The servants of the princess beat the animal with sticks and drove him out of the palace.
After nine long months, in which Malec endured the ignominy of being in animal form, his uncle, who had been greatly annoyed by his nephew's repeated folly, softened sufficiently to help him out of his dilemma, by giving him a further dose of the magic medicine which brought him back to his natural appearance.
When once again he arrived at the palace Geti Afraz welcomed him warmly.
"All that has befallen you has happened through your own impatience," she said. "What can a man expect who loses his self-control as you did?"
Nevertheless the princess bound him to her in flowery chains, which entangled him more and more, until the tortured Malec, whilst visiting King Anushah in her company, exceeded the limits of propriety she had laid down for him and was turned into an ox.
In this form he was set to draw water, and tears trickled down his ox-like face at the indignities he had to undergo. His uncle, seeing the animal's distress, said, "Malec Muhammed, if this be you, make some sign to let me know!"
The ox nodded as a sign.
"The curse of God light on you and your doings," said the Vizier, and he had the ox driven to a stall and ordered his servants to fatten him up for the winter, when he intended to make mince-meat of him.
After six months had passed, however, King Anushah interfered and asked the Vizier to pardon Malec's folly. Enough medicine was sent for to serve its purpose even if Malec had been metamorphosed a hundred times and he was called into his uncle's presence.
"Gallows face!" cried the Vizier, "this time you must thank the Shah that you are to become a man once more, for I should have let you die in disgrace. If you take an oath never to behave so foolishly again I will give you the medicine."