Page:Fairy tales from the Arabian nights.djvu/325

 and if you will take the trouble to go a little nearer you will not doubt it, and the voices will be the more distinct.'

The sultan went nearer, and was so charmed with the sweet harmony that he would never have been tired of hearing it, but that his desire to have a nearer view of the fountain of yellow water forced him away. 'Fair one,' said he, 'tell me, I pray you, whether this wonderful tree was found in your garden by chance, or whether it was a present made to you, or did you procure it from some foreign country? It must certainly have come from a great way off, otherwise, as I am curious after natural rarities, I should have heard of it. What name do you call it?'

'Sir,' replied the princess, 'this tree has no other name than that of the singing tree, and is not a native of this country. It would take too long to tell you how it came here; its history is connected with that of the yellow water and the speaking bird, which came to me at the same time, and which your majesty may see after you have taken a nearer view of the golden water. But if it be agreeable to your majesty, after you have rested and recovered from the fatigue of hunting, I will do myself the honour of relating it to you.'

'My fair one,' replied the sultan, 'my fatigue is so well dispelled by the wonderful things you have shown me, that I do not feel it the least. I think only of the trouble I am giving you. Let us see the yellow water. I am impatient to see and admire the speaking bird.'

When the sultan came to the yellow water, his eyes were fixed so steadfastly upon the fountain that he could not take them off. At last, addressing himself to the princess, he said, 'As you tell me, fair one, that this water has no spring or communication hereabouts, I conclude that it is foreign, as well as the singing tree.'

'Sir,' replied the princess, 'it is as your majesty says; and to let you know that this water has no communication with any spring, I must tell you that the basin is one single stone, so that the water cannot come in at the sides or underneath. But what your majesty will think most wonderful is, that all this water proceeded from one flagon, which I emptied into the basin, and increased of itself to the quantity you see, and formed the fountain.'