They went a long way through a gloomy passage; at length, through a
half-fallen wall, gleamed a bright light. Having arrived there, the
owl advised them to remain perfectly quiet. They could, through the
gap near which they stood, overlook a great hall. It was supported all
round by pillars, and splendidly decked. Many brilliant coloured lamps
replaced the light of day. In the centre of the hall was a round table,
covered with many and choice meats. Round this table was a couch, on
which sat eight men. In one of these men the stork recognised the
pedlar who had sold them the magic powder. His neighbour asked him to
relate his latest deeds. Amongst others he also related the story of
the Caliph and his Vizier.
'What sort of word hast thou given them?' asked another enchanter. 'A
very difficult Latin one, namely, "Mutabor."'
When the storks heard this at their hole in the wall they were nearly
beside themselves with joy. They ran on their long legs so quickly
to the threshold of the ruins that the owl could hardly follow them.
There the Caliph addressed the owl with emotion: 'Deliverer of my life
and of the life of my friend, accept me in eternal gratitude for thy
spouse for that which thou hast done for us.' He then turned to the
East. Thrice the storks bowed their long necks to the sun, which just
then was rising behind the mountains. 'Mutabor!' they exclaimed; and
straightway they were changed, and in the great joy of their new-sent
life master and servant fell into each other's arms laughing and
crying. But who can describe their astonishment on turning round? A
lovely lady, grandly dressed, stood before them. Smiling, she gave her
hand to the Caliph. 'Do you no longer recognise your night-owl?' she
said. It was she. The Caliph was so charmed with her beauty and grace
that he exclaimed: 'My greatest fortune was that of having been a
stork.'
The three now travelled together towards Bagdad. The Caliph found in
his clothes not only the box with the magic powder, but also his
purse. He therefore bought in the nearest village what was needful for
their journey, and so they soon came to the gates of Bagdad. There
the arrival of the Caliph caused much surprise. People had believed
him dead, and they therefore were highly pleased to have again their
beloved ruler.
All the more, however, burned their hatred towards the impostor Mizra.
They entered the palace, and took prisoner the old enchanter and his
son. The Caliph sent the old man to the same chamber in the ruins that
the Princess had lived in when an owl, and had him hanged there. To the
son, who knew nothing of his father's art, the Caliph gave the choice
whether he would die or take snuff. And when he chose the latter, the
Grand Vizier handed him the box. A good strong pinch and the magic word
of the Caliph changed him into a stork. The Caliph had him shut up in
an iron cage and placed in his garden.
Long and happy lived the Caliph Chasid with his wife the Princess. His
most pleasant hours were always those when the Grand Vizier visited him
during the afternoon, when they very frequently spoke of their stork
adventures, and when the Caliph was very jovial he amused himself with
imitating the Grand Vizier when he was a stork. He strutted up and
down the chamber with stiff legs, clapped, fluttered his arms as though
they were wings, and showed how vainly the latter had turned to the
East crying all the while Mu--Mu. This entertainment was at all times
a great pleasure to Madam Caliph and her children; but when the Caliph
kept on clapping a little too long, and nodded, and cried Mu--Mu,
then the Vizier threatened him, smiling, that he would communicate to
Madam Caliph what had been discussed outside the door of the Night Owl
Princess.
[Illustration]
THE STORY OF LITTLE MUCK
This story is from the same collection, and is told by Muley, a
merry young merchant.
There lived at Nicea, my dear native town, a man named Little Muck.
I can still remember him very well, although I was very young then,
especially as I once received from my father a sound thrashing for his
sake. Little Muck was already an old man when I knew him, and only
three or four feet high. He presented a most extraordinary appearance,
and although his body was stunted and thin, yet he had a head which was
much larger and thicker than that of other people. He lived quite alone
in a large house, and acted as his own cook; people, moreover, in the
town would never have known whether he was alive or dead, for he only
went out once a month, were it not that at mid-day a powerful steam
arose from his house; but he was often seen during the evening walking
up and down his roof, and people in the street thought that his immense
head only promenaded on the roof. My playmates and myself were wicked
youngsters, always ready enough to mock people and laugh at them, and
whenever Little Muck came out it was a holiday for us. On the day he
went out we met before his house, waiting for his appearance. When the
door opened, and his immense head, together with a much larger turban,
peeped out, followed by his little body, dressed in a shabby little
cloak, wide trousers, and a broad girdle, to which was attached a long
dagger of such an immense size that people did not know whether Muck
was fastened to the dagger or the dagger to him--when he came out, the
air resounded with our loud cries of joy; we threw up our caps into the
air and danced like maniacs round about him. Little Muck, nevertheless,
bowed to us with a grave and dignified air, and marched down the street
with slow steps, dragging his feet as he walked, for he wore such large
and broad slippers as I had never seen before.
