ook the bow of Salih from its
case and three arrows from their quiver. He bound the dagger of Timus
firmly to his waist and hung the scorpion of Solomon round his neck.
Then he set an arrow on the string and released it with such force
that it went in at the monster's eye right up to the notch. The dragon
writhed on itself, and belched forth an evil vapour, and beat the ground
with its head till the earth quaked. Then the prince took a second arrow
and shot into its throat. It drew in its breath and would have sucked
the prince into its maw, but when he was within striking distance he
drew his sword and, having committed himself to God, struck a mighty
blow which cut the creature's neck down to the gullet. The foul vapour
of the beast and horror at its strangeness now overcame the prince, and
he fainted. When he came to himself he found that he was drenched in the
gore of the dead monster. He rose and thanked God for his deliverance.

The nest of the Simurgh was in the wonderful tree above him, and in it
were young birds; the parents were away searching for food. They always
told the children, before they left them, not to put their heads out of
the nest; but, to-day, at the noise of the fight below, they looked down
and so saw the whole affair. By the time the dragon had been killed they
were very hungry and set up a clamour for food. The prince therefore cut
up the dragon and fed them with it, bit by bit, till they had eaten the
whole. He then washed himself and lay down to rest, and he was still
asleep when the Simurgh came home. As a rule, the young birds raised a
clamour of welcome when their parents came near, but on this day they
were so full of dragon-meat that they had no choice, they had to go to
sleep.

As they flew nearer, the old birds saw the prince lying under the tree
and no sign of life in the nest. They thought that the misfortune which
for so many earlier years had befallen them had again happened and that
their nestlings had disappeared. They had never been able to find out
the murderer, and now suspected the prince. 'He has eaten our children
and sleeps after it; he must die,' said the father-bird, and flew back
to the hills and clawed up a huge stone which he meant to let fall on
the prince's head. But his mate said, 'Let us look into the nest
first for to kill an innocent person would condemn us at the Day of
Resurrection.' They flew nearer, and presently the young birds woke and
cried, 'Mother,