The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-27

| old bird the whole story of his life.
| Hum said the raven when he heard the
| tale, my visits are not to young and
beautiful princesses as a rule-would that
| they were. l can give you no informa-
ton concerning this beauty If yours. But
HE thee to Cordova; seek the palm tree
of the great Abderahman. which stands
| in the center of the court before the prin-
cipaI mosque. At the foot of that tree
shall you find a wise traveller discoursing.
Listen to what he says and then obey his
instructions" AEd, ending with sarcas-
tice Farewell, Pilgrim of Love-" the
raven returned to his studies.
H. Seeking. his fellow traveller the owl.
who had been DOING in a hollow tree out
side the gate of the. city. Ahmed started
| for Cordova. He found 1t the city embow-
cred amid groves of orange, citron and
cypress trees and those beautiful hang
ing gardens which extend along the banks
of the dreamy Guadalquivir'' and made
the fair valley a vale of paradise. He
found the mosque and the palm tree. But
| though about the tree were gathered
many dervishes and faquirs he saw no
learned traveller, only a parrot who,
| clinging to the tree, was discoursing with
great volubility.
How is this he inquired of one of the
| bystanders, that sensible people stand
here and listen to the idle chattering of
that bird which merely repeats echoes of
the ends of human speech which it has
| heard?v
But they told him that this was no
ordinary parrot-the bird really thought
for itself and said things original. Also
that he was a great traveller Ahmed
sought a private interview with the red
and green bird and disclosed to him his
errand Upon my word,' cried the par
| rot and burst forth into shouts of laugh
ter Pray, thee, where hast thou learned
| this sentimental jargon? Do you not
know that love is quite out of vogue?
Excuse my mirth, but the mention of
love always sets me laughing; the thing
is never mentioned in really polite socie-
| ty., Nevertheless the Prince handed the
miniature to the bird of the world and
asked him if he knew the original. The
parrot took the picture in one claw and
after regarding it awhile handed 1t back
with the remark: why, it is the Prin-
cess Aldegonda, How could for a mo-
ment forget her who is such a prodigious
favorite with me? But you will get no
sight of her. Her father, the king, has
her shut up in palace into which no
man may enter.
Just one word replied Ahmed. Il am
prince, the son of great king, and IL
you help me to an acquaintance with the
princess some day, when / mount the
throne, will advance you to