Page:The German Novelists (Volume 2).djvu/208

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198
POPULAR TRADITIONS.

EBERHARDT.

TREACHERY ITS OWN BETRAYER.[1]

Fadlallah, the son of the mighty monarch Bin-Ortob, succeeded on the decease of the latter to the throne of the kingdom of Mousel. He was still in the flower of his days, was intelligent and even more good natured than clever, so that in a short time he acquired the entire affection of his subjects. He was in particular commended for the filial tenderness he displayed towards his widowed mother, the queen Zemrouda; devoting himself, in every way he could imagine, to her happiness, and to shed light and pleasure over the evening of her days. Upon ascending the throne, instead of dooming her to a widowed solitude, as formerly had been the custom, he left her

  1. Though not strictly of Germanic origin, this story has been incorporated in many German collections, insomuch as to authorize the editor to give it a place in a work, the chief object of which is to amuse. Nor in other instances has he felt himself justified in omitting, such tales as he considered adapted to this purpose, where they have been previously adapted by German authors or collectors of fictitious narrative; merely for fear of their not having taken their origin in the country in whose language they are related.—Ed.