The Adventure of the Storks

It was a lazy afternoon in Baghdad. Caliph Chasid was relaxing, when his Grand Minister brought in a merchant. The merchant had a large heavy chest and displayed jewels, precious stones and many treasures inside it. Having purchased a few things, the Caliph noticed a small old box inside it containing black powder and a slip of paper with something written on it.
“I found it in Mecca,” said the merchant, and he sold it to the Caliph. The Caliph asked Selim the Wise to read the paper.
Selim read the paper thus: “If you snuff this powder and say ‘Mutabor’, you can change into any animal you choose and understand the languages of all animals. To come back to your form, face East and say the word again. But when you are changed into an animal, never laugh! Or you shall forget the magic word and remain in that form forever!”

The Caliph was delighted. Selim promised to keep this secret. The Caliph and his Minister went to try out the magic. Near a pond, they saw some storks and decided to become storks. So, they snuffed the powder and said ‘Mutabor’ and became storks. They could understand the conversation of the birds. But when one of them began to dance, the Caliph and the Minister burst out laughing. They forgot the magic word and were stuck.
They flew over Baghdad and saw that Mirza, the son of the Caliph’s enemy, Cachnur, had been made Caliph! Sadly, they flew towards Mecca. On the way, they stopped at a ruined castle. They heard someone crying and found an owl inside.
The owl looked hopefully at the storks. They told her their story and she told hers. “I am Lusa, the daughter of the King of India. Magician Cachnur made me into an owl,” she said, “He will come once a month to a chamber in these ruins with his friends and they will discuss all the people they have charmed. Then you can catch the magic word!”
“Where is the chamber?” asked the storks.

I’ll tell you if one of you will marry me!” said the owl. The Caliph-turned stork agreed.
Fortunately, Cachnur came that night and among his friends was that merchant too. The storks caught the magic word ‘Mutabor’ and were transformed along with the owl, who became a beautiful princess.
They travelled to Baghdad where people were delighted to see them and the Caliph married the Princess. They lived happily thereafter.

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