morning to the foot of the first tree on your right in the park, and dig under it, and you will find more than you want.'
That night the princess ordered a gardener to be ready, and early the next morning took him with her to the tree the bird told her of, and bade him dig at its foot. When the gardener came to a certain depth, he found some resistance to the spade, and presently discovered a gold box about a foot square, which he showed the princess. 'This,' said she, 'is what I brought you for; take care not to hurt it with the spade.'
When the gardener took up the box, he gave it into the princess's hands, who, as it was only fastened with neat little hasps, soon opened it, and found it full of pearls of moderate size, but fit for the use that was to be made of them. Very well satisfied with having found this treasure, she shut the box again, put it under her arm, and went back to the house, while the gardener threw the earth into the hole at the foot of the tree as before.
Princes Bahman and Perviz saw the princess their sister in the garden earlier than usual, as they were dressing in their own apartments; as soon as they could get out, they went to meet her as she was coming back, with a gold box under her arm, which very much surprised them. 'Sister,' said Bahman, 'you carried nothing with you when we saw you before with the gardener, and now we see you have got a golden box; is this some treasure found by the gardener, and did he come and tell you of it?'
'No, brother,' answered the princess, 'I conducted the gardener to the place where the coffer was hid, and showed him where to dig: but you will be more amazed when you see what it holds.'
The princess opened the box, and when the princes saw that it was full of pearls, which, though small, were of great value, they asked her how she came to the knowledge of this treasure. 'Brothers,' said she, 'come with me and I will tell you.' As they returned to the house, the princess gave them an account of her consulting the bird, as they had agreed she should, and the answer he gave her; the objection she raised to preparing a dish of cucumbers stuffed with pearls, and how he had told her where to find this box. The princes and princess wondered greatly what the bird could mean by ordering them to prepare such a dish;
