Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/138

122 whether you can read it. If you can, I will give you a robe of honor; but if you fail, I will order you to receive twelve strokes on your cheeks, and five-and-twenty on the soles of your feet, because you have been falsely called Selim the learned."

Selim prostrated himself and said, "Be it according to your will, oh master!" Then he gazed long at the scroll. Suddenly he exclaimed: "May I die, oh, my Lord, if this isn't Latin!"

"Well," said the Caliph, "if it is Latin, let us hear what it means."

So Selim began to translate: "Thou who mayest find this, praise Allah for his mercy. Whoever shall snuff the powder in this box, and at the same time pronounce the word 'Mutabor!' can transform himself into any creature he likes, and will understand the language of all animals. When he wishes to resume the human form, he has only to look three times toward the east, and to repeat the same word. Be careful, however, when wearing the shape of some beast or bird, not to laugh, or thou wilt certainly