“Go back, then,” replied her husband, “go back to our palace cave and there build for me another golden cage and perch like those you burned. When they are finished, sit down before the cage and [[47]]sing, and put into your song all your love for me. If your love is strong enough, it will woo my soul back in the form of a bird, and I shall return and take my soul again, the magic spell under which I used to live will be broken, and you and I can dwell together in our true forms happily and lovingly for the rest of our lives.”
At this point in the story the Siddhi-kur stopped short and said no more.
“Well, did she do it? Did Ananda sing the song and woo back the soul of the White Bird Prince?” asked the Khan’s son, forgetting in his interest all about Nagarguna and his command to keep silent.
“Of course she did!” replied the Siddhi-kur, “and her song was so full of love and beauty that its like has never been heard, even to this very day. But see now, you have broken silence, my son, and so I am free once more to go back to my mango tree in the cool grove beside the [[48]]garden of ghost children. Farewell! And be you wiser in future!”
And with that, the Siddhi-kur jumped lightly from the sack on the Prince’s back and in a flash had vanished in the distance.
It profited nothing for the Prince to rage at himself and his folly. There was nothing left to do but to go back all the way he had come and fetch the Siddhi-kur again, for never would he dare to face Nagarguna with his task unaccomplished. So, taking a bite from his magic cake, which grew not less, he turned about and set forth once more to the northward. Over the same rough road he traveled, meeting the same adventures and passing them safely by, until at last he came again to the beautiful garden of ghost children and found the Siddhi-kur sitting in his mango tree and smiling down upon him. Now, after he had captured the Siddhi-kur as before and set him on his back, and after they had gone far on the homeward way [[49]]in silence, that creature of magic spoke again, saying,
“Truly, O Khan’s son, this is a long and wearisome journey. Tell me, I beg you, some tale of marvel that the way may seem shorter and pleasanter to us both.” But, as his suggestion received no reply, he continued:
“Since you are minded to keep silence at any cost, at least you can have no objection to my telling you a story. I have a goodly one in my mind even now, and if you say nothing to prevent me, I shall begin at once.” After waiting for a moment in silence, the Siddhi-kur began his second tale. [[50]]