Arabian Nights: 269th Night: Jullanar of the Sea - 40

The following night Shahrazad said:

King Badr dismounted from the she-mule and delivered her to the old woman, who, as soon as she received her, removed the bit from her mouth, took water in her hand, and sprinkled it on the she-mule with some words of incantation, followed by "O my daughter, leave this form and return to your human form."  The queen was at once restored to her original form.  The two women embraced and kissed each other.  King Badr realised that the old woman was queen Lab's mother and that he had been tricked, and he saw the danger lurking behind.  He wanted to escape, but there was not a way. 

The old woman gave a loud whistle, and there appeared before her a huge demon. It stood like a huge mountain and its shadow fell over the entire premises.  The old woman mounted on its back, followed by her daughter.  The demon picked king Badr and put him on its shoulder and flew off and landed at the palace of queen Lab. While queen and her mother dismounted, the demon threw king Badr, who fell down at the feet of queen Lab, who by this time was seated on her throne.  She looked at king Badr and said, "You good-for-nothing, here I am.  I will show you what I will do to you and that favabean seller.   How many favours I have done him, and how ill has served me.  You have succeeded only with his help!  Then she took some water and sprinkled him with it, and said, "Leave this form and receive the form of an ugly bird.  King Badr at once turned into an ugly bird. 

But one of the maids of the queen took pity on king Badr, gave him food and water.  Then she went to the old man and said him what had happened to king Badr.   The old man listened to her, thought again and again what he can do to save King Badr.  He said to himself, "I must take this city from her."  He gave a loud cry, and a demon with four wings appeared before him.  He said to the demon, "O Barq, take this girl and carry her to the city of Jullanar of the sea and her mother Farasha.  They are the most powerful magicians on the earth.  Tell them that king Badr is now the captive of queen Lab."

The demon took the girl and flew off to the court of Jullanar of the Sea.  The girl stood before Jullanar, who.was seated on her throne.  She kissed the ground before the queen and told her what had happened to her son.  She bade his servants to inform the people of the city that king Badr had been found out. Then Jullanar, her mother Farasha and her brother Sayih assembled and decided to summon all the tribes of demons.  The kings of demons obeyed their commands since the capture of al-Shamandal.  All the demons flew up into the air and landed at the court of queen Lab. Then they attacked and destroyed all the city and its inhabitants.  Jullanar asked the girl, "Where is my son?" The girl brought the cage and set it before her.  Jullanar took the bird out of the cage, took water and sprinkled it on the bird, and said, "Leave this form and return to your original form, by the power of God, the Almighty."

King Badr turned into his original form.  Then she embraced him and wept.  Grandmother Farasha and uncle Sayih also wept.  Jullanar sent for Abd-Allah, the old favabean seller.
He came, and the queen expressed her thanks to him for his kindness and love towards her son.

Later king Badr married the girl who helped him in his times of misfortune.

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.


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