Page 30 - Humà the Lucky Bird

asked her how she knew anything about Hatam,
and she told him everything - how the
woodcutter had applied to her father for help,
and how her father, not having anything else, gave
her to him as a slave. The prince then sent for the
woodcutter, and heard from him the same words,
and all about the Hum's egg and the man's visit to
Koh-i-Qáf. He was intensely surprised when he
heard all these things. He immediately sent to
King Hatam, begging him to come and rule the
country in his stead, because he was too young
and inexperienced to manage it properly. The
retired woodcutter received a large pension in
land ; but the cunning woni was ordered to give
up the golden egg to the king.

30