We boys ran after him always shouting: 'Little Muck! Little Muck!' We
had also made a little rhyme about him which we sang in honour of him
now and then, namely:
'Little Muck, Little Muck,
What an awful fright you look!
In a big house you reside,
Only once a month outside.
You are a plucky dwarf, but still
Your head is almost like a hill;
Do but just turn round and look,
Run and catch us, Little Muck!'
We had often played this joke, and I must confess to my shame mine was
the worst. I often pulled him by his cloak, and once I planted my foot
on the end of his great slippers from behind, so that he fell down.
This at first caused me great delight, but I soon ceased to laugh when
I saw Little Muck go towards my father's house. He really entered it,
and remained in it for some time. I secreted myself behind the door
and saw Little Muck come out again, accompanied by my father, who held
him respectfully by the hand, and took leave of him at the door, after
many bows. I felt very uneasy, and remained for a long time in my
hiding-place; but at length hunger, which I dreaded still more than the
thrashing, forced me to come out, and, shame-faced and with bent head,
I presented myself before my father. 'I hear you have insulted the good
Muck?' he said in a very stern voice. 'I want to tell you the history
of this Muck, and I am certain you will never mock him again; in any
case, however, before or after, you will get your punishment.' This
punishment meant twenty-five strokes, which he counted with only
too great an exactness. He took his long pipe, screwed off the amber
mouth-piece, and acquitted himself more vigorously of the task than he
had ever done before.
[Illustration: _From a wash drawing by James Pryde
_"I hear you have insulted the good Muck" he said in a very stern
voice_ (page 102)]
After having received the five-and-twenty strokes, my father ordered me
to pay attention, and related to me the story of Little Muck.
The father of Little Muck, whose real name was Mukrah, was a
distinguished but poor man here in Nicea. He, too, lived in almost as
solitary a manner as his son does at present. Unfortunately, he did
not like him, because his dwarfed stature made him ashamed of the boy,
and consequently he had him brought up in ignorance. Little Muck, when
in his sixteenth year, was still a frolicsome child; and his father, a
stern man, continually reproached him with still being so childish, and
also on account of his ignorance and stupidity.
The old man, however, had a bad fall one day, in consequence of which
he died, leaving behind little Muck, poor and ignorant. His harsh
relatives, to whom the deceased owed more than he was able to pay,
turned the poor little fellow out of the house, and advised him to
go abroad to seek his fortune. Little Muck said that he was already
prepared for the journey; and only asked to be allowed to take his
father's clothes with him, to which they agreed. His father had been a
tall, powerful man, and therefore his clothes did not fit him. Muck,
however, soon devised an expedient; he cut off all that was superfluous
with respect to length, and then donned the garments. He seemed,
however, to have forgotten the curtailing of them in their amplitude,
hence his whimsical attire, which he wears to this day; the large
turban, the broad girdle, the wide trousers, the little blue cloak,
all these are heirlooms of his father, which he has always worn; his
father's long Damascus dagger he planted in his girdle, and with a
little staff in his hand, he set out on his journey.
Joyfully he walked along all day, for he had set out to seek his
fortune. If he saw a bit of broken glass on the road glittering in the
sunshine, he would put it into his pocket, really believing it would
turn into the most beautiful diamond. If he saw in the distance the
glittering cupolas of a mosque, or the sea smooth as glass, he would
hasten towards it joyously, thinking he had arrived in some enchanted
country. But alas! These phantoms disappeared as he approached them,
and only too soon did his fatigue and the complaints of his hungry
stomach remind him that he was still in the land of mortals.
