III.— (/. 2, /. \^io I

Who was one day watering his camels at the waters of a lake ? (2, 14.)

He was surprised to {surpris de) see his shepherd's staff {houlette, f. ), which he dropped, disappear {disparaître) through an underground outlet. (2, 17.)

He took {prit) a big stone and stopped the issue through which the waters escaped. (2, 17.)

What {quelle) was his surprise {surprise, f. ) when sometime after some emissaries from Persia arrived with his staff. (2, 22.)

' This shepherd's staff,' said they, 'has been carried down to {en) Persia by a river which immediately {imméd atement) after dried up.' (2, 19.)

•Fearing \&%i {craindre que ue, with the following verb in the

sulijunctive) the want of water might cause {causer) a famine, the Sultan has sent us here ; ' (2, 20. )

We ' are to' (Près, of devoir) ' discover the cause {cause, f.) of this mysterious {mystérieux) drying up {tarissement, m.) of the waters.' (2, 22.)

' The Sultan will give half his kingdom to him who can ' cause ' his river 'to flow ' {faire couler...). — (2, 32.)

' Is that all ? ' asked the shepherd. — ' No, he will also give him his daughter 'in marriage' {en mariage, m.).' — 2, 32.)

Very well ; go [and] tell your lord {seigneur) that even before his emissaries have returned, the waters of the lost river will bedew the T^nrchcd {desséc/ies) fields of Persia. {2, 33.)