Part 21 (2/2)
He took his own comb and smoothed out all the tangles in the wild woman's hair until she was comfortable and happy.
”You have been very kind to me,” she said. ”Now isn't there something I can do for you in return?”
”I am looking for the Nightingale Gisar. If you know where that glorious bird is, tell me and that will more than repay me.”
But the wild woman had never heard of the Nightingale Gisar.
”Only wild animals inhabit this desolate place,” she said, ”and a few wild people like me. The Nightingale Gisar is not here.”
”Then I must go farther,” the Youngest Brother said.
This the wild woman begged him not to do.
”Beyond these mountains,” she said, ”is a wilder desert with fiercer animals. Turn back while you can.”
”No,” the Youngest Brother insisted, ”I'm going as G.o.d leads me.”
So he left the wild woman and crossed the mountains. He went on and on until he was footsore and weary. Then at last he came to the Tiger's house.
The Tiger's wife met him.
”Be off, young man!” she warned him, ”or the Tiger when he comes home will eat you!”
”No!” said the Youngest Brother, ”now I'm here I'm going to stay for I have a question to ask the Tiger.”
The Tiger's wife was making bread. When the dough was ready to go into the oven, she leaned over the glowing embers of the fire and began to brush them aside with her body.
”Stop!” the Youngest Brother cried. ”You will burn yourself!”
”But how else can I brush aside the glowing embers?” the Tiger's wife asked.
”I'll show you.”
The Youngest Brother cut a branch from a tree outside and fas.h.i.+oned it into a rough broom. Then he showed the Tiger's wife how to use it.
”Ah!” she said gratefully, ”before this always when I've baked bread I've been sick for ten days afterwards. Now I shall be sick no more for you have taught me how to use a broom. In return let me hide you in a dark corner and when the Tiger comes home I'll tell him how kind you have been and perhaps he will not eat you.”
So she hid the Youngest Brother in a dark corner and when the Tiger came home she met him and said:
”See, I have baked bread to-day but I am not sick, for a youth has shown me how I can brush aside the embers without burning myself.”
The Tiger was overjoyed to hear that his wife had been able to bake bread without being made sick and he swore to be a brother to him who had taught her the use of a broom. So the Youngest Brother came out from the dark corner where he was hiding and the Tiger made him welcome.
”What are you doing wandering about in this wild country?” the Tiger asked.
”I am searching for the Nightingale Gisar and I have come to you to ask you if you can tell me where I can find that glorious bird.”
The Tiger had never heard of the Nightingale Gisar but he thought that his oldest brother the Lion might know.
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