Page 83 - Bulbul Hezar

our own son; for, from this moment, I acknowledge him as
such. The intendant's wife received the child with a great

deal of joy, and took a great pleasure in having the care of
him. The intendant himself would not inquire too narrowly
from whence the child came; but knew very well it came not
far off the sultaness's apartment, and that it was not his
business to examine too far into secrets, nor to create
disturbances.
The year after, the sultaness was brought to bed of another

prince, on whom the ill-natured sisters had no more
compassion than on his brother, but exposed him likewise in
a basket, and set him adrift in the canal, pretending this time
that the sultaness was delivered of a cat. It was happy also for
this child that the intendant of the gardens was walking by
the canal-side, who had it carried to his wife, and charged
her to take as much care of it as of the first; which suited as
well her inclination as it was agreeable to the intendant.
The sultan of Persia was more enraged this time against the

sultaness than before, and she had felt the effects of his anger,
if the grand visier, by his remonstrances, had not opposed
him.
The third time the sultaness lay in, she was delivered of a
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