lhyndi often weeps for thee," said a
pert starling, hopping about on the ground and picking up some seeds.

"Ali! Ali!" cried the parrots, without.

"Ali! Ali! my beloved friend! Gulhyndi often weeps for thee," said
the starling, stretching out her neck, bending not, and looking at him
shrewdly.

Now a fine bird, in a golden cage, began to whistle a melody which Ali
had taught Gulhyndi shortly before they parted. "Oh, she loves me!" he
cried. "She is here! She has taught these feathered songsters my name
and my songs. How many times must her lips have repeated these words
before these birds knew them." At this moment he heard some one
approaching; "It is she!" he said to himself, "but she must not see me
yet--I must prolong this blessed moment." With his staff he traced the
following lines in the sand:

"Lovely Gulhyndi, sorrow no more,
What hate has taken, love will restore;
The sun is more bright when the storm is o'er."

He had scarcely done this than the fair Gulhyndi, like a lovely queen
of nature, appeared with her numerous train. As a proud body guard,
there stepped before, with majestic step, two large bay coloured lions,
with thick manes. By her side walked the beautiful Argus, as a
faithful friend; while the most lovely birds fluttered, and the most
lovely beasts of the forest gamboled around her. The train was closed
by a troop of snow-white lambs with red ribbons round their necks, each
having a singing-bird on its head, chirping, while the lambs bleated.
Last of all came a stag, whose large antlers were hung with bells; so
that the bleating of lambs, the singing of birds, and the bells of the
stag were not unlike a merry band of Turkish music.

When they arrived at the grotto, the two lions lay down on either side
of the entrance, and Gulhyndi, with her Argus, entered. All the rest
remained without, forming a semicircle, while Gulhyndi took her repast.
Two monkeys stood behind her couch, officiating as servants, and
offering her fruit, and water from the fountain. Argus stood by her
side, and, with his beak, caught in the air all the fragments which she
flung to him with her white hand. All that he missed, so that it fell
to the ground, the little starling snapped up before Argus had time to
stoop after it.

When the repast was over, Argus went to the entrance, spread his
shining fan, and turned it several times, upon which the assembled
courtiers without dispersed. Only the