the Princess Giauhara HB 590

io

 

Queen Gulnare had ordered the woman who brought her the
news of Queen Labe’s transforming and imprisoning her son to
follow her closely, and bade her go, and in the confusion, seize the
cage, and bring it to her. This order was executed as she wished,
and Queen Gulnare was no sooner in possession of the cage than she
opened it and took out the owl, saying, as she sprinkled a little
water upon him, ‘My dear son, quit that strange form, and resume
thy natural one of a man.’

In a moment Queen Gulnare no more saw the hideous owl, but
King Beder her son.. She immediately embraced him with an
excess of joy. She could not find in her heart to let him go; and
Queen Farasche was obliged to force him from her in her turn.
After her, he was likewise embraced by the king his uncle and
his relations.

Queen Gulnare’s first care was to look out for old Abdallah, to
whom she had been indebted for the recovery of the King of Persia.
When he was brought to her, she said, ‘My obligations to. you, sir,
have been so great, that there is nothing in my power that I would
not freely do for you, as a toeen of my acknowledgment. Do but
tell me in what I can serve you.’

 ©Great queen,’ replied Abdallah, ‘if the lady whom I sent to your
majesty will but consent to the marriage I offer her, and the King of
Persia will give me leave to reside at his court, I will spend the
remainder of my days in his service. :

Then the queen turned to the lady, who was present, and
finding that she was not averse to the match proposed, she caused
them to join hands, and the King of Persia and she took care
of their welfare.

This marriage occasioned the King of Persia to speak thus to
‘the queen: ‘Madam, said he, ‘I am heartily glad of this match

_which your majesty has just made. There remains one more, which
I desire you to think of?’ :

\