Page:Turkish fairy tales and folk tales (1901).djvu/42

 The damsel's face again appeared in the water, but just as she was about to break the pitcher again, the damsel called to her from the tree: "Break not thy pitchers, 'tis my face thou dost see in the water, and thou wilt see thine own there also."

The Moor-girl looked up, and when she saw the wondrously beautiful shape of the damsel in the tree, she climbed up beside her and spake coaxing words to her: "Oh, my little golden damsel, thou wilt get the cramp from crouching there so long; come, rest thy head!" And with that she laid the damsel's head on her breast, felt in her bosom, drew out a needle, pricked the damsel with it in the skull, and in an instant the Orange-Damsel was changed into a bird, and pr-r-r-r-r! she was gone, leaving the Moor all alone in the tree.

Now when the King's son came back with his fine coach and beautiful raiment, looked up into the tree, and saw the black face, he asked the girl what had happened to her. "A nice question!" replied the Moor-girl. "Why, thou didst leave me here all day, and wentest away, so of course the sun has tanned me black." What could the poor King's son do? He made the black damsel sit in the coach, and took her straight home to his father's house.

In the palace of the Padishah they were all waiting, full of eagerness, to behold the Peri-Bride, and