Hauff’s Fairy Tales

The Caravan

Once upon a time a large caravan was traveling across the desert. On the vast plain of sand and sky, the camel bells and the rein-bells of the horses could be heard from afar.
The people and the animals were very tired. They had been traveling all night and all morning. At last the caravan stopped for the afternoon. Soon the tents were set up. In the center of the camp there was a large tent of blue silk for the owners of the caravan.
The owners of the caravan were five merchants. Four of them were elderly men and they looked very serious. The fifth merchant was much younger and livelier.
All the people and the animals were resting from the long hard trip except the guards, who were on duty. Suddenly they saw a lone horseman. When the stranger was about fifty paces away, he set spurs to his horse and in a few seconds came up to the guard-commander.
The commander asked the stranger: “Who are you?”
The stranger answered: “My name is Selim and I am from Cairo. I’d like to speak to the owner of the caravan.”
“There are several owners,” replied the commander. “A number of merchants are returning from Mecca and we are escorting them across the desert.”
“Lead me to the merchants,” demanded the stranger.
When they came into the blue tent the five merchants were sitting on cushions. Black slaves were serving them with food and drink.
“Whom have you brought here?” the youngest merchant asked the commander. Before he could reply the stranger introduced himself and said: “On my way from Mecca I was captured by a band of robbers. Three days ago I managed to escape from their clutches. The Great Prophet enabled me to hear from afar the bells of your caravan and I rode towards you. Allow me to travel in your company. As soon as we reach Cairo I will reward you handsomely.”
The eldest merchant spoke: “We are always glad to help people. Sit down, eat and drink with us.”
The stranger sat down and ate and drank with the merchants. After the meal the slaves cleared away the dishes and brought long pipes. For a long time the merchants sat in silence. They sent up puffs of blue smoke and watched them until they vanished in the air. At last the youngest merchant broke the silence.
“We have been sitting like this for three days now, on horseback and at the table,” he said, “after dinner I like to watch dancing-girls or listen to songs and music. But now we have nothing to amuse ourselves. I am beginning to feel the weight of boredom. Have you got any suggestions, my friends, as to how we could amuse ourselves?”
The other merchants went on smoking and said nothing, but the stranger spoke up. “Allow me to make a suggestion,” he said. “I propose that at each stop one of us should tell a story. In that way the time would pass agreeably.”
“It’s very nice!” said the eldest of the merchants. “We accept your proposal.”
“Excellent!” said Selim. “And as it is my suggestion, I shall begin myself.”
The five merchants gathered round the stranger. The slaves filled the pipes and brought glowing coals to light them with. Selim sent up a big puff of smoke and began: “Hear, then, the tale of the stork Caliph.”

The Great Prophet Muhammed, who believes that he is directed by God to make known and explain God’s will.