Thus he had travelled for two days, hungry, weary, and in despair,
endeavouring to seek his fortune; the fruits of the field were his only
food, the hard earth his couch. On the morning of the third day he
perceived from the top of a hill a large town. The Crescent glittered
upon the cupolas, coloured banners floated upon the roofs, seeming
to beckon Little Muck to come to them. He stood still a moment quite
surprised, looking upon the town and its environs. 'Yes, that is the
place where Little Muck will make his fortune,' he said to himself; and
notwithstanding his weariness he stepped forward, 'there or nowhere.'
He summoned up all his strength and strode towards the city. But
although it appeared so close, he did not reach it till mid-day, for
his little legs almost entirely refused their office, so that he was
obliged to sit down frequently under the shade of a palm-tree to take
rest. At length he reached his destination. He arranged his little
cloak, improved the position of his turban, broadened his girdle still
more, and planted his long dagger in a still more oblique position;
he then wiped the dust from his shoes, armed himself with his little
staff, and bravely entered the city.
He had already strolled through many streets, but nowhere a door opened
to him, nowhere people called out to him as he had imagined: 'Little
Muck, come in, eat and drink, and rest your tiny legs.'
He was again looking up very longingly before a large and beautiful
house, when a window opened, an old woman looked out of it, and
exclaimed in a singing voice:
'Come on, come on,
The broth is done;
Laid is the cloth,
Enjoy the broth;
Neighbours come,
The broth is done.'
The door of the house opened, and Muck saw many dogs and cats go into
the house. He remained for some moments in a state of uncertainty, as
to whether he should respond to the invitation; at length, however,
he summoned up sufficient courage and entered the house. Before him
trotted a pair of young cats. He determined to follow them, because
they might know the way to the kitchen better than he.
When Muck had reached the top of the stairs, he met the old woman who
had looked out of the window. She looked at him sulkily, and demanded
of him what he wanted. 'I have heard you inviting everybody to your
feast,' answered little Muck, 'and as I am terribly hungry I have come
as well.' The old woman laughed and said: 'Where do you come from, you
strange creature? The whole town knows that I cook for nobody except
my dear cats, and now and again I invite company from the neighbourhood
for them, as you see.' Little Muck related to the old woman how badly
he had fared after his father's death, and entreated her to allow him
to feast this day with her cats. The woman, who seemed pleased at the
unaffected story of the little man, allowed him to be her guest, and
gave him plenty to eat and drink. After having regaled himself, the
woman looked at him for a long time and then said: 'Little Muck, remain
in my service, you will have little to do and plenty to eat.' Little
Muck, who seemed to have enjoyed the cats' broth, agreed, and thus
became Madam Ahavzi's servant. His work was light but strange. Lady
Ahavzi owned two cats and four kittens. Little Muck had to brush their
fur and anoint them with precious ointment every morning; if their
mistress was absent, he had to take care of them; at their meals he had
to wait upon them, and at night put them upon silk cushions and wrap
them up in velvet coverlets.
There were besides some little dogs in the house which he also had
to wait upon, but not so much attention was bestowed upon these as
upon the cats, who were treated like Lady Ahavzi's own children.
Altogether, Muck now lived almost as solitarily as when he was in his
late father's house; for, with the exception of his mistress, he only
saw, during the whole day, cats and dogs. For a short time little Muck
fared very well, he had always plenty to eat and little to do, and the
old woman seemed to be quite satisfied with him; but by degrees the
cats became troublesome; whenever the old lady was out they bounded
about the room like mad, setting everything pell-mell, and breaking
many valuable vases which stood in their way. But when they heard
their mistress coming up the stairs they crept up to their cushions,
wagging their little tails to welcome her as if nothing had occurred.
Lady Ahavzi then became angry on seeing her rooms in such a disordered
state, blaming Muck for it; and however much he might protest his
innocence, she had more confidence in her cats, which looked so
innocent, than in her own servant.
