Our Little Persian Cousin

or Karim bade good-bye to his parents and went with him.

tered these grounds through large gates of wood. The gateway

him. In one of these Karim slept. A large doorway near by led to a long line of stalls, where twenty riding

flat stones and bordered with little plots of green grass, rose bushes and small beds of bright yellow and r

m had soft divans along the walls, with wide windows to catch the breeze. There were also rooms for the governor's son, Ardashir Khan, and for the mirza (secretary) who taught him,

about the palace. All of them were g

o which Karim never entered, as it was reserved for the ladies of

sycamore), and had in it streams of water, plots of

y each fall and always return to their nests in the spring. They were never disturbed, because they were said to bring good luck. They reminded Karim of his own village, where

nd the ponds. As soon as the three or four young storks had hatched the father and mother took turns in their work. One stayed at home and guarded the children, while the other hunted for food. When the hunter came in sight of the nest he made a great noise clapping with his bill, for storks