The gardener, with a rake which he had in his hand, drew the basket
to the side of the canal, took it up, and gave it to him.
The intendant of the gardens was extremely surprised to see in the
basket a child, which, though he knew it could be but just born, had
very fine features. This officer had been married several years, but
though he had always been desirous of having children, Heaven had
never blessed him with any. He made the gardener follow him with the
child; and when he came to his own house, which was situated at the
entrance into the gardens of the palace, went into his wife's
apartment. "Wife," said he, "as we have no children of our own, God
hath sent us one. I recommend him to you; provide him a nurse, and
take as much care of him as if he were our own son; for, from this
moment, I acknowledge him as such." The intendant's wife received the
child with great joy.
The following year the queen consort gave birth to another prince, on
whom the unnatural sisters had no more compassion than on his brother;
but exposed him likewise in a basket, and set him adrift in the canal,
pretending this time that the sultaness was delivered of a cat. It was
happy also for this child that the intendant of the gardens was
walking by the canal side. He carried this child to his wife, and
charged her to take as much care of it as of the former, which was as
agreeable to her inclination as it was to that of the intendant.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142