Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/34

into the girl's head. At that moment the maiden was transformed into a dove and flew away. The negress now went up the tree instead of the girl, and there waited for the prince, who arrived before long. He looked up the tree and was much surprised that, after having left such a beautiful girl there, he should find an ugly black woman instead. He began to grow very angry, but the negress commenced to cry and say that it was all owing to an unfortunate spell which pursued her, and that she was as beautiful at one moment as she was an ugly black woman the next. The prince, believing all she said, took compassion upon her, and told her to come down from the tree, and then he took her to the palace. Next day he rose up very early in the morning and went to the garden to take a walk; shortly after he saw a beautiful dove who flew close up to the gardener and said, "Gardener of my own garden, how does the prince get on with his negress, the black, ugly, and evil-eyed bitch?" As she finished speaking she flew away. The gardener made no reply but went up to the prince and told him what the dove had said, and inquired of him, "What does your highness wish me to say in answer to the dove's question?" "Tell her that I live happily and lead a good life," replied the prince. Next day the dove returned and said, "Gardener of my own garden, how does the prince fare with his negress, so black, ugly, and squinting?" The gardener replied, "He lives happily, and leads a good life." The dove then said, "Poor me! who fly about lost and without aim in life." The gardener then went and informed the prince of what the dove had said in answer. The prince ordered him to set up a snare of ribbon to see if they could entangle her leg and catch her, because he liked her very much. Next day the dove returned again and made the same speech as before and the gardener replied as he had done before, and when the dove looked towards the snare laid for her she gave a loud laugh and said, "Ha! ha! ha! A snare