🧚 Opening, part 10 · page 2

The owl answered: “Oh, my Lord!61 I too feel sure of this, for in my earliest youth a wise woman foretold that a stork would bring me some great happiness, and I think I could tell you how we might save ourselves.”62 The Caliph was much surprised, and asked her what she meant.63

“The magician who has made us both miserable,” said she, “comes once a month to these ruins.64 Not far from this room is a large hall where he is in the habit of feasting with his companions.65 I have often watched them.66 They tell each other all about their evil deeds, and possibly the magic word which you have forgotten may be mentioned.”67

“Oh, dearest Princess!” exclaimed the Caliph.68 “Say, when does he come, and where is the hall?”69

The owl paused a moment and then said: “Do not think me unkind, but I can only grant your request on one condition.”70

“Speak, speak!” cried Chasid; “command, I will gladly do whatever you wish!”71

“Well,” replied the owl, “you see I should like to be free too; but this can only be if one of you will offer me his hand in marriage.”72

The storks seemed rather taken back by this suggestion, and the Caliph beckoned to his Vizier to retire and consult with him.73

When they were outside the door the Caliph said: “Grand Vizier, this is a tiresome business.74 However, you can take her.”75

“Indeed!” said the Vizier; “so that when I go home my wife may scratch my eyes out!76 Besides, I am an old man, and your Highness is still young and unmarried, and a far more suitable match for a young and lovely princess.”77

“That’s just where it is,” sighed the Caliph, whose wings drooped in a dejected manner; “how do I know she is young and lovely?78 I call it buying a pig in a poke.”79

They argued on for some time, but at length, when the Caliph saw plainly that his Vizier would rather remain a stork to the end of his days than marry the owl, he determined to fulfill the condition himself.80 The owl was delighted.81 She owned that they could not have arrived at a better time, as most probably the magicians would meet that very night.82

She then proceeded to lead the two storks to the chamber.83 They passed through a long dark passage till at length a bright ray of light shone before them through the chinks of a half-ruined wall.84 When they reached it the owl advised them to keep very quiet.85 Through the gap near which they stood they could with ease survey the whole of the large hall.86 It was adorned with splendid carved pillars; a number of colored lamps replaced the light of day.87 In the middle of the hall stood a round table covered with a variety of dishes, and about the table was a divan on which eight men were seated.88 In one of these bad men the two recognized the pedler who had sold the magic powder.89 The man next him begged him to relate all his latest doings, and amongst them he told the story of the Caliph and his Vizier.90

“And what kind of word did you give them?” asked another old sorcerer.91

“A very difficult Latin word; it is ‘Mutabor.’”92

V.93

As soon as the storks heard this they were nearly beside themselves with joy.94 They ran at such a pace to the door of the ruined castle that the owl could scarcely keep up with them.95 When they reached it the Caliph turned to the owl, and said with much feeling: “Deliverer of my friend and myself, as a proof of my eternal gratitude, accept me as your husband.”96 Then he turned towards the east.97 Three times the storks bowed their long necks to the sun, which was just rising over the mountains.98 “Mutabor!” they both cried, and in an instant they were once more transformed.99 In the rapture of their newly given lives master and servant fell laughing and weeping into each other’s arms.100 Who shall describe their surprise when they at last turned round and beheld standing before them a beautiful lady exquisitely dressed!101

With a smile she held out her hand to the Caliph, and asked: “Do you not recognize your screech owl?”102

It was she!103 The Caliph was so enchanted by her grace and beauty that he declared being turned into a stork had been the best piece of luck which had ever befallen him.104 The three set out at once for Bagdad.105 Fortunately, the Caliph found not only the box with the magic powder, but also his purse in his girdle; he was, therefore, able to buy in the nearest village all they required for their journey, and so at last they reached the gates of Bagdad.106

Here the Caliph’s arrival created the greatest sensation.107 He had been quite given up for dead, and the people were greatly rejoiced to see their beloved ruler again.108

Their rage with the usurper Mirza, however, was great in proportion.109 They marched in force to the palace and took the old magician and his son prisoners.110 The Caliph sent the magician to the room where the princess had lived as an owl, and there had him hanged.111 As the son, however, knew nothing of his father’s acts, the Caliph gave him his choice between death and a pinch of the magic snuff.112 When he chose the latter the Grand Vizier handed him the box.113 One good pinch, and the magic word transformed him to a stork.114 The Caliph ordered him to be confined in an iron cage, and placed in the palace gardens.115

Caliph Chasid lived long and happily with his wife, the princess.116 His merriest time was when the Grand Vizier visited him in the afternoon; and when the Caliph was in particularly high spirits he would condescend to mimic the Vizier’s appearance when he was a stork.117 He would strut gravely, and with well-stiffened legs, up and down the room, chattering, and showing how he had vainly bowed to the east and cried “Mu—mu——” The Caliphess and her children were always much entertained by this performance; when the Caliph went on nodding and bowing, and calling “Mu—mu——” too long, the Vizier would threaten laughingly to tell the Caliphess the subject of the discussion carried on one night outside the door of Princess Screech Owl.118

PRINCE AHMED119

There was a sultan of India, who, after a long reign, had reached a good old age.120 He had three sons and one niece, the chief ornaments of his court.121 The eldest son was called Houssain, the second Ali, the youngest Ahmed.122 The name of his niece, their cousin, was Nouronnihar.123 This niece, the daughter of a favorite brother who had died young, had been brought up in the palace from her childhood, and was remarkable for her wit and beauty.124 The sultan, on her arriving at the proper age, was consulting about a neighboring prince with whom she might form an alliance, when he found that all the three princes, his sons, loved their cousin, and wished to marry her.125 This discovery caused him great grief—not from any disappointment of his own plans for his niece, but from the discord which this mutual passion for their cousin would cause to his sons.126