Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Arab countries; Folklore -- Arab countries; Tales -- Arab countries
There formerly reigned in the city of Harran a most magnificent and
potent sultan, who loved his subjects, and was equally beloved by them.
He was endued with all virtues, and wanted nothing to complete his
happiness but an heir. He continually prayed to Heaven for a child; and
one night in his sleep, a prophet appeared to him and said: "Your
prayers are heard; you have obtained what you have desired; rise as soon
as you awake, go to your prayers, and make two genuflexions; then walk
into the garden of your palace, call your gardener, and bid him bring
you a pomegranate; eat as many of the seeds as you please, and your
wishes shall be accomplished."
The sultan calling to mind his dream when he awoke, returned thanks to
Heaven, got up, prayed, made two genuflexions, and then went into his
garden, where he took fifty pomegranate seeds, which he counted, and
ate. Some time afterward forty-nine of his wives presented him with
sons, each one as vigorous as a young palm-tree, but Pirouze, the
fiftieth wife, remained childless. The sultan, therefore, took an
aversion to this lady and would have had her put to death had not his
vizier prevented him, advising rather that she be sent to Samaria, to
her brother, Sultan Samer, with orders that she be well treated.
Not long after Pirouze had been retired to her brother's country, a most
beautiful prince was born to her. The prince of Samaria wrote
immediately to the sultan of Harran, to acquaint him with the birth of a
son, and to congratulate him on the occasion. The sultan was much
rejoiced at this intelligence, and answered Prince Samer as follows:
"Cousin, all my other wives have each presented me with a prince. I
desire you to educate the child of Pirouze, to give him the name of
Codadad, and to send him to me when I may apply for him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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