The woman struck with all her might , but she missed the bird and hit the carter right on the top of his head , so that he fell down dead . But the sparrow escaped out of his mouth and flew away into the air . -LSB- From the German , Kletke . -RSB- THE STORY OF THE THREE SONS OF HALI Till his eighteenth birthday the young Neangir lived happily in a village about forty miles from Constantinople , believing that Mohammed and Zinebi his wife , who had brought him up , were his real parents . Neangir was quite content with his lot , though he was neither rich nor great , and unlike most young men of his age had no desire to leave his home . He was therefore completely taken by surprise when one day Mohammed told him with many sighs that the time had now come for him to go to Constantinople , and fix on a profession for himself . The choice would be left to him , but he would probably prefer either to be a soldier or one of the doctors learned in the law , who explain the Koran to the ignorant people . ` You know the holy book nearly by heart , ' ended the old man , ` so that in a very short time you would be fitted to teach others . But write to us and tell us how you pass your life , and we , on our side , will promise never to forget you . ' So saying , Mohammed gave Neangir four piastres to start him in the great city , and obtained leave for him to join a caravan which was about to set off for Constantinople . The journey took some days , as caravans go very slowly , but at last the walls and towers of the capital appeared in the distance . When the caravan halted the travellers went their different ways , and Neangir was left , feeling very strange and rather lonely . He had plenty of courage and made friends very easily ; still , not only was it the first time he had left the village where he had been brought up , but no one had ever spoken to him of Constantinople , and he did not so much as know the name of a single street or of a creature who lived in it . Wondering what he was to do next , Neangir stood still for a moment to look about him , when suddenly a pleasant-looking man came up , and bowing politely , asked if the youth would do him the honour of staying in his house till he had made some plans for himself . Neangir , not seeing anything else he could do , accepted the stranger 's offer and followed him home . They entered a large room , where a girl of about twelve years old was laying three places at the table . ` Zelida , ' said the stranger , ` was I not quite right when I told you that I should bring back a friend to sup with us ? ' ` My father , ' replied the girl , ` you are always right in what you say , and what is better still , you never mislead others . ' As she spoke , an old slave placed on the table a dish called pillau , made of rice and meat , which is a great favourite among people in the East , and setting down glasses of sherbet before each person , left the room quietly . During the meal the host talked a great deal upon all sorts of subjects ; but Neangir did nothing but look at Zelida , as far as he could without being positively rude .
The girl blushed and grew uncomfortable , and XXXXX last turned to her father .
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