And his ears were stopped , and his legs trembled , and his tongue grew heavy at the thought of the sultan . His slave became frightened as he looked at him , and asked , ` My master , what is it ? ' He answered , ' I have no pain anywhere , but I am ill everywhere . My whole body is well , and my whole body is sick I fear my father , for did I not say to him , `` To-morrow at seven you shall taste the dates '' ? And he will drive me away , as he drove away my brother ! I will go away myself , before he sends me . ' Then he got up and took a road that led straight past the palace , but he had not walked many steps before he met a man carrying a large silver dish , covered with a white cloth to cover the dates . And the young man said , ` The dates are not ripe yet ; you must return to-morrow . ' And the slave went with him to the palace , where the sultan was sitting with his four sons . ` Good greeting , master ! ' said the youth . And the sultan answered , ` Have you seen the man I sent ? ' ' I have , master ; but the dates are not yet ripe . ' But the sultan did not believe his words , and said ; ` This second year I have eaten no dates , because of my sons . Go your ways , you are my son no longer ! ' And the sultan looked at the four sons that were left him , and promised rich gifts to whichever of them would bring him the dates from the tree . But year by year passed , and he never got them . One son tried to keep himself awake with playing cards ; another mounted a horse and rode round and round the tree , while the two others , whom their father as a last hope sent together , lit bonfires . But whatever they did , the result was always the same . Towards dawn they fell asleep , and the bird ate the dates on the tree .
The sixth year had come , and the dates XXXXX the tree were thicker than ever .
Towards as at before by of on past to with