on account of the rarity of
the work in which it is found, and for its own merits.[34] It is also
entitled:

XLVI. THE PARROT. (SECOND VERSION.)

Once upon a time there was a merchant who, having to go on a journey,
gave his wife a parrot to amuse her in her loneliness. The wife, vexed
that her husband should leave her so soon, threw the bird in a corner
and thought no more about it. At evening she went to the window and saw
pass a young man, who fell in love with her as soon as he saw her. On
the first floor there lived a woman who sold coals, and the young man
began to tempt her to help him in his love affair. She would not
promise, because the merchant's wife had been married but a few days,
and was an honest woman. She added, however, that there was a way; her
daughter was to be married shortly, she would invite the young wife to
the wedding, and the young man, being there too, could manage the rest.
The wife accepted the invitation, dressed herself in her finest clothes,
and was on the point of leaving when the parrot cried from its corner:
"O mistress, where are you going? I wished to tell you a story; but suit
yourself." The wife then dismissed the coal-woman, who, not to spoil
matters, promised to put off the wedding and return for her the next
day. Then the parrot began:

"Once upon a time there was a king's son whose master was so learned in
magic that with certain words he could change himself into various
animals. The prince wanted to learn these words, too; but the magician
hesitated and refused, although he had to yield at last. Then the prince
became a crow and flew far away to a distant country and into the garden
of a king, where he saw a beautiful girl with a mirror in which was set
her portrait. The crow in wonder snatched the glass from her hands, and
flew home and resumed his own form, but he fell so deeply in love with
the unknown girl that he became ill.

"She, meanwhile, who was the daughter of a king, seeing the glass taken
from her, no longer had any peace of mind, and begged her father until
he gave her permission to go in search of it. She dressed herself like a
physician and departed. She came to a city and heard a proclamation by
the king, that whatever physician should pass that way should be obliged
to visit and try to cure his daughter. Then the new physician had to go
to the palace, but she could not discover any remedy for the grave
disease. At night, while sitting by the princes