Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 4, 1893.djvu/307

 Rh hungering after you ; now I am happy." Then they embraced Dris, and he became whole at that very moment, and with that the three men vanished away.

People came to offer their congratulations to the king, saying, "Your son-in-law is well again." The king was much pleased, and came to see the prophet Drīs. Drīs related to him all that had happened to him, and said, "Now dig up that head which you had buried." So they went and dug it up, and lo ! it was a water-melon ! Then the king was very sad, thinking, "I have done a very unjust deed." But Drīs said, "Do not be sad ; what was done to me was done by God ; now pray yourself, and I will pray that God may restore your son to you." They both prayed, and after a day or two congratulations came to the king, because his son was coming home again, bringing his bride with him. Then the king was very joyful, and he prayed that the sons of the prophet Drīs might be restored to life again.

Drīs then declared his intention of starting for his own country; and the king said, "Go ! and my daughter will go with you, and I will send a band of horsemen for your protection." Drīs set out and came to his own land ; and, on arriving, he found his forty sons all alive and saying their prayers in the mosque. And he was very happy. God made a promise to the prophet Drīs, as follows : "One day I will show thee my face, but thou must also promise that having seen me once thou wilt then depart and go forth." Then Drīs went to pay his devotions to God, and he sat with God. And then God said to him, "Now depart !" He went outside, saying, "I go," but he was not able to leave God's presence, and having gone outside, he came back again. Then God said, "Why hast thou returned ?" Drīs said, "I forgot my shoes here," but he lied. He came and sat down. Then God said, "Didst thou not promise thou wouldst depart ? now, why dost thou not go?" Then Drīs said, "I made one promise that I would depart and go forth, and I have kept that promise.