prince through the leaves, and it spread its wings and shaded him
till he woke. When he got up he salaamed to it, who returned his
greeting with joy and gratitude, and caressed him and said: 'O
youth, tell me true! who are you, and where are you going? And
how did you cross that pitiless desert where never yet foot of
man had trod?' The prince told his story from beginning to end,
and finished by saying: 'Now it is my heart's wish that you
should help me to get to Waq of the Caucasus. Perhaps, by your
favour, I shall accomplish my task and avenge my brothers.' In
reply the Simurgh.' first blessed the deliverer of his children,
and then went on: ' What you have done no child of man has ever
done before; you assuredly have a claim on all my help, for every
year up till now that dragon has come here and has destroyed my
nestlings, and I have never been able to find who was the
murderer and to avenge myself. By God's grace you have removed
my children's powerful foe. I regard you as a child of my own.
Stay with me; I will give you everything you desire, and I will
establish a city here for you, and will furnish it with every
requisite; I will give you the land of the Caucasus, and will
make its princes subject to you. Give up the journey to Waq, it
is full of risk, and the jins there will certainly kill you.'
But nothing could move the prince, and seeing this the bird went
on: 'Well, so be it! When you wish to set forth you must go into
the plain and take seven head of deer, and must make water-tight
bags of their hides and keep their flesh in seven portions.
Seven seas lie on our way-- I will carry you over them; but if I
have not food and drink we shall fall into the sea and be
drowned. When I ask for it you must put food and water into my
mouth. So we shall make the journey safely.'