She wept and said, ‘What shall I do? shall I fling myself into the sea?’ No, she went and sat down by the king’s son. Plenty of music and victuals and drink. Baldpate is sitting up aloft by himself; he is captain. They eat, they drink; he stirred not from his post.
Two or three days remained ere they landed. At break of dawn three birds perched on the galleon; no one was near him. The birds began talking: ‘O bird, O bird, what is it, O bird? The dervish’s daughter eats, drinks with the son of the king; she knows not what will befall them.’
‘What will?’ the other birds asked.
‘As soon as he arrives, a little boat will come to take them off. The boat will upset, and the dervish’s daughter and the king’s son will be drowned; and whoever hears it and tells will be turned into stone to his knees.’
Baldpate listens; he is alone.
Early next morning the birds came back again. They began talking together: ‘O bird, O bird, what is it, O bird? The dervish’s daughter and the king’s son eat, drink; they know not what will befall them. As soon as they land, as soon as they enter the gate, the gate will tumble down, it will crush them and kill them; and whoever hears it and tells will be turned into stone to the back.’
Day broke; the birds came back. ‘O bird, O bird, what is it, O bird? The dervish’s daughter eats, drinks; she knows not what will befall her.’
‘What will?’ the other birds asked.
‘The marriage night a seven-headed dragon will come forth, and he will devour the king’s son and the dervish’s daughter; and whoever hears it and tells them will be turned into stone to the head.’
Baldpate says, all to himself, ‘I shan’t let any boats come.’ He arose; he came opposite the palace; some boats came to take off the maiden. [[7]]