CHAPTER PAGE I. KARIM ARRIVES 1 II. KARIM'S RELATIVES AND HOME 9 III. KARIM GOES EXPLORING 18 IV. THE EVIL EYE STRIKES KARIM 25 V. KARIM AT WORK AND PLAY 35 VI. A TRIP TO THE CITY 49 VII. KARIM'S RELIGION 60 VIII. KARIM'S GOOD FORTUNE 70 IX. KARIM LEAVES HOME 81 X. KARIM GOES TO MARKET 86 XI. KARIM AT THE PALACE 93 XII. SOHRAB AND RUSTEM 102 XIII. NEW OPPORTUNITIES 113 XIV. TWO IMPORTANT EVENTS 121 XV. AMONG THE KURDS 130 XVI. RUMOURS OF WAR 137 XVII. SHEIKH TAHAR 144 XVIII. A BATTLE AND WHAT CAME OF IT 155 XIX. FAREWELL TO KARIM 162 List of Illustrations PAGE "HE CARRIED IT HOME ON HIS SHOULDER" (_See page 92_) _Frontispiece_ "HE WAS SO FAT THAT HER BACK OFTEN ACHED" 18 "HERE KARIM SAT ALL DAY" 37 "DADA AND KARIM STARTED VERY EARLY" 49 "THE SUN ROSE WHEN THEY WERE HALF WAY OVER" 50 THE GOVERNOR'S PALACE 81 "PUTTING THE PAPER ON HIS KNEE AS HE SAT ON THE FLOOR" 118 A KURDISH SHEPHERD 130 SHEIKH TAHAR AND HIS HORSEMEN 150 KARIM AND HIS BRIDE 164 Our Little Persian Cousin CHAPTER I KARIM ARRIVES EVERY one in the house of Abdullah was smiling on the day when a boy was born. Even Ashak the donkey, as he was bringing big bundles of wheat from the field, did not get half as many pokes as usual from the nail pointed stick that took the place of a whip, and was actually let alone for a whole afternoon to eat the dead grass and crisp thistles by the roadside. Old Bajee, who was caring for the baby, ran as fast as she could to be the first to tell the news to Abdullah, calling out all the way, "Good news! a boy! a boy!" "Praise be to God!" exclaimed Abdullah, and gave her a piece of silver money worth half a dollar. Laughing from joy she clutched this tight in her fist, and almost touched the ground with her forehead as she bowed to him. She had never owned half a dollar at one time except twice before in her life. Abdullah hurried to the little shop around the corner and bought a loaf of sugar and some tea, and the tea urn, or samovar, was soon steaming. His neighbours--all men--came to congratulate him. Some brought raisins as a present, some melons. One brought another small loaf of sugar.