And he cried aloud , ` What am I to say to my father ? Shall I tell him that the dates have been stolen , or that a great rain fell and a great storm blew ? But he will send me to gather them up and bring them to him , and there are none to bring ! Shall I tell him that Bedouins drove me away , and when I returned there were no dates ? And he will answer , `` You had slaves , did they not fight with the Bedouins ? '' It is the truth that will be best , and that will I tell him . ' Then he went straight to his father , and found him sitting in his verandah with his five sons round him ; and the lad bowed his head . ` Give me the news from the garden , ' said the sultan . And the youth answered , ` The dates have all been eaten by some bird : there is not one left . ' The sultan was silent for a moment : then he asked , ` Where were you when the bird came ? ' The lad answered : ' I watched the date tree till the cocks were crowing and it was getting light ; then I lay down for a little , and I slept . When I woke a slave was standing over me , and he said , `` There is not one date left on the tree ! '' And I went to the date tree , and saw it was true ; and that is what I have to tell you . ' And the sultan replied , ' A son like you is only good for eating and sleeping . I have no use for you . Go your way , and when my date tree bears again , I will send another son ; perhaps he will watch better . ' So he waited many months , till the tree was covered with more dates than any tree had ever borne before . When they were near ripening he sent one of his sons to the garden : saying , ` My son , I am longing to taste those dates : go and watch over them , for to-day 's sun will bring them to perfection . ' And the lad answered : ` My father , I am going now , and to-morrow , when the sun has passed the hour of seven , bid a slave come and gather the dates . ' ` Good , ' said the sultan .
The youth went XXXXX the tree , and lay down and slept .
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