Here she stopped under a grove of palm trees , and told the ring that she wanted a house . ` It is ready , mistress , ' whispered a queer little voice which made her jump , and , looking behind her , she saw a lovely palace made of the finest woods , and a row of slaves with tall fans bowing before the door . Glad indeed was she to enter , for she was very tired , and , after eating a good supper of fruit and milk which she found in one of the rooms , she flung herself down on a pile of cushions and went to sleep with her baby beside her . Here she stayed quietly , and every day the baby grew taller and stronger , and very soon he could run about and even talk . Of course the neighbours had a great deal to say about the house which had been built so quickly -- so very quickly -- on the outskirts of the town , and invented all kinds of stories about the rich lady who lived in it . And by and bye , when the king returned with his son from the wars , some of these tales reached his ears . ` It is really very odd about that house under the palms , ' he said to the queen ; ' I must find out something of the lady whom no one ever sees . I daresay it is not a lady at all , but a gang of conspirators who want to get possession of my throne . To-morrow I shall take my son and my chief ministers and insist on getting inside . ' Soon after sunrise next day the prince 's wife was standing on a little hill behind the house , when she saw a cloud of dust coming through the town . A moment afterwards she heard faintly the roll of the drums that announced the king 's presence , and saw a crowd of people approaching the grove of palms . Her heart beat fast . Could her husband be among them ? In any case they must not discover her there ; so just bidding the ring prepare some food for them , she ran inside , and bound a veil of golden gauze round her head and face . Then , taking the child 's hand , she went to the door and waited . In a few minutes the whole procession came up , and she stepped forward and begged them to come in and rest . ` Willingly , ' answered the king ; ` go first , and we will follow you . ' They followed her into a long dark room , in which was a table covered with gold cups and baskets filled with dates and cocoa-nuts and all kinds of ripe yellow fruits , and the king and the prince sat upon cushions and were served by slaves , while the ministers , among whom she recognised her own brother , stood behind . ` Ah , I owe all my misery to him , ' she said to herself . ` From the first he has hated me , ' but outwardly she showed nothing .
And when the king asked her what news there was in the town she only answered : ` You have ridden far ; eat XXXXX , and drink , for you must be hungry and thirsty , and then I will tell you my news . '
cocoa-nuts day deal first heart minutes presence procession queen son