Page:Swahili tales.djvu/163

Rh It was thrown the first time, and it struck that slave lad. And they looked at him and said, "It is of no use, throw a second time." And they threw, and it struck that slave lad. And they made him go away from where he was, and set him in a place at a distance. And they threw again the third time, and it struck him. And they said: "So then it is he who is to be our sultan."

And the vizirs took the slave lad, and went with him through the city, with rejoicing and games, and many cannons were fired. And they made him rule over the kingdom, and he remained in enjoyment.

There was in that city a Bedouin, who slaughtered animals and sold goats' flesh. And he used to slaughter people, and mix their flesh with his meat. This was his employment, and those who were in the town knew nothing of it.

The sultan's son came into the town and passed by the Bedouin's door, and he took hold of him, and put him inside, and fastened him in the stocks. And he saw many people bound along with the goats. Now in the morning, one person and a goat were taken and killed, and their flesh was mixed together, and he went and sold it on the seat at his door. And every day this was what he did. The sultan's son was very thin through grief, and he called a slave of the Bedouin's and gave him a small coin. And he gave it to him and said, "Buy me some thread and a little bit of cloth." And he bought it, and brought it to him. And he stitched a beautiful cap, and wrote verses inside the cap, and he wrote—

And he gave it to the Bedouin, and he was very glad.