Arabian Nights: 254th Night: Jullanar of the Sea - 25
The following night Shahrazad said:
Jullanar's mother sent men to search for her grandson, Badr the young king, while his mother returned to her kingdom in tears, feeling sad and depressed.
Young Badr stayed in the green Island where he was left by the maid of Jauhara the daughter of al-Shamandal. Badr, in the form of a bird with white feather, red bill and red claws pecked seeds and fruits hopped on dead leaves and wet ground, an ibis like bird, stayed in this way scooping water with his bill and tilting his head back to let fill his throat. A forlorn bird, not used to a flock, one day perched on a branch of a tree. On the way came a bird hunter to the green Island looking for game. When he drew close to king Badr in white feathered bird he was dazzled and marveled an,d said to himself, "This is a lovely bird, the like of which I have never seen se⁶en." Then he cast his net and caught it, and took it to the city, and then to its market, where a man came by and asked him, "Hi, bird catcher, how much is this bird?"
The bird catcher asked, "If you buy it, what will you do with it?"
"I will kill it and eat it," answered the man.
"Who could have the heart to kill this bird and eat it?" asked the bird catcher.
The man retorted, "What else is it good for?"
"I will present it to the king," said the bird catcher, "and he will give me much more for its beauty."
The bird catcher went to the king and waited at the gate of the palace. The king saw the bird with its white feather, red bill and red feet, bade his servant to buy it. The servant came to the bird catcher and asked, "Is it for sale?"
The bird catcher replied, "It is my gift to the king." The servant took the bird and brought it to the king, telling him what the catcher has said. The king said, "Go to him and give him ten dinars."
The servant gave the money, the bird catcher received it, kissed the ground before him, and went away. The servant carried the bird to the palace, placed it in a handsome cage, left the food and water in the cage, and hung up the cage.
When the king rode back and dismounted, asked the servant, "Where is the bird? Bring it and let me look at it." The servant brought the bird and set it before the king.
But morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.
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