The Tale of the Stork Caliph

I

One fine afternoon, the Caliph of Baghdad was resting comfortably on his divan. After a sweet afternoon sleep, he looked peacefully upon the world. He smoked a long pipe of rosewood and, from time to time, sipped coffee. He was in the best of spirits. For this reason his Grand Vizier visited him every day at that hour.
This afternoon the Vizier came as usual, but he looked very sad. The Caliph removed the pipe from his mouth and asked:
“Why are you looking so thoughtful, Grand Vizier?”
“I didn’t realize I am looking thoughtful, my lord,” replied the Vizier. “But to tell you the truth, I am feeling a little upset. Outside the palace I saw a peddler who was selling the most beautiful wares. I wanted to buy some things for my wife and daughter but I had no money.”
The Caliph sent a slave to fetch the peddler in. When the peddler came the Caliph looked at him attentively. The peddler was a short, fat man with a swarthy complexion and ragged clothes. He smiled but looked very unhappy. He carried a chest with various wares – rings, pearls, bracelets, pipes, small bags and combs. The Caliph and the Vizier examined everything and the Caliph finally bought beautiful pipes for the Vizier and himself and two small bags and combs for the Vizier’s wife and daughter. The peddler was about to close the chest when the Caliph caught sight of a small drawer in it and asked if it contained any other wares. The peddler opened the drawer. There were a small box with some black powder and a paper which was inscribed in strange letters. Neither the Caliph nor the Vizier could read them.
“One merchant had found these things in the street in Mecca and gave them to me. I don’t know what they are for and if you care to have these things, they are yours!” said the peddler.
The Caliph thanked the peddler. Soon the peddler left the palace.
The Caliph opened the box and smelt the powder but it had no scent. The Vizier took some powder with his fingers and tasted it but it had no taste.
“Do you know anyone who can read the writing?” asked the Caliph.
“I’ve heard one man lives not far from Baghdad. He is known as the learned Selim. They say he can understand all languages. Perhaps he may be able to help,” said the Vizier. And the Caliph sent a slave for the learned Selim.
When Selim came, the Caliph said: “If you can tell me what the paper says, you shall receive a new robe; if you cannot, you shall be beaten, for you have no right to the title of wise man!”
Selim bowed, and said: “My master’s wish will be done!” He studied the writing for some time and then suddenly cried: “My Lord, it’s Latin.” The he began to translate: “Whoever sniffs the powder from this box and cries “MUTABOR”, may change himself into any kind of animals that he desires and understand their speech. Then he must bow three times to the east and again utter the word to revert to his human form. But beware! Whatever he sees he mustn’t smile! If he smiles the magic word will vanish from his memory and he will forever remain an animal.”
The Caliph thanked Selim, gave him a beautiful robe and Selim left the palace. The Caliph and the Vizier were eager to become animals and understand the speech of animals. They decided to meet the next day.

Caliph a Muslim ruler e.g.: The Caliph of Baghdad
Vizier a prime minister in some Muslim countries (in former times)

I. Comprehension check
There are some changes in every sentence. What are they? Write the right words. Then find these sentences in the text and check your answers.
1. He smoked a long pipe of pinetree and, from time to time, sipped tea.
2. The Vizier said: “Outside the palace I saw a salesman who was selling the most beautiful shoes.
3. The peddler was about to close the door when the Caliph caught sight of a small wardrobe in it and asked if it contained any other wares.
4. The Vizier took some powder with his spoon and smelt it but it had no taste.
5. The Caliph beat Selim, gave him a beautiful chest and Selim left the palace.

Answers: 1. pinetree – rosewood, tea – coffee; 2. salesman – peddler, shoes – wares; 3. door – chest, wardrobe – drawer; 4. spoon – fingers, smelt – tasted; 5. beat – thanked, chest – robe

II. Grammar
Adjective or adverb? The verb “look” has different meanings. What to use: an adjective or an adverb after “look” – depends on its meaning. Choose the correct word. Read the text again and check your answers.
1. The Caliph looked peacefully/peaceful upon the world.
2. This afternoon the Vizier came as usual, but he looked very sad/sadly.
3. “Why are you looking so thoughtful/thoughtfully, Grand Vizier?”
4. When the peddler came the Caliph looked at him attentive/attentively.
5. He smiled but looked very unhappy/unhappily.

Answers: 1. peacefully; 2. sad; 3. thoughtful; 4. attentively; 5. unhappy

III. Pronunciation Task
We form the regular plural by adding “s “ which sounds [s] or [z], or [iz]. Put the words into correct column. Find more nouns in the text; form the plurals of these words and put them into correct column.
wares, rings, pearls, bracelets, pipes, bags, letters, times, clothes, languages, things, storks, animals, combs

[s]    [z]    [iz]

Practice saying these words. Find the sentences with these words in the text, read them and keep your mind on the pronunciation of the word endings.

IV. Vocabulary
a) Some verbs below refer to the five natural powers (verbs of perception). What are they?
rest, sleep, smoke, sip, smell, visit, hear, tell, thank, see, live, feel, learn, taste, smile, come, want, ask, have, carry, examine, open, catch, understand, bow

Answers: smell, see, feel, taste, hear

b) Find the sentences with them in the text, read the sentences and then make up your own sentences with these verbs.

V. Speaking
Act out the dialogues between…
a) The Caliph and the Vizier;
b) The Caliph and the peddler;
c) The Caliph and the learned Selim.

