Without staying any longer in the market, the peasant went directly to the court, and placed himself exactly before the king’s apartment. His majesty being at a window where he could see all that passed in the base-court, at length cast his eyes on this beautiful bird; and, being charmed with the sight of it, he immediately sent the commander of his eunuchs to buy it for him. The officer, going to the peasant, demanded of him how much he would have for that bird. If it be for his majesty, answered the peasant, I humbly beg of him to accept it of me as a present, and I desire you to carry it to him. Hereupon the officer took the bird, and brought it to the king, who found it so great a rarity, that he ordered the same officer to take ten pieces of gold and carry them to the peasant, who departed very well satisfied with the market he had made. The king ordered the bird to be put into a magnificent cage, and gave it corn and water in rich vessels.
His majesty being then ready to mount on horseback, had not time to consider the bird, therefore had it brought to him as soon as he came back. The officer brought the cage; and the king, that he might better view the bird, took it out himself, and perched it upon his hand. Looking earnestly upon it, he demanded of the officer if he had seen it eat. Sir, replied the officer, your majesty may observe his eating: the drawer is still full; and I believe he has hardly touched any of his meat; at least I did not see him. Then the king ordered him meat of divers sorts, that he might take what he liked best.
The table being spread, (for dinner happened to be served up just as the king had given these orders), and the plates being placed, the bird leaped off the king’s hand, and, clapping his wings, flew upon the table, where he began to peck the bread and victuals after an extraordinary rate. The king seeing this, was so surprised at it, that he immediately sent for the queen to come and see this miracle. The person that was sent related the matter to her majesty, and she came forthwith; but she no sooner saw the bird, than she covered her face with her veil, and would have retired. The king, admiring her proceedings, in that there were none but the eunuchs of the chamber and the women that waited on her, asked the reason of it.
Sir, answered the queen, your majesty will no longer admire at my proceeding, when you come to know that this bird, which you take to be such, is no bird, but a man. Madam, said the king, more astonished than before, you are pleased to banter me, I suppose; but you shall never persuade me that a bird can be a man. Sir, replied the queen, far be it from me to banter your majesty; yet nothing is more certain than what I have had the honour to tell you.
I can assure your majesty it is the king of Persia, named Beder, son of the celebrated Gulnare, princess of one of the largest kingdoms of the sea, nephew of Saleh, king of that kingdom, and grand-child of queen Farasche, mother of Gulnare and Saleh; and it was the princess Giahaure, daughter of the king of Samarcand, who thus metamorphosed him into a bird. Moreover, that the king might no longer doubt of what she affirmed, she told him the whole story, as how, and for what reason, the princess Giahaure had thus revenged herself for the ill treatment which king Saleh had used towards the king of Samarcand, her father.
The king had the less difficulty to believe this assertion of the queen’s, in that he knew her to be a skilful sorceress, perhaps one of the greatest in the world; and as she knew every thing which passed in it, he was always timely informed of the designs of the kings his neighbours against him, and so prevented them. His majesty had compassion on the king of Persia, and therefore earnestly besought his queen to break the enchantment, that he might return to his own form.
The queen consented to it with great willingness. Sir, said she to the king, be pleased to take the bird into your closet, and I will show you a thing worthy of the consideration you have for him. The bird, which had never minded eating, by reason of his attentiveness to what the king and queen said, would not give his majesty the trouble to take him, but hopped into the closet before him; and the queen came in soon after, with a pot full of water in her hand. She mumbled over the pot some words, unknown to the king, till such time as the water began to boil; when she took some of it in her hand, and sprinkling a little upon the bird, said, By virtue of these holy and mysterious words I am going to pronounce, and in the name of the Creator both of heaven and earth, who raises the dead, and maintains the universe in its distinct state, quit that form of a bird, and reassume that form which thou receivedst from thy Creator.
The words were scarce out of the queen’s mouth, when, instead of a bird, the king saw a young prince of good shape, air, and mien. King Beder immediately fell on his knees, and thanked God for the mercy that had been bestowed upon him. Then he took the king’s hand, who helped him up, and kissed it as a token of his acknowledgment; but the king embraced him with a great deal of joy, and testified to him the great satisfaction he had to see him. He would then have paid his acknowledgments to the queen, but she was already retired to her apartment. The king made him sit at the table with him, and after supper was over, he prayed him to relate to him how the princess Giahaure had had the inhumanity to transform him into a bird, so agreeable and amiable a prince as he was; and the king of Persia immediately applied himself to satisfy him. When he had done, the king, disdaining the proceeding of the princess, could not help blaming her. It was commendable, said he, in the princess of Samarcand, not to be insensible of the king her father’s ill treatment; but to carry her vengeance so far, and especially against one that was not culpable, was by no means to be excused, and she will never be able to justify herself. But let us have done with this discourse, and tell me, I beseech you, in what I can farther serve you.
Sir, answered king Beder, my obligation to your majesty has been so great, that I ought to remain with you all my life-time to testify my acknowledgments; but since your majesty has set no limits to your generosity, I humbly entreat you to grant me one of your ships to transport me to Persia, where I fear my absence, which has been but too long, may have occasioned some disorder; and moreover, that the queen my mother, from whom I concealed my departure, may be dead of grief, under the uncertainty she must needs be of my life or of my death.
The king granted what he desired with all the good will imaginable, and immediately gave orders for equipping one of his largest ships and best sailers in all his numerous fleet. The ship was soon furnished with all its complement of men, provisions, and ammunition; and as soon as the wind became fair, king Beder embarked, after having taken leave of the king, and thanked him for all his favours.