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 of his men to go and watch the tree . His son , who happened to be standing by , heard the order , and he said : ` How is it that you have bidden a man to watch the tree , when I , your son , am left ? ' And his father answered , ` Ah , six were of no use , and where they failed , will you succeed ? ' But the boy replied : ` Have patience to-day , and let me go , and to-morrow you shall see whether I bring you dates or not . ' ` 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 XXXXX the air .
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