Now, it chanced that in this very tree was the brood of an emerald roc, to which the mother-bird brought food once each year. This day chanced to be the very one upon which she was to come. While the prince was sleeping, an immense snake began to climb the tree. The screams of the young birds wakening the prince, he sprang up, discovered the snake, and straightway nailed it to the tree with an arrow. Again he lay down and slept.
Presently the mother-bird appeared in the sky, saw the prince, and, fearing that he had killed her young ones, was about to fall upon him, when the little ones cried out, “Mother, mother! this sleeping [[31]]prince has rescued us from our mortal enemy, the Great Black Snake.” And, verily, there was the snake, still hanging from the tree.
The great bird descended softly, sat down beside the prince, and spread one wing to shield him from the rays of the sun. After a little the prince awoke, and thought that a tent had been spread above him. When the grateful bird knew that he had wakened she bade him ask from her any favor that he desired. The prince requested to be taken to the surface of the earth.
The roc replied that this would be exceedingly difficult. However, even at the cost of her own life, she would endeavor to satisfy him, since he had saved the lives of her children. In order that she might be able to undertake this task, she required that he supply her with forty sheep and forty casks of wine; that whenever, upon the journey, she said “Hah!” he could give her meat, and when she said “Huh!” he would be able to give her drink.
Upon this the prince went to the king and requested that he be given, graciously, forty sheep and forty casks of wine. These were carried to the bird, who placed the sheep on one wing, the wine upon the other; the prince mounted her back, and immediately the journey was undertaken.
The prince supplied the great bird with food and [[32]]drink, according to her direction, until there came a day when she said “Hah!” and there was no meat to give her. The command was repeated. The prince hastily cut off the calf of his leg and gave it to her. The bird, perceiving that it was human flesh, put it in a corner of her mouth and would not eat it. Shortly after this they arrived at the mouth of the well; whereupon the bird said, “My prince, we have reached the face of the earth. Go, now. And may Allah be with thee!”
But the prince could not walk, because of his leg. And as he did not wish to reveal this to the roc he answered, “Do thou depart first, I pray thee; then will I go.”
The bird knew the reason for this answer, and, taking the piece of flesh from her mouth, she replaced it in such marvelous manner that the leg was better than before.
The prince then bade the bird good-bye. And with that he found himself in his own country. Before he should be recognized, he secured a tight cap of skin, which gave him the appearance of baldness. It was more than this. There were upon the cap certain marks which gave an impression that the wearer was suffering from a disease of the scalp. This was so designed that no one would approach too near the person of the prince and thus discover [[33]]him. He then changed garments with a shepherd, and in this garb went directly to the pleasure garden of his father, where he asked the gardener to take him as an assistant.
The gardener refused; but the pleadings of the youth finally forced him to consent. After a few days the gardener gathered a great bunch of roses and went away, leaving the pleasure garden in charge of his seemingly faithful assistant.