II

It was early morning when the Vizier came to the palace. He was ready to accompany his master. The Caliph took the box of magic powder and they walked towards the lake which was not far from the palace.
When they reached the lake they saw a stork. It was gravely pacing back and forth and looking for frogs. At the same time they caught sight of another stork. It was flying in the air.
“I think that those two creatures will have much gossip. What do you say that we change ourselves into storks?’ asked the Vizier.
“Very well,” said the Caliph, “but first of all we had better make sure that we remember how to change ourselves back.” He thought for a moment. “We must bow three times to the east and say “MUTABOR”. But remember not to smile or we shall never be ourselves again!”
The Caliph quickly drew out the box, took a good, strong sniff of the powder and handed it to the Vizier, who did likewise. At the same time they both shouted: “MUTABOR!”
Immediately they began to change. Their legs became like long red sticks and their yellow slippers turned into unshapely storks’ feet. Their arms became wings, their necks stretched, their beards disappeared and their bodies covered with soft feathers.
The Caliph was staring at the Vizier in amazement. He remarked: “What a lovely beak you have got! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”
“Thanks,” replied the Vizier with a bow, “but if I may say, Your Highness looks better as a stork than as a Caliph. Shall we go over to our fellows and see if we can really understand their language?”
The second stork was slowly descending. It cleaned his legs with his beak and stepped up to the first stork. The two new storks hurried over. To their amazement, as they came up, they heard the second stork said: “Good morning, Mr. Clapbeak”
“Good morning, Mrs. Longshanks!” replied the first stork. “I came for a little breakfast. Do you fancy a quarter of a lizard or a frog’s leg?
“No, thank you very much. I have no appetite today. I’ve come to the meadow for a little peace and quiet. I have to dance before my father’s quests today and I want to try out a few steps,” said Mrs. Longshanks.
Then the young female stork began to dance. The Caliph and the Vizier watched her in astonishment. She was dancing the waltz. The Caliph and the Vizier couldn’t help smiling. The stork was moving so quickly that they could restrain themselves no longer and burst out laughing. The two storks took fright and flew away.
The Caliph wiped the tears of laughter from his beak and exclaimed: “What a sight! I’ve never known that storks can dance the waltz!”
The Caliph and the Vizier both burst out laughing again. But now the Vizier remembered with some alarm that they had been forbidden to laugh while they were storks. He asked the Caliph: “Do you remember what we must do to revert to our human form?”
“We must bow three times to the east and say MU.. .MU.. .MU... What was that wretched word? It has vanished from my memory!” cried the Caliph.
They faced the east and bowed repeatedly until their beaks touched the ground, but alas! The magic word had completely vanished. The Caliph and the Vizier were condemned to remain storks.

I. Comprehension Task
Put the sentences in the correct order.
a) But now the Vizier remembered with some alarm that they had been forbidden to laugh while they were storks. (...)
b) The stork was moving so quickly that they could restrain themselves no longer and burst out laughing. (...)
c) The magic word had completely vanished. (...)
d) Then the young female stork began to dance. (...)
e) At the same time they both shouted: “MUTABOR!” (...)
f) The Caliph took the box of magic powder and they walked towards the lake which was not far from the palace. (...)
g) The Caliph quickly drew out the box, took a good, strong sniff of the powder and handed it to the Vizier, who did likewise. (...)
i) They faced the east and bowed repeatedly until their beaks touched the ground, but alas! (...)
j) The two storks took fright and flew away. (...)
k) The Caliph wiped the tears of laughter from his beak and exclaimed: “What a sight! I’ve never known that storks can dance the waltz!” (...)

