ried itself among the wet
hairs of his head, and presently taking the Identical in its beak, the
hawk lifted him half out of water, and bore him a distance, and dropped
him. This the hawk did many times, and at the last, Shibli Bagarag felt
land beneath him, and could wade through the surges to the shore. He gave
thanks to the Supreme Disposer, kneeling prostrate on the shore, and fell
into a sleep deep in peacefulness as a fathomless well, unruffled by a
breath.

Now, when it was dawn Shibli Bagarag awoke and looked inland, and saw
plainly the minarets of a city shining in the first beams, and the front
of yellow mountains, and people moving about the walls and on the towers
and among the pastures round the city; so he made toward them, and
inquired of them the name of their city. And they stared at him, crying,
'What! know'st thou not the City of Oolb? the hawk on thy shoulder could
tell thee that much.' He looked and saw that the hawk was on his
shoulder; and its left wing was scorched, the plumage blackened. So he
said to the hawk, 'Is it profitable, O preserving bird, to ask of thee
questions?'

The hawk shook its wings and closed an eye.

So he said, 'Do I well in entering this city?'

The hawk shook its wings again and closed an eye.

So he said, 'To what house shall I direct my steps in this strange city
for the attainment of the purpose I have?'

The hawk flew, and soared, and alighted on the topmost of the towers of
Oolb. So when it returned he said, 'O bird! rare bird! my counsellor! it
is an indication, this alighting on the highest tower, that thou advisest
me to go straight to the palace of the King?'

The hawk flapped its wings and winked both eyes; so Shibli Bagarag took
forth the phial from his breast, remembering the virtues of the waters of
the Well of Paravid, and touched his lips with them, that he might be
endowed with flowing speech before the King of Oolb. As he did this the
phial was open, and the hawk leaned to it and dipped its beak into the
water; and he entered the city and passed through the long streets
towards the palace of the King, and craved audience of him as one that
had a thing marvellous to tell. So the King commanded that Shibli Bagarag
should be brought before him, for he was a lover of marvels. As he went
into the presence of the King, Shibli Bagarag listened to the hawk, for
the hawk spake his language, and it said, 'Proclaim to the King a new
wonder--"the talking hawk.