ce shrank up and became thin and red; the beautiful
yellow slippers of the Caliph and his companion took on the shape of
stork's feet; their arms developed into wings; their necks were
stretched until they measured a yard in length; their beards vanished,
while white feathers covered their bodies.

"You have a beautiful bill, Mr. Grand Vizier," cried the Caliph, after
a long pause of astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet! I never saw
any thing like it in my life."

[Illustration]

"Thank you most humbly," replied the Vizier, bowing low; "but, if I
dare venture the assertion, Your Highness presents a much handsomer
appearance as a stork than as Caliph. But come; if agreeable to you,
let us keep watch on our companions over there, and ascertain whether
we can really understand _Storkish_."

In the meantime the other stork had alighted on the ground, cleaned its
feet with its bill, smoothed its feathers nicely, and approached the
first stork. The two newly-made storks now made haste to get near them,
and, to their surprise, overheard the following conversation:

"Good morning, Mrs. Longlegs! So early in the meadow?"

"Thank you kindly, dear Clapperbill; I was just procuring a little
breakfast for myself. How would a portion of lizard suit you, or a leg
of a frog?"

"Much obliged; but, I have not the least appetite to-day. I come to the
meadow for quite another purpose. I am to dance to-day before my
father's guests, and therefore wish to practice a little in private."

So saying, the young stork stepped over the field in a series of
wonderful evolutions. The Caliph and Mansor looked on in wonder. But
when she struck an artistic attitude on one foot, and began to fan
herself gracefully with her wings, the two could no longer contain
themselves. An irrepressible fit of laughter burst forth from their
bills, from which it took them a long time to recover. The Caliph was
the first to compose himself.

"That was sport!" exclaimed he, "that money could not buy. It's too bad
that the stupid creatures were frightened away by our laughter, or they
would certainly have tried to sing."

Just here the Vizier remembered that laughing during the transformation
was forbidden them. He communicated his anxiety to the Caliph.

"Zounds! By the Cities of the Prophet, that would be a bad joke if I
were compelled to remain a stork! Try and think of that stupid word,
Mansor! For the life of me, I can't recall it!"

"We must b