Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/142

126 us go near our comrades there and find out whether we really do understand the language of storks."

Meantime the second stork had reached the ground. It first scraped its bill with its claw, stroked down its feathers, and then advanced towards the first stork. The two newly made storks lost no time in drawing near, and to their amazement overheard the following conversation:

"Good-morning, Dame Longlegs. You are out early this morning!"

"Yes, indeed, dear Chatterbill! I am getting myself a morsel of breakfast. May I offer you a joint of lizard or a frog's thigh?"

"A thousand thanks, but I have really no appetite this morning. I am here for a very different purpose. I am to dance to-day before my father's guests, and I have come to the meadow for a little quiet practice."

Thereupon the young stork began to move about with the most wonderful steps. The Caliph and Mansor looked on with surprise for some time; but when at last she balanced herself in a picturesque attitude on one leg, and flapped her wings gracefully up and down,