupted his walk. He made the
gardener follow him with the child; and when he came to his
own house, which was situated at-the entrance into the

gardens of the palace, he went into his wife's apartment.
Wife, said he, as we have no children of our own, God has
sent us a boy here: I recommend him to you; provide him a
nurse presently, and take as much care of him as if he were
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