But the master of the shop answered her roughly. “Go away!” he cried. “Go away, boy! What could I do with you? I don’t need anyone to [[137]]look after me; neither do I want to look after a boy.”
However, after some time, when he saw that the poor creature would not go away, he yielded to her desire and took her for his apprentice.
Time passed and all went well. The poor girl began to hope once more. But upon one day, among other days, it became necessary that the master should go away to attend to some very important business. He gave the strictest injunction to his apprentice that the shop must be taken good care of—that everything should be so guarded that no possible harm could come.
When night came on, the apprentice was more than usually careful in locking every entrance. After that she lay down in a corner.
In the middle of the night the same bird came and did all the evil to which he had been accustomed. A stupor was upon the sleeper, so that she did not hear the crashing of glass nor the breaking of wrought metals. It was not until the bird had wakened her, that she knew of the havoc that had been wrought.
As she looked about her, the same words were spoken that had greeted her ears when other troubles came upon her: “There, my sultana! Do you see? Wait until the other afflictions come. I shall [[138]]bring more to you of the same sort.” With these threatening words he flew away.
When morning came the apprentice opened the shop, as usual, and awaited the coming of her master, which was not long delayed. The chandelier maker came, and—what should he see? So many chandeliers as there were in the shop! And all of them in utter ruin!
The anger and despair of the poor man brought him to such a state that he looked about for a place to hang himself. In so doing he discovered the apprentice, hiding behind some boxes in a corner. He seized a stick, gave the poor creature a sound beating, and threw her out of the shop.
Again the poor girl went off crying. This time she thought in her heart: “Into whatever shop I have gone, so much harm has been brought by the bird, and so many times have I been beaten, so many blows have I eaten! After this, in order that no harm may be brought upon others, I shall stay by myself. I will go and wander from mountain to mountain.”
So saying, she took the path leading in that direction. When evening came, she found herself very hungry and thirsty. Also, she had made the unhappy discovery that wild animals, most ferocious beasts, inhabited the mountain upon which night [[139]]had overtaken her. To escape these she climbed to the top of a tree, where she slept, as best she could, during the night.