The king had less difficulty in believing this assertion of the
queen in that he knew her to be a skilful magician, one of the
greatest in the world. And as she knew everything which took place,
he was always by her means timely informed of the designs of the
kings his neighbours against him, and prevented them. His majesty
had compassion on the King of Persia, and earnestly besought his
queen to break the enchantment, that he might return to his own
form.
The queen consented to it with great willingness. 'Sir,' said she
to the king, 'be pleased to take the bird into your room, and I
will show you a king worthy of the consideration you have for him.'
The bird, which had ceased eating, and attended to what the king
and queen said, would not give his majesty the trouble to take him,
but hopped into the room before him; and the queen came in soon
after, with a vessel full of water in her hand. She pronounced over
the vessel some words unknown to the king, till the water began to
boil, when she took some of it in her hand, and, sprinkling a
little upon the bird, said, 'By virtue of these holy and mysterious
words I have just pronounced, quit that form of a bird, and
reassume that which thou hast received from thy Creator.
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