would grant him a son. So the king said to his wife: "Go and sit for a night on the river-bank; perchance God may grant our desire." The queen went out and sat by the river-side, and as she sat and as she prayed a white-bearded man[1] came forth from the waters of the river, and clapped her on the back with his hand, and said: "Go home and be happy; God will give you a son." The queen went home, and in full time she conceived and bore a son. After several years, the prince grew up, and by day he used to go out to hunt, and in the evening he would take the air in the garden. One day, while wandering round, he heard a splashing sound, as if some one was bathing in the pond. Coming closer up, he saw a Pari who had been bathing, and was putting on her clothes. The prince said, "Who are you?" and she replied, "I am a Pari. My name is Kismat Pari"; and, saying this, she spread her wings and flew away towards the sky. The prince came home and said nothing, but lay down to rest. Some days after the Wazir said to the king, "Why is your son so sad?" The king sent for his son and asked what was the matter with him ; but the prince only said, "Oh, Kismat Pari!" Not another word would he say. Then the king said: "There is a faqīr who lives outside the town; he will tell you about her." The prince went out to where the faqīr lived, and found him with little boys playing all round him. Some were jumping over him, and others pushing him, and others pulling him by the ear. The prince stood there and said nothing. The faqīr said, "Prince, why don't you come and play with me like the others?" But the prince only said, "Oh, show me Kismat Pari." Then the faqīr pointed with his hand and said, "Do you see that town?" The prince looked in that direction, and a town became visible to him. Then the faqīr said, "Go there"; and the prince started off. It was a long way off, though the faqīr, by his magic, had made it appear near; and it took him eight days to
- ↑ This is Khwaja Khizr, the river-saint of the Indus.
