father, who rejected my mother and myself, depriving us of our just claims.”  Having thus spoken, he drew his sabre, and rushing upon the two guilty princes struck them dead, each at one blow.  He would, in his rage, have attacked his father; but the sultans prevented him, and having reconciled them, the old sultan promised to leave him his heir, and to restore his mother to her former rank and consequence.  His nuptials with the third princess were then celebrated; and their fathers, after participating for forty days in the magnificent entertainments given on the occasion, took leave, and returned to their several kingdoms.  The old sultan finding himself, from age, incapable of the cares of government, resigned the throne to his son, whose authority was gladly submitted to by the people, who admired his prowess and gallantry.

Some time after his accession to the kingdom, attended only by some select courtiers, and without the cumbrous appendages of royalty, he left his capital upon a hunting excursion.  In the course of the sport, passing over a desert plain, he came to a spot where was the opening of a cave, into which he entered, and observed domestic utensils and other marks of its being inhabited; but no one was then within it.

The curiosity of the sultan being excited, he resolved to wait until the owners of the cave should appear, and cautioned his attendants not to mention his rank.  He had not sat long, when a man was seen advancing with a load of provisions and two skins of water.  On his coming to the mouth of the cave, the sultan addressed him, saying, “Whence comest thou, where art thou going, and what dost thou carry?” “I am,” replied the man, “one of three companions, who inhabit this cave, having fled from our city to avoid imprisonment, and every ten days one of us goes to purchase provisions:  to-day was my turn, and my friends will be here presently.”  “What was the cause of your flight?” rejoined the sultan.  “As to that,” answered the man, “it can only be communicated by the relation of our adventures, which are curious, and if you wish to hear them, stay with us to-night, and we will each, in our turn, relate his own story.”

The sultan upon this, said to himself, “I will not move from this spot until I have heard their adventures;” and immediately dispatched his attendants, excepting a few, with orders to bring from the city some necessaries for the night.  “For,” thought he, “hearing these stories will be pleasanter than hunting, as they may, perhaps, inform my mind.”  He remained in the cave with his few followers; and soon after arrived the two other inmates, who were succeeded by the sultan’s messengers with the requisites for a substantial repast, of which all partook without ceremony.  When it was finished, the sultan desired the owners of the cave to relate their adventures; and they replied, “To hear is to obey:”  the first beginning as follows.

Story of the First Sharper in the Cave.