Do n't you know that if I stamped with my foot all Suleiman-bin-Daoud 's Palace and this garden here would immediately vanish in a clap of thunder . ' Then Suleiman-bin-Daoud forgot his nine hundred and ninety-nine bothersome wives , and laughed , till the camphor-tree shook , at the Butterfly 's boast . And he held out his finger and said , ` Little man , come here . ' The Butterfly was dreadfully frightened , but he managed to fly up to the hand of Suleiman-bin-Daoud , and clung there , fanning himself . Suleiman-bin-Daoud bent his head and whispered very softly , ` Little man , you know that all your stamping would n't bend one blade of grass . What made you tell that awful fib to your wife ? -- for doubtless she is your wife . ' The Butterfly looked at Suleiman-bin-Daoud and saw the most wise King 's eye twinkle like stars on a frosty night , and he picked up his courage with both wings , and he put his head on one side and said , ' O King , live for ever . She is my wife ; and you know what wives are like . Suleiman-bin-Daoud smiled in his beard and said , ` Yes , I know , little brother . ` One must keep them in order somehow , said the Butterfly , and she has been quarrelling with me all the morning . I said that to quiet her . ' And Suleiman-bin-Daoud said , ` May it quiet her . Go back to your wife , little brother , and let me hear what you say . ' Back flew the Butterfly to his wife , who was all of a twitter behind a leaf , and she said , ` He heard you ! Suleiman-bin-Daoud himself heard you ! ' ` Heard me ! ' said the Butterfly . ` Of course he did . I meant him to hear me . '
` And what did he XXXXX ?
bend hear heard held laughed let looked quarrelling saw say