Little Muck was very sad that he had not found his fortune here, and
resolved to quit the service of Madam Ahavzi. But as he had discovered
during his former travels how difficult it was to live without money,
he determined to obtain his wages, which his mistress had always
promised, but never given him, by some means or other. In the house of
Madam Ahavzi was a chamber which was always locked, and the interior
of which he had never seen. He had, however, often heard the woman
making a noise in it, and for the life of him he would have liked
to know what she kept hidden there. While thinking of his money for
travelling, it occurred to him that it was probably there that Madam
Ahavzi kept her treasures. The door, however, was always firmly locked,
and he was unable therefore to get near them.
One morning, after Madam Ahavzi had gone out, one of the little dogs
which had always been treated by her very badly, whose favour, however,
he had gained in a high degree by showing it many acts of kindness,
pulled him by his full trousers, and made signs to him as if to induce
Muck to follow him. Muck, who had always been fond of playing with the
little dog, followed it, and behold, the little dog conducted him into
the bedroom of Madam Ahavzi, and to a little door which he had never
seen there before. The door was ajar. The little dog went in, Muck
following it, and he was agreeably surprised to find himself in the
room which had been so long the aim of his wishes. He spied in every
corner to see if he could find any money, but all in vain. Only old
clothes and strangely-shaped vases were lying about. One of these vases
especially attracted his attention. It was of crystal, and beautiful
figures were cut on it. He took it up and turned it about on all
sides. But, oh terror! He had not noticed that it had a cover which
was only lightly placed upon it. The cover dropped, and broke into a
thousand pieces.
For a long time Little Muck stood there petrified with fear. His
fate was now decided, and nothing remained for him but to run away,
otherwise the old woman would kill him. He immediately determined
upon going, but once more he looked round to see if he could make use
of some of Lady Ahavzi's property. His eyes fell on a mighty pair
of slippers. They were not very pretty, but his own could not stand
another journey. They also attracted his attention on account of their
immense size, for if his feet were once in them, all must plainly see
that he had discarded children's boots. He quickly took off his little
slippers, and put on the big ones. A pretty little staff with a lion's
head carved on its top seemed also to be standing idle in the corner,
so taking possession of it, he hastened out of the room. He then went
quickly to his room, donned his little cloak, put on his paternal
turban, planted the dagger in his girdle, and ran as fast as his legs
could carry him, out of the house and the gates of the town.
Outside the town he kept on running, being afraid of the old woman,
until at last he was overcome by fatigue. Never in all his life had he
gone so fast, nay, it seemed to him as if he could go on continually,
for some invisible power seemed to urge him on. He perceived at last
that his slippers were under the influence of some charm, for they kept
on stepping forward, and dragging him along. He tried by all sorts of
means to stand still, but all in vain. At last, being in the greatest
danger, he called out just as if he were guiding horses: 'Ho! ho!
halt ho!' The slippers immediately pulled up, and Muck threw himself
exhausted on the ground.
He was immensely pleased with the slippers. After all, he had acquired
something by his work, which might assist him on his way in the world,
to make his fortune. In spite of his joy he fell asleep from fatigue,
for the little body of Mr. Muck, which had to carry such an enormous
head, was not very strong. In a dream the little dog which had assisted
him in obtaining the slippers in Madam Ahavzi's house appeared to him
and said: 'Dear Muck, you do not seem properly to understand the use of
the slippers: Learn, if you turn in them three times on your heel, you
can fly wherever you like, and with the little cane you can discover
treasures: for wherever there is gold buried it will strike the ground
three times, and where silver lies twice.'
Thus dreamt Little Muck. When he was awake he meditated upon the
strange dream, and soon resolved to make a trial. He put on the
slippers, lifted one foot in the air and turned himself about on the
other. Whoever has tried the feat of turning round thrice successively
in a slipper too large for him will not be astonished at hearing that
Little Muck did not succeed very well in his first attempt, especially
if one takes into consideration that his enormous head sometimes
dragged him to the right and sometimes to the left.
The poor little fellow fell several times heavily on his nose;
nevertheless he did not allow himself to be discouraged from repeating
the experiment, and finally he succeeded. Like a wheel he turned round
on his heel, wishing himself to be transported to the nearest large
town, whereupon his slippers lifted him up into the air, fled through
the clouds as if they had wings, and before he could recover his senses
he found himself in a large market-place, where many booths were
pitched, and where a number of people were busily running to and fro.
