Page 16 - Humà the Lucky Bird

fastened the bird in his wrap, and ran off to the
woni as fast as his load would permit. Alas,
however, the bird died on the way from
suffocation. "What shall I do now?" thought the
woodcutter. "The woni will not give me a rupee
for a dead bird. Ha ! Ha ! I will show one its
feathers to the fire. Perhaps the bird being dead
will not make any difference." Accordingly he did
so, and immediately found himself on the Koh-i-
Qáf, where he sought out the parents of the bird
and told them all that had happened. Oh, how the
parents and other birds wept when they saw the
dead body of their beloved relative !
Attracted by the noise, a strange bird that
happened to be passing at the time came in and
inquired what was the matter. This bird carried a
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