Scarcely, on the next morning, had the Caliph Chasid breakfasted and
dressed himself, when the Grand-Vizier appeared, to accompany him, as
he had commanded, on his walk. The Caliph placed the box with the
magic powder in his girdle, and having commanded his train to remain
behind, set out, all alone with Mansor, upon their expedition. They
went at first through the extensive gardens of the Caliph, but looked
around in vain for some living thing, in order to make their strange
experiment. The Vizier finally proposed to go farther on, to a pond,
where he had often before seen many storks, which, by their grave
behavior and clattering, had always excited his attention. The Caliph
approved of the proposition of his Vizier, and went with him to the
pond. When they reached it they saw a stork walking gravely to and
fro, seeking for frogs, and now and then clattering at something
before her. Presently they saw, too, another stork hovering far up in
the air.
"I will wager my beard, most worthy sire," exclaimed the Grand-Vizier,
"that these two long-feet are even now carrying on a fine conversation
with one another. How would it be, if we should become storks?"
"Well spoken!" answered the Caliph. "But first, we will consider how
we may become men again.--Right! Three times bow to the East, and
exclaim 'MUTABOR!' then will I be Caliph once more, and thou Vizier.
Only, for the sake of Heaven, laugh not, or we are lost!"
While the Caliph was thus speaking, he saw the other stork hovering
over their heads, and sinking slowly to the ground. He drew the box
quickly out of his girdle, and took a good pinch; then he presented it
to the Grand-Vizier, who also snuffed some of the powder, and both
exclaimed "MUTABOR!" Immediately their legs shrivelled away and became
slender and red; the handsome yellow slippers of the Caliph and his
companion became misshapen stork's feet; their arms turned to wings;
the neck extended up from the shoulders, and was an ell long; their
beards had vanished, and their whole bodies were covered with soft
feathers.
"You have a beautiful beak, my lord Grand-Vizier," exclaimed the
Caliph after long astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, in my
whole life I have not seen any thing like it!"
"Most humble thanks!" responded the Vizier, as he bowed. "But if I
dared venture it, I might assert that your Highness looks almost as
handsome when a stork, as when a Caliph. But suppose, if it be
pleasing to you, that we observe and listen to our comrades, to see,
if we actually understand Storkish."
Meanwhile the other stork reached the earth. He cleaned his feet with
his bill, smoothed his feathers, and moved towards the first. Both the
new birds, thereupon, made haste to draw near, and to their
astonishment, heard the following conversation.
"Good-morning, Madam Long-legs; already, so early, upon the pond?"
"Fine thanks, beloved Clatter-beak. I have brought me a little
breakfast. Would you like, perhaps, the quarter of an eider-duck, or a
little frog's thigh?"
"My best thanks, but this morning I have little appetite. I come to
the pond for a very different reason. I have to dance to-day before
the guests of my father, and I wish to practise a little in private."
Immediately, thereupon, the young lady-stork stepped, in great
excitement, over the plain. The Caliph and Mansor looked on her in
amazement. When, however, she stood in a picturesque attitude upon one
foot, and, at the same time, gracefully moved her wings like a fan,
the two could contain themselves no longer; a loud laugh broke forth
from their bills. The Caliph was the first to recover himself. "That
were once a joke," said he, "which gold could not have purchased.
Pity! that the stupid birds should have been driven away by our
laughter; otherwise they would certainly even yet have been singing."
But already it occurred to the Grand-Vizier that, during their
metamorphosis, laughter was prohibited; he shared his anxiety on this
head with the Caliph. "By Mecca and Medina! that were a sorry jest, if
I am to remain a stork. Bethink thyself, then, of the foolish word,
for I can recall it not."
"Three times must we bow ourselves to the East, and at the same time
say, Mu--mu--mu--"
They turned to the East, and bowed so low that their beaks almost
touched the earth. But, O misery! that magic word had escaped them;
and though the Caliph prostrated himself again and again, though at
the same time the Vizier earnestly cried "Mu--mu--," all recollection
thereof had vanished, and poor Chasid and his Vizier were to remain
storks.