A fairy has revealed to me that he
is not dead, and possibly will return to you as virtuous as in his
earliest years. Alas!" cried Suliman, bursting into tears, "his
flatterers have ruined him, I know that at heart he is good." These
words moved Cheri to sorrow for his crimes, and he felt that he had
not been punished as severely as he deserved, and he now resolved to
amend his faults.
[Illustration]
Therefore he obeyed the man who had charge over him, and who
constantly cruelly beat him, and one day when this keeper lay asleep,
and a tiger who had broken loose was about to devour him, Cheri fought
the fierce beast, and saved the man's life.
Then a voice was heard saying, "a good action shall be rewarded!" and,
to Cheri's joy he was instantaneously transformed into a pretty little
dog which the keeper carried to the Queen.
The Queen was delighted with him, but, for fear he should grow bigger,
she gave him only small pieces of bread to eat, so that poor Cheri
nearly died of hunger.
One day he carried his little piece of bread into the garden to eat it
there, but wandering with it in his mouth, still further on, he saw a
young girl pale and thin, and almost fainting for want of food.
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