Our Little Persian Cousin

hey are paying twenty-five shahis a batman for wheat. If God is willing, I a

for Dada intended to buy some molasses in the city. To the saddle was fastened a jug of water and a red handkerchief filled with bread and cheese. N

WHEN THEY WERE

r, and soon there was only the deep blue sky and blazing sun above, and the hot, parched ground, with bare, rugged mountains in the distanc

e, bordered by many trees, instead of the village and the plain. He called to Dad

at the donkeys harder than ever, and prod them with the nail pointed stick. A few stunted bushes were growing among the

"There is no water," he said, "and yet this tree is always green. It is a spirit who

cots. They unloaded the donkeys and for a shahi bought a melon from the man who was in charge. They then untied the handkerchief and sat down on the ground to eat. After the meal they stretch

panned by bridges, while on every side were vineyards and orchards. They met many people, and many droves o

a wall, half in ruins, with broken down towers here and there. Inside the city gate the street was about fifteen feet wide, and one could not see anything on either side except high wall

poles whose ends were for ever getting under one's feet. One had a dead sheep strapped to its back. These were small, mouse coloured, half starved donkeys, like the one on which Karim had been riding, without any ambition or pride, but jogging along because their

, dressed in rags. Some of them were holding up the st

cry. "May God bless your sons! For t

t, yet very few paid

sat upon his heels behind within reach of everything. Dead sheep were hung up by their legs before another shop, and a dead ox was lying upon the sidewalk u

in his hand, and was waving it about and talking loudly in a singsong tone, while a boy was going around with a carved c

appeared, shouting,

hurry crowded the donkeys down one of the alleys. They were none too soon, for almost at once a large crowd of blue coated horsemen armed with guns turned the corner. Their horses pranc

a great box of polished black colour, with a door, and with soft cushioned seats inside, upon which were sitting two splendidly dressed men. This box was carried on wheels that seemed much too light to support it, and which made no noise at all as they went around. The only wheels

moved to get it, and in silent misery he watched one of the horses cru

at him. Dada did not comfort him at all, but exclaimed, "I have a fool for a son! Why do you stand gaping like a donkey at the wagon of the governor? If that man had not made you bow to the governor, and to the prince riding with h