Part 13 (2/2)

”Hide this in your s.h.i.+rt,” she told him, ”and don't let your master see it. Then to-morrow morning when you go down to the lake with him to see the nine peafowl slip it out and blow it on the back of his neck. Do this and I'll give you a golden ducat.”

The serving man took the bellows and did as the old woman directed. The next morning down at the lake just as the nine peafowl came flying into sight he crept up behind the Prince and blew the bellows on the back of his neck. Instantly sleep overcame the Prince. His eyes closed, his head drooped, and the reins fell from his hands.

Eight of the peafowl alighted on the water's edge, changed into lovely maidens and went bathing in the lake, but the ninth flew straight down to the Prince, fluttered her wings in his face and uttering sad cries tried hard to arouse him.

The eight finished their baths, changed back into birds, and calling their sister they all flew off together. Then and not till then did the Prince awaken.

”Ah!” he cried, ”how could I have fallen asleep just when the peafowl appeared? Where are they now? Are they gone?”

”Yes,” his man told him, ”they're gone. Eight of them changed into lovely maidens and went bathing in the lake but the ninth fluttered about your head and tried in every way to arouse you. I tried to arouse you, too, but you kept on sleeping.”

”Strange!” thought the Prince. ”How could I have fallen asleep at such a time? I'll have to try again to-morrow morning.”

The next morning the same thing happened. The treacherous serving man again blew the bellows on the back of the Prince's neck and instantly the Prince sank into a deep sleep from which the ninth peafowl was unable to arouse him.

As she rose to join her sisters she said to the serving man:

”When your master awakens tell him that to-morrow is the last day we shall come here to bathe in the lake.”

The peafowl were no sooner gone than the Prince rubbed his eyes and looked about.

”What! Where are they? Have I been asleep again?”

The serving man pretended to be deeply grieved.

”I tried hard to awaken you, master, but I couldn't. The ninth peafowl as she flew away said to tell you that to-morrow is the last day they'll come to the lake.”

The next day as the Prince waited for the appearance of the nine peafowl he galloped madly along the sh.o.r.e of the lake hoping in this way to ward off the strange sleep. But the moment the nine peafowl appeared in the sky he was so delighted that he drew rein and the treacherous serving man was able to slip up behind him and blow the magic bellows on his neck. So again he slept soundly while the ninth peafowl fluttered about his head and tried vainly to arouse him.

As she was flying away she said to the serving man:

”Tell your master that now he will never find me unless he strikes off the head from the nail.”

When the Prince awoke the serving man delivered this message.

”What can she mean?” the Prince said.

He looked hard at the serving man and something in the fellow's appearance made him suspect treachery.

”You know more than you're telling me!” the Prince cried, and taking the cowardly fellow by the throat he shook him and choked him until he had got the truth out of him.

”Ha!” cried the Prince. ”Now I understand! You are the nail of which my dear love warns me!”

The fellow whined and begged for mercy but the Prince with one blow of his sword struck off his head. Then, leaving the body where it fell for the old woman to bury, he mounted his horse and again set forth on his quest.

Everywhere he went he made inquiries about the nine enchanted peafowl and everywhere people shook their heads and said they had never heard of them. At last high up in a wild mountain he found an old hermit who knew all about them.

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