Answers: l. f; 2. g; 3. е; 4. d; 5. b; 6. j; 7. k; 8. a; 9. i; 10. с

II. Grammar
Write the correct form of the verbs, using the Past Simple.
1. It was early morning when the Vizier ________(come) to the palace.
2. When they ________(reach) the lake they ________(see) a stork.
3. At the same time they ________(catch) sight of another stork.
4. The Caliph quickly ________(draw) out the box, ______(take) a good, strong sniff of the powder and ________(hand) it to the Vizier.
5. Immediately they ________(begin) to change.
6. Their legs ________(become) like long red sticks and their yellow slippers ________(turn) into unshapely storks’ feet.
7. Their arms ________(become) wings, their necks ________(stretch), their beards ________(disappear) and their bodies ________(cover) with soft feathers.
8. Then the young female stork ________(begin) to dance.
9. The two storks ________(take) fright and ________(fly) away.
10. They ______(face) the east and _______(bow) repeatedly until their beaks _______(touch) the ground, but alas!

Answers: 1. came; 2. reached, saw; 3. caught; 4. drew, took, handed; 5. began; 6. became, turned; 7. became, stretched, disappeared, covered; 8. began; 9. took, flew; 10. faced, bowed, touched

III. Pronunciation task
Most verbs add -ed to form the past tense which sounds /d/or/t/or/id/. Put the regular verbs above into correct column. Find more regular verbs in the text, write them below.

            /t/                        /d/                         /id/
_______________ _______________ _______________
_______________ _______________ _______________
_______________ _______________ _______________
_______________ _______________ _______________
_______________ _______________ _______________

Practice saying these words.

Answers:
/t/ – reached, stretched, faced, touched, walked, asked, remarked, stepped, watched, wiped, vanished;
/d/ – turned, disappeared, covered, bowed, remembered, replied, cleaned, condemned, hurried, exclaimed;
/id/ – handed, shouted

IV. Vocabulary
What’s the word? All the words are in chapter two. Word class is shown in brackets.
1. m, i, e, m, i, e, t, d, y, a (adverb)
2. a, i, s, d, e, p, r, a, p (verb)
3. z, m, a, a, m, n, e, t, e (noun)
4. s, t, o, a, i, s, n, h, e, n, t, m (noun)
5. s, e, e, v, l, e, t, m, h, s (reflexive pronoun)
6. s, e, l, s, v, e, о, u, г (reflexive pronoun)
7. e, e, m, m, r, e, b, r (verb)
8. u, a, g, l, h, e, r, t (noun)
9. e, a, e, r, p, t, d, e, y, l (adverb)
10. o, m, c, p, e, t, 1, e, y, l (adverb)

Answers: I. immediately; 2. disappear; 3. amazement; 4. astonishment; 5. themselves; 6. ourselves; 7. remember; 8. laughter, 9. repeatedly; 10. completely

V. Speaking
Retell chapter two. The following questions will help you.
1. Where did the Caliph and the Vizier go early in the morning?
2. What did they see when they reached the lake?
3. What happened after the Caliph and the Vizier had taken a good sniff of the magic powder and shouted “MUTADOR”?
4. What were the real storks talking about?
5. Did the two new storks understand the real storks?
6. Why did the Caliph and the Vizier watch the young female stork in astonishment?
7. Why did the Caliph and the Vizier burst out laughing?
8. Could the Caliph and the Vizier revert to their human form after they had burst laughing?
9. Did the magic word vanish completely from their memory?
10. Were the Caliph and the Vizier condemned to remain storks?

