P. Eberhardt

“ 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. ”

“ The Queen, unaccustomed to such language from her affectionate son, now wept more bitterly than ever, and persevered in her lamentations and reproaches so long that the Dervise became alarmed at having thus inconsiderately assumed his natural character, and sought to make the matter up. But he had gone too far, and all his endeavours were now in vain. “Well, well,” he suddenly exclaimed, as a last resource, “I will do what I can to lighten your grief. Every morning your nightingale shall come to life again, and sing as much as you please.” ”

“ Rejoicing in his successful villany, the Dervise proceeded in the outward semblance of Fadlallah towards the capital, and shortly he found himself seated upon the king’s throne.
No one suspected the cheat; even Fadlallah’s own mother received her supposed son with her usual tenderness, though it was a little more difficult on the part of the Dervise to counterfeit an affection he did not feel, for the expression of a pure and virtuous heart cannot by any art or hypocrisy be imitated. ”