The Green Fairy Book

expedition. The Caliph stuck the snuff-box in his girdle, and, having desired his servants to remain at home, started off with the Grand Vizier only

wn, and where he had often seen a variety of creatures, especially storks, whose

rk strutting up and down with a stately air, hunting for frogs, and now and then muttering something

nd Vizier, 'that these two long legs will have a good chat t

e men once more. True! Bow three times towards the east and say "Mutabor!" and I shall be

g towards the earth. Quickly he drew the box from his girdle, took a good pinch of the

clumsy stork's feet, their arms to wings; their necks began to sprout from between their shoul

after standing for some time lost in astonishment. 'By the

say so, your Highness is even handsomer as a stork than as a Caliph. But come, if it so pleases you,

troked down its feathers, and then advanced towards the first stork. The two newly made stor

Longlegs. You are ou

ng myself a morsel of breakfast. May I off

ere for a very different purpose. I am to dance to-day before my fathe

n one leg, and flapped her wings gracefully up and down, they could hold out no longer; a prolonged peal burst from each of their bills, and it was some time before they could recover their composure.

once communicated his fears to the Caliph, who exclaimed, 'By Mecca and Medina! it would indeed prove but a poor joke if

imes eastwards and s

ic word was quite forgotten, and however often the Caliph bowed and however touchingly his Vizier crie