King Beder, believing himself arrived at the very pinnacle of happiness, held forth his hand, and taking that of the princess, stooped down to kiss it, when she, pushing him back, and spitting in his face for want of water to throw at him, said, “Wretch, quit the form of a man, and take that of a white bird, with a red bill and feet.”  Upon her pronouncing these words, King Beder was immediately changed into a bird of that description, to his great surprise and mortification.  “Take him,” said she to one of her women, “and carry him to the Dry Island.”  This island was only one frightful rock, where not a drop of water was to be had.

The waiting-woman took the bird, but in executing her princess’s orders, had compassion on King Beder’s misfortune.  “It would be great pity,” said she to herself, “to let a prince so worthy to live die of hunger and thirst.  The princess, who is good and gentle, will, it may be, repent of this cruel order, when she comes to herself; it were better that I carried him to a place where he may die a natural death.”  She accordingly carried him to a well-frequented island, and left him in a charming plain, planted with all sorts of fruit- trees, and watered by divers rivulets.

Let us return to King Saleh.  After he had sought for the princess Jehaun-ara to no purpose, he caused the king of Samandal to be shut up in his own palace, under a strong guard; and having given the necessary orders for governing the kingdom in his absence, returned to give the queen his mother an account of what he had done.  The first question he asked on his arrival was, “Where was the king his nephew?” and he learned with great surprise and vexation that he could not be found.  “News being brought me,” said the queen, “of the danger you were in at the palace of the king of Samandal, whilst I was giving orders to send you other troops to avenge you, he disappeared.  He must have been alarmed at hearing of your being in such great danger, and did not think himself in sufficient security with us.”

This news exceedingly afflicted King Saleh, who now repented being so easily wrought upon by King Beder as to carry him away with him without his mother’s consent.  He sent everywhere to seek for him, but could hear no tidings of him; and instead of the joy he felt at having carried on so far the marriage, which he looked upon as his own work, his grief for this accident was more mortifying.  Whilst he was under this suspense about his nephew, he left his kingdom under the administration of his mother, and went to govern that of the king of Samandal, whom he continued to keep with great vigilance, though with all due respect to his character.