"What is it? what is it?" cried Chasid; "whatever you please; I will agree to any thing."
"Why, I should like to obtain my own liberty also; but this is possible only on condition that one of you shall marry me."
The storks seemed somewhat embarrassed by this proposal, and the caliph motioned to his officer to go out with him a moment.
"Grand Vizier," said the caliph, when they got outside of the door, "this is a stupid business, but I should think you might marry her."
"Indeed!" answered he; "do you wish to have my eyes scratched out by my wife as soon as I get home? Besides, I am an old man, and you are young and unmarried; it would be more reasonable for you to give your hand to a beautiful young princess."
"Ay, but there's the rub," sighed the caliph, drooping his wings composedly; "who told you that she was young and beautiful? That is what I call buying a pig in a poke!"
So they talked a long while about it, till, at last, as the caliph saw that his vizier preferred remaining a stork to marrying the owl, he made up his mind to fulfil the condition himself. The owl was highly delighted. She informed them that they could not have come at a better time, for probably the enchanters would assemble that night.
She left the chamber with the storks, to conduct them to the hall; they walked for a long time through a dark passage; at last, a bright light streamed towards them from a ruined wall. Having reached this, the owl advised them to remain perfectly still. From the cleft at which they stood, they could see over the whole hall. It was surrounded by columns, and splendidly ornamented. Numerous colored lamps supplied the want of daylight. In the midst of the hall, stood a round table covered with various delicacies. Round the table, was placed a sofa on which sat eight men. In one of these men the storks recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic powder. The one who sat next to him asked him to relate his newest exploits. He told, among others, the story of the caliph and his vizier.
"And what word did you give them?" asked another of the magicians. "A very hard Latin one; it is called MUTABOR."
When the storks heard this at their chink in the wall, they were almost out of their senses with joy. They ran so swiftly to the door of the ruin, with their long feet, that the owl could scarcely keep up with them. When they had got out, the caliph said with emotion to the owl, "Deliverer of my life, and of the life of my friend, accept me for your husband, as an eternal mark of gratitude for what you have done for us." Then he turned towards the East. Three times the storks bowed their long necks towards the sun, which just then was rising over the mountains; cried MUTABOR, and in an instant they were disenchanted, and the master and servant lay in each other's arms, weeping for joy. But who could describe their astonishment, when, on looking round, they saw a beautiful lady in magnificent attire? "Do you not know your owl?" said she, smiling, as she gave her hand to the caliph. It was she, and the caliph was so enraptured with her beauty and grace, that he declared he had been most fortunate in having been turned into a stork.