534 
BAHARAM AND HIS QUEEN. 
extravagant, yet it proves that there were some extraordinary 
grounds on which he founded so uncommon a reverence for his 
royal consort; and, as a specimen of the romantic taste of the 
times, I shall repeat it. The story is told on the spot, where 
they say it happened. 
“ The ruling passion of Baharam was the chase; and proud 
of his excellence as an archer, he wished to exhibit his skill 
before his most favourite wife. She accordingly accompanied 
him to the plain; and an antelope was descried at a distance 
lying asleep. The monarch drew his bow with such precision, 
that its arrow grazed the animal’s ear. The antelope awoke, 
and put his hind hoof to the spot, to strike off the fly by which 
he appeared to conceive he was annoyed. The monarch shot 
again, and pinned the hoof to the horn. The exulting Baharam 
turned to the lady, with a look that demanded her opinion of his 
skill; but she coolly observed, — 4 Practice makes perfect.’ So 
indifferent a reply, where he expected such warm praises, stung 
him to the soul with disappointment and jealousy ; and in the 
fury of the moment, he ordered her to be carried to the moun¬ 
tains, and exposed to perish. The minister who was to obey 
this cruel command, took her hence; but, mercifully sparing 
her life, allowed her to retire under a deep disguise to an obscure 
village on the mountain-side. She took up her lodgings in the 
upper chamber of a tower, to which she ascended by twenty 
steps. On her arrival she bought a young calf, which she re¬ 
gularly carried once up and down the flight every day. This 
exercise she continued for four years ; and the improvement in 
her strength kept pace with the increasing weight of the animal. 
Baharam, who had supposed his favourite to have been long 
dead, happened, after a fatiguing chase, to stop one evening at 