III

The two unhappy creatures were flying over the fields. They couldn’t return to the palace and announce themselves as the Caliph and the Vizier. Who would believe them? They didn’t know what to do to relieve their unhappy situation.
Then they decided to fly to Baghdad to see what was happening in the town during their absence.
Suddenly they saw in the street below a magnificent procession. A man in a golden coat with a large group of attendants was going to the palace. Half of Baghdad was running behind him. The people were shouting: “Long live Mizra, ruler of Bagdad!” The Caliph and the Vizier understood now that they had been bewitched and they could guess who had done it.
The Caliph was a very kind ruler of the country. He loved his country, his native town and the people who lived there. He was always ready to help anyone who wanted his support. The Caliph was also just and he always punished bad people.
There was a wizard in Baghdad who was very cruel. Many people were hurt by his dirty magic tricks. He hated the Caliph and the Vizier very much. He was eager to destroy the Caliph and his best friend and made his son the ruler of Baghdad. The wizard sent the peddler to the palace and ordered him to give that magic powder to the Caliph. The peddler was afraid of the wizard and did what the wizard had wished. So the two miserable creatures were flying over the roofs of Baghdad and the people were shouting: “Long live Mizra!” Mizra was the wizard’s son.
It was getting dark and the storks had to look for shelter for the night. In the valley below they saw some ruins and flew towards them. They slowly descended. Their stopping-place had evidently once been a castle. The Caliph and his companion picked their way along the corridors.
They were looking for a dry nook and suddenly the Vizier heard someone was crying nearby. The sound was more human than animal. They hurried along the dark passage in the direction of the pitiful sounds and at the end of the passage they found a door. The Caliph was about to open it but the Vizier caught his master’s wing in his beak. He didn’t want to rush into further unknown danger and tried to stop the Caliph. In vain! The Caliph was filled with curiosity and had opened the door before he lost a few feathers.
They saw a half-ruined chamber with a small window. There was a large night-owl near the window on the floor. Huge tears welled from her great round eyes and heart-rending sighs came from her curved beak. But as soon as she saw the Caliph and the Vizier she cried aloud with joy. She wiped the tears from her eyes with her wing and said: “Welcome, friends. Your arrival is a good sight for me! Some years ago one wise old woman foretold that a stork would bring me great happiness. You may help me!”
“Madam Owl! I’m sorry that we can be of little help to you. You will see for yourself how powerless we are, when I tell you our story,” said the Vizier. The owl begged him to do so. When the Vizier had finished his account, the owl thanked him and told them her story.
“My father is an Indian king, and I’m his only daughter. One day the wizard came to my father and asked for my hand in marriage for his son, Mizra. But my father, a hot-tempered man, had him thrown down the stairs. One day, when I was resting in the garden, the wizard, disguised as a slave, gave me some kind of drink which turned me into an owl. The wizard said: ‘This is my revenge on you and your proud father. You will remain an owl until the day you die or someone on his own will takes you for his wife in your present horrid state.” Since then many months have passed. Sad and lonely, I live a hermit life within this cell. I can’t even enjoy the beauties of nature, for by day I’m blind. Only at night, when the moon appears, can I see these gloomy walls.”
As the Owl finished speaking she again wiped her eyes with her wing.
The Caliph pondered deeply over the Princess’s tale. He thought that the Princess was as unfortunate as they. He said: “I’m sure there is some mysterious connection between your misfortune and ours. But where can we find the key to the mystery?”
“There is a large hall here, where the wizard with his bad company gathers once a month. They describe their shameful deeds to each other. Who knows but at some time during the evening they may utter the magic word that you have forgotten?” said the Owl.
“Oh, dearest princess! I’d like to know when they are going to come and where the hall is?” said the Caliph.
“They usually come here when a full moon shines brightly,” answered the Owl.
“Then they are going to be here tonight and we have a chance to watch them!” cried the Vizier. “Let’s go to the hall. Where is it?”
The owl was silent for a moment, and then she said: “Please, don’t think ill of me, but I can fulfill your wish only on one condition.”
“Speak! Speak!” cried the Caliph. “I accept any condition. You have only to command.”
“I can be free only if one of you takes me for a wife,” said the Owl.
The two storks both looked thoughtful for a moment and then the Vizier said: “I can’t marry you. When I return home my wife will scratch my eyes out. Besides, I’m an old man, whereas you, my lord, are young and unmarried.”
“I never thought I would marry an owl. But I have to agree to fulfill your condition,” said the Caliph. “How do I know that she is young and beautiful?” thought the Caliph, “She may be nothing of the kind. It would be a leap in the dark. But there is nobody here to help her and I must do it.” The Caliph had a kind heart and he was ready to help even if he was a stork.
The Owl was overjoyed. All three of them then left the Owl’s room, and she led them along dark passages towards the hall. They found a small hole through which they had a view of the whole hall. In the center of the hall stood a round table and eight men were sitting at it. They were discussing their shameful deeds. The Caliph, the Vizier and the Owl were absolutely silent. They tried to catch every word.
The storks recognized one of the men as the peddler who had sold them the magic powder. His neighbour asked him to recount the story of the Caliph and the Vizier.
“And what was the word you gave them?” asked one of the magicians when the peddler had finished.
“A very difficult Latin word, “MUTADOR”,” he answered.
When the storks heard the word they nearly fainted with joy. They ran out as fast as their long legs would carry them. The poor Owl could hardly keep up with them.
Outside the Caliph turned to the Owl and said: “Our dear rescuer, in gratitude for what you have done for us, I offer you my hand in marriage.”
Then he turned to face the east. The storks bent their long necks three times towards the sun, which was just rising over the mountains, and called out “MUTADOR!” Instantly, the spell was broken. The storks regained their human form. They embraced each other and they were very happy. Who can describe their astonishment when they turned round? A lovely maiden in beautiful clothes stood before them. She was smiling. “Why, don’t you recognize your Owl?” she asked.
They, all three, set off for Baghdad. The arrival of the Caliph caused great astonishment. His people were very glad to have their beloved ruler back again. They forced their way into the palace, seized the magician’s son, Mizra, and brought him before the Caliph. The Caliph gave him a choice of dying or taking a pinch of the powder. Mizra chose the powder and the Caliph gave him the box. Mizra took a good sniff and the Caliph pronounced the magic word and changed him into a stork. The stork was then shut up in an iron cage and placed in the palace garden.
The Caliph lived long and happily with his Princess. The Vizier often visited them in the afternoon. They used to talk about their adventures as storks which had helped the Caliph and the princess find each other.
The merchants expressed their satisfaction with the story. “In truth, time has flown like water,” said one of them, and drew back the curtains of the tent. “The evening breeze strikes cool and we could cover a little more of our way,” he added.
The others agreed. The tents were rolled up and the caravan set off again.

