` Let the child go , Master , ' said his wife ; ` perhaps we shall eat the dates -- or perhaps we shall not -- but let him go . ' And the sultan answered : ' I do not refuse to let him go , but my heart distrusts him . His brothers all promised fair , and what did they do ? ' But the boy entreated , saying , ` Father , if you and I and mother be alive to-morrow , you shall eat the dates . ' ` Go then , ' said his father . When the boy reached the garden , he told the slaves to leave him , and to return home themselves and sleep . When he was alone , he laid himself down and slept fast till one o'clock , when he arose , and sat opposite the date tree . Then he took some Indian corn out of one fold of his dress , and some sandy grit out of another . And he chewed the corn till he felt he was growing sleepy , and then he put some grit into his mouth , and that kept him awake till the bird came . It looked about at first without seeing him , and whispering to itself , ` There is no one here , ' fluttered lightly on to the tree and stretched out his beak for the dates . Then the boy stole softly up , and caught it by the wing . The bird turned and flew quickly away , but the boy never let go , not even when they soared high into the air . ` Son of Adam , ' the bird said when the tops of the mountains looked small below them , ` if you fall , you will be dead long before you reach the ground , so go your way , and let me go mine . ' But the boy answered , ` Wherever you go , I will go with you . You can not get rid of me . ' ' I did not eat your dates , ' persisted the bird , ` and the day is dawning . Leave me to go my way . ' But again the boy answered him : ` My six brothers are hateful to my father because you came and stole the dates , and to-day my father shall see you , and my brothers shall see you , and all the people of the town , great and small , shall see you . And my father 's heart will rejoice . ' ` Well , if you will not leave me , I will throw you off , ' said the bird .
So it flew up higher still -- so high XXXXX the earth shone like one of the other stars .
because before below by into of that till to with