Presently she reached a tailor’s shop, gathered courage, and entered. Now, it so chanced that this was the time of a great feast. Many orders had come from the palace, on account of which all the tailors were busy cutting and sewing. As a consequence, when the head tailor was asked if he would take a new apprentice, he made ready answer: “Certainly. I have need of one. Come in and you shall have plenty of work.”
All went well for a few days, and the poor girl hoped that the bird of affliction had not learned of [[135]]her whereabouts. But, alas! one day the tailor went to his home and commanded her to remain behind in charge of the shop.
Fear seized upon her so that she could not sleep until near the middle of the night, when a sort of stupor overcame her, and, sure enough! at exactly the same hour as before, the bird entered and did not rest until he had torn up all the clothes that were in the place.
Then he wakened the girl and bade her look about. And what could she see but all the garments—the beautiful gold-embroidered ones, as well as the plain—every one, and the uncut pieces of cloth, all torn into little bits!
When her scared eyes had taken it all in, the bird laughed hoarsely and said: “There, my sultana! Do you see? And after this you will learn what other sort of affliction I shall bring to you!” Having said this, he flew away.
The morning came, and also the master of the shop. He entered in haste, for there was much to be done that day, and looking about him—what should he see? All the gorgeous garments, which were to go to the palace that morning, and every piece of cloth which had not been cut—all, alike, were torn into tiny bits!
Upon seeing this, the distracted man began to [[136]]beat his head on the stones and cry: “Alas! all my work has been brought to waste! And not only my labor is lost, but all these costly pieces of cloth have been destroyed!” Despair lost him his senses. He fell to the ground in a faint.
The apprentice hastened to bring water with which to bathe his temples and to chafe his hands and feet. After some time consciousness returned to him, and he began asking the girl who it was that had wrought such destruction. But, however much he questioned her, she made absolutely no answer.
Consequently, after pondering upon the matter, the tailor said to himself: “The boy has no money that I can take in payment for my loss. Shall I take his soul from him?” Then he dealt a heavy blow, intending to take the life of his apprentice, and hurled the supposed boy out of the shop.
The poor creature was stunned, but not killed. After a little, she recovered sufficiently to be able to make her escape. Weeping sadly at her hard lot, she went until a chandelier maker’s shop was reached, where she asked, with trembling, if she could be taken as an apprentice.