I. Comprehension task
Who said what? Write the name in brackets.
1. “Some years ago one wise old woman an foretold that a stork would bring me great happiness.” (________)
2. “But where can we find the key to the mystery?” (_______)
3. “Let’s go to the hall. Wehre is it?” (_________)
4. “...time has flown like water.” (_________)

Answers: 1. the Owl; 2. the Caliph; 3. the Vizier; 4. one of the merchants.

II. Grammar
Frame questions based on the words in bold.
1. Suddenly they saw in the street below a magnificent procession.
2. The wizard hated the Caliph and the Vizier very much. (2)
3. They were looking for a dry nook.
4. The owl wiped the tears from her eyes with her wing.
5. They describe their shameful deeds to each other.
6. Eight men were sitting at the round table.
7. The Caliph and the Vizier tried to catch every word. (2)
8. The Caliph lived long and happily with his Princess.
9. The Vizier often visited the Caliph and the Princess in the afternoon.
10. They used to talk about their adventures as storks.

Answers:
1. What did they suddenly see in the street below?
2. a) Who hated the Caliph and the Vizier very much?
b) Who did the Wizard hate very much?
3. What were they looking for?
4. What did the owl wipe the tears from her eyes with?
5. What do they describe to each other?
6. How many men were sitting at the round table?
7. a) Who tried to catch every word?
b) What did the Caliph and the Vizier try to catch?
8. Who did the Caliph live long and happily with?
9. When did the Vizier visit the Caliph and the Princess?
10. What did they use to talk about?

III. Pronunciation Task
Look at the underlined letters of the words below. They sound // not //. There is no similar sound in the Russian language. Practice saying these words.
looking, getting, resting, speaking, shouting, flying, stopping-place, king, bring, happening, running, taking, wing, going, heart-rending, during, nothing, dying, discussing, smiling, sitting, rising, evening.

Find sentences with these words in the text, read them and mind the pronunciation of the word endings.

IV. Vocabulary
In English there are many prefixes (word beginnings) that can be added to a word to change its meaning. The prefix “un-” is used in front of many words to produce an opposite meaning. There are some adjectives in the text with “un-”, and there are some adjectives below. Translate them.

happy, kind, fortunate, married, known

Then add “un- “ and translate the formed words.
Find the sentences with these words in the text, read and translate them. Make up your own examples with these words.

Answers: unhappy, unkind, unfortunate, unmarried, unknown