Page:Turkish fairy tales and folk tales (1901).djvu/161

 The youth did as the bird said, crammed his cars full of elephants' tusks instead of wine, and returned with them to the palace. The Padishah rejoiced greatly at the sight of all the ivory, had the palace built, rewarded the little fowler with rich gifts, and sent him home.

So there was the sparkling bird in his ivory palace, and right merrily did he hop about from perch to perch, but he could never be got to sing. "Ah!" said the evil counsellor, "if only his master were here he would sing of his own accord."

"Who knows who his master is, or where he is to be found?" asked the Padishah sadly.

"He who fetched the elephants' tusks could fetch the bird's master also," replied the evil counsellor.

So the Padishah sent for the little fowler once more, and commanded him to bring the bird's master before him.

"How can I tell who his master is, when I caught him by chance in the forest?" asked the fowler.

"That is thy look-out," said the Padishah; "but if thou find him not I will slay thee. I give thee forty days for thy quest, and let that suffice thee."

So the youth went home, and sobbed aloud in his despair, when lo! the crow came flying up and asked him what he was crying for.