He went about amongst the people, but found it advisable to go into a
more quiet street, for in the market-place people put their feet upon
his slippers, which nearly made him fall down; and further, his long
dagger every now and then pushed against some one or other, so that he
just escaped being beaten.
Little Muck now began seriously to think what he could do to earn some
money. Though he had a little staff indicating to him hidden treasures,
yet where could he discover a place, on the spur of the moment, where
gold or silver was buried? He might have exhibited himself in case of
necessity, but he was too proud for that. At length the quick movements
of his limbs occurred to him. 'Perhaps,' he thought, 'my slippers may
support me,' and he resolved to offer his services as courier, thinking
it possible that the King of this town might remunerate him handsomely
for such services, and he inquired after the palace. Near the gate of
the palace stood a sentry, who asked him what he wanted. He said that
he was looking for work, and was shown to the overseer of the slaves.
He told the latter his request, and petitioned him to find him a place
amongst the royal messengers. The overseer looked at him from head to
foot, and said: 'What! you, with your little limbs, which are scarcely
a span in length, wish to become a royal messenger! Get away, I have no
time for joking with a fool.'
Little Muck, however, assured him that he was quite in earnest with
his offer, and that he would venture a wager to outstrip the swiftest
runner. The affair seemed very ridiculous to the overseer. He ordered
him to be prepared for a race in the evening, took him into the
kitchen, and took care that he was supplied with plenty to eat and
drink. The overseer himself went to the King, and told him about this
little man and his offer. The King, who was a pleasant master, approved
of the overseer for having kept Little Muck for a joke. He ordered him
to make preparations on a large meadow behind the palace in order that
the race might be conveniently seen by his whole royal household, and
finally told him to look well after the dwarf.
The King related to the Princes and Princesses what sort of an
entertainment they would have in the evening. The latter told their
servants of it, and as the evening approached, all were in eager
expectation; they hastened towards the meadow, where scaffolds were
erected, in order to see the boasting dwarf run.
After the King, his sons and his daughters had taken their seats,
Little Muck appeared upon the meadow, saluting the assemblage with
an extremely courteous bow. General shouts of joy resounded on the
little man appearing; such a figure had never been seen there before.
The little man's body with its immense head, his little cloak and
large trousers, the long dagger in the broad girdle, his little feet
in his slippers: No! this was too funny a sight for people not to
laugh. Little Muck, however, did not allow himself to be abashed by
the laughter. He proudly took his place, leaning on his little cane,
and awaited his adversary. The overseer of the slaves had, at Muck's
request, selected the quickest runner. The latter now came forward,
placing himself by the side of the little man, and both waited for
the signal. Then the Princess Amarza, as had been arranged, nodded
from under her veil, and like two arrows shot at the same target, the
runners rushed forward over the meadow.
At first Muck's adversary had a decided advantage, but the former
on his slipper-conveyance chased him, overtook him, passed him, and
reached the goal long before the other came along gasping for breath.
The spectators were for some moments stupefied with admiration and
astonishment, but when first the King applauded, then the whole
multitude followed his example, and all shouted:
'Long live Little Muck, the winner of the race!'
In the meantime Little Muck had been fetched. He prostrated himself
before the King, and said: 'All powerful King, this is merely a trifle
of my art; and now condescend to assign me a place amongst your
couriers.' The King replied: 'No, you shall be my private runner, and
always about me. You shall have for your salary a hundred gold pieces
annually, and you shall dine with my chief courtiers.'
Muck now at last thought he had found his fortune, which he had sought
after for so long a time, and rejoiced inwardly. He also rejoiced at
the special favour of the King, for the latter employed him for the
quickest and most secret despatches, which Little Muck executed with
the greatest exactitude, and with incomprehensible rapidity.
The other servants, however, were jealous of him, because they thought
themselves lessened in the favour of their master, through a dwarf, who
understood nothing else but running. Many conspiracies, therefore, were
plotted against him in order to ruin him; but all failed, on account of
the great confidence which the King placed in his chief private runner,
for he had risen to this dignity in a short time.