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 on the tree were thicker than ever . And the head-man went to the palace and told the sultan what he had seen . But the sultan only shook his head , and said sadly , ` What is that to me ? I have had seven sons , yet for five years a bird has devoured my dates ; and this year it will be the same as ever . ' Now the youngest son was sitting in the kitchen , as was his custom , when he heard his father say those words . And he rose up , and went to his father , and knelt before him . ` Father , this year you shall eat dates , ' cried he . ` And on the tree are five great bunches , and each bunch I will give to a separate nation , for the nations in the town are five . This time , I will watch the date tree myself . ' But his father and his mother laughed heartily , and thought his words idle talk .
One day , news was brought to the sultan that the dates were ripe , and he ordered one XXXXX his men to go and watch the tree .
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