Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-28

losophizod no more, but spurred his horse
and with his spouse sought safety I'm flight.
Sidi Achmcd had heard Of IIarnk's a
wealth and Of his wives, and so soon M he
was Informed Of tho flight he hastoncd In
pursuit. Until late In the afternoon two
dust clouds might bo seen, ono chasing the
other. the ono beaten up by Barak Hagcb
Ind his wives, tho other by Vo troopers Of
Sidi Achmed.
by tho holy apron of tho prophets
wife, growled Barak, "Roxana's prog.
nostication likewise falls To DO fulfilled. I
shall DO tho dead man today and not Sid
Achmed."
"The stars arc not yet visible" replied
tho white Roxana. "Thero near yonder
pond we will take rest You may take
your evening bath and pray; let the rest
be our care"
Inv the meantime, tho women were not
Idle. When Barak returned from his even.
ing devotions he found, instead OF his
pious family Of wives, an army of bearded
troopers. Great mt first was his fright, for
the warriors were OF fearful aspect
The women had cut off the names and
tails OF their horses, and had made them
selves false boards From noighboring
grove they had cut bamboo canes, TO the
daggers, making thereby elegant lances.
Yarko, the Tartar, and Zibella the In.
dian, commanded the gentle cavalry. Tho
troops were divided into three divisions
Sidi Achmed came on In wild haste As
soon, however, as he saw these warriors,
whose long boards swept down to their
stirrups, his heart sank into his wide
brooches. At once portly hero rode up
to him, calling him to come forth to single
combat.
This was Zibclla so expert with the
knife. The very first throw Of her lance
killed Sidi Achmed
Under the guidance Of the Tartar, Var.
ko, the other amazon, now pressed upon
the enemy. The troopers of Sidi Achmed
were but lukowarm. Five pennies Is a
nice sum, but 1t hardly pays for hole In
ones hide. Each OF these fellows, there
fore, took his shield upon his back, and
turning that quarter TO the enemy fled as
fast as his feet could carry him, and as
they went they roared:
1.-The Tartars are coming! The barba-
rians arc behind US! Ten thousand-20,
OO0-100. 600 horsemen have come to the
relief OF Barak Hageb! Save himself who
can! The Turks shoot with lightning"
''NOw you see the fulfllNent of my pre-
diction," said Roxana, turning to Barak
Hageb.
"And mine will be fulfilled, too added
Jedibah, "for the kingdom of our enemy
will go to pieces. Let us hasten to Ker.
mau."
The head OF tho sultan was struck from
his body and stuck on the point Of lance
With this token Of triumph the party
pressed on to Kermau Hour by hour their
following increased; the runaway soldiers
came from their lurking places and Joined
the expedition, so that at last an immense
army passed over the frontier of the coun.
try. The city gates were cheerfully opened,
for now everybody knew that Sidi Achmed
was tyrant, while Barak Hageb was
praised as the liberator of the nation and
was finally asked to be it's sultan.
Barak Hageb assembled his wives and
said to them:
GLORIOUS women, thank you for my
life Yes, have more to thank you for
my fame and my kingdom. Name, then,
the reward you desire; swear by Allah to
grant it,"
Then came forward tho smooth Zibella
and spoke:
20 great sultan, we do indeed deserve a
reward, for we have fought for you like
men. We ask nothing small, therefore;
we ask for freedom, and our desire is tkat
all the women in your kingdom shall be as
free as men,"
Barak Hageb was touched, very much
touched. He shed tears. Then he said:
"You ask for something unheard Of
something that has never yet been. Yet it
must be, for have sworn. In Kermau,
from this time forth, woman is as free as
man, and the wives of Barak Hageb may
proclaim that they have gained this free
dom by their own personal efforts"
And 80 the new sultan won the hearts of
his people, and even in the neighboring
realms his fame increased.
All the sultans around claimed his
friendship and solicited his kinship.
The makers Of marriages besieged his
house. Even the Sultan Mohammed, at
whose court Barak had once been embas-
sador, offered him sisters and cousins.
To him Barak replied: "I choose neither
your sisters nor yet your cousins, for
want not frivolity, but rather wisdom. If
you really desire to be kinsman of mine,
give me for wife-your mother"
And so 1t happened.
After having had 365 wives, he content
cd himself with one and found it enough.
Adapted From the Hungarian For San
Francisco Argonaut.