Page:Turkish fairy tales and folk tales (1901).djvu/294

 YOUTH WITHOUT AGE, AND LIFE WITHOUT DEATH

Once upon a time there was a great Emperor and an Empress; both were young and beautiful, and as they would fain have been blessed with offspring they went to all the wise men and all the wise women and bade them read the stars to see if they would have children or not; but all in vain. At last the Emperor heard that in a certain village, hard by, dwelt a wiser old man than all the rest; so he sent and commanded him to appear at court. But the wise old man sent the messengers back with the answer that those who needed him must come to him. So the Emperor and the Empress set out, with their lords and their ladies, and their servants and their soldiers, and came to the house of the wise old man. And when the old man saw them coming from afar he went out to meet them.

"Welcome," cried he; "but I tell thee, oh Emperor! that the wish of thy heart will only work thee woe."