Hatim entered the palace of Kaiumarath and saw the words written on the wall, “On the chair within the hall is a set of bow and arrows. Pick it up and shoot the parrot right through the head. You have three chances to do so. If you hit it, you will break the enchantment. If not, you will become a statue of marble.” He missed the first shot, as the parrot flew away. And from his feet up to his knees, Hatim turned into marble. The parrot sat comfortably within his vision, but once again, Hatim missed the shot and now half of his body was a block of marble. With a prayer on his lips, Hatim aimed at the parrot for the third and final time. As the arrow hit the parrot, there was a loud noise of thunder and lightning. Terrified, Hatim saw the garden and the parrot disappear. He picked the diamond up, and instantly, all the marble statues came to life.
Possessing the Diamond
