he drew up his feet
into a graceful position, bent his long neck, and said: 'Oh, screech
owl! from your words I am led to believe that we see in you a companion
in misfortune. But, alas! your hope that you may attain your deliverance
through us is but a vain one. You will know our helplessness when you
have heard our story.'

The screech owl begged him to relate it, and the Caliph accordingly told
him what we already know.

IV.

When the Caliph had ended, the owl thanked him and said: 'You hear my
story, and own that I am no less unfortunate than yourselves. My father
is the King of the Indies. I, his only daughter, am named Lusa. That
magician Kaschnur, who enchanted you, has been the cause of my
misfortunes too. He came one day to my father and demanded my hand for
his son Mirza. My father--who is rather hasty--ordered him to be thrown
downstairs. The wretch not long after managed to approach me under
another form, and one day, when I was in the garden, and asked for some
refreshment, he brought me--in the disguise of a slave--a draught which
changed me at once to this horrid shape. Whilst I was fainting with
terror he transported me here, and cried to me with his awful voice:
"There shall you remain, lonely and hideous, despised even by the
brutes, till the end of your days, or till some one of his own free will
asks you to be his wife. Thus do I avenge myself on you and your proud
father."

'Since then many months have passed away. Sad and lonely do I live like
any hermit within these walls, avoided by the world and a terror even to
animals; the beauties of nature are hidden from me, for I am blind by
day, and it is only when the moon sheds her pale light on this spot that
the veil falls from my eyes and I can see.' The owl paused, and once
more wiped her eyes with her wing, for the recital of her woes had drawn
fresh tears from her.

The Caliph fell into deep thought on hearing this story of the Princess.
'If I am not much mistaken,' said he, 'there is some mysterious
connection between our misfortunes, but how to find the key to the
riddle is the question.'

The owl answered: 'Oh, my Lord! I too feel sure of this, for in my
earliest youth a wise woman foretold that a stork would bring me some
great happiness, and I think I could tell you how we might save
ourselves.' The Caliph was much surprised, and asked her what she meant.

'The Magician who has made us both miserable,' said she, 'comes once a
m