Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/63

45 So Bedr lighted down from the mule and delivered her to the old woman, who drew the bit from her mouth and taking water in her hand, sprinkled the mule therewith, saying, ‘O my daughter, quit this form and return to that wherein thou wast aforetime!’ Whereupon she was straightway restored to her original shape and the two women embraced and kissed each other. So Bedr knew that the old woman was Queen Lab’s mother and that he had been tricked and would have fled; but the old woman gave a loud whistle and there appeared before her an Afrit, as he were a great mountain, whereat Bedr was affrighted and stood still. Then the old woman mounted on the Afrit’s back, taking her daughter behind her and Bedr before her, and the Afrit flew off with them; nor was it long before they were in the palace of Queen Lab, who sat down on the throne of kingship and said to Bedr, ‘Knave that thou art, now am I come hither and have attained to that I desired, and I will show thee how I will do with thee and with yonder old man the grocer! How many favours have I done him! Yet he doth me ill; for thou hadst not attained thine end but by his intervention.’ Then she took water and sprinkled him therewith, saying, ‘Quit the form wherein thou art for that of a foul-favoured bird, the foulest of all birds!’ And immediately he became a foul-favoured bird; and she set him in a cage and cut off from him meat and drink; but one of her women took compassion on him and gave him to eat and drink, without her knowledge.

One day, the damsel took her mistress at unawares and going forth the palace, repaired to the old grocer, to whom she told the whole case, saying, ‘The queen is purposed to make an end of thy brother’s son.’ He thanked her and said, ‘Needs must I take the city from her and make thee queen thereof in her stead.’ Then he gave a loud whistle and there came forth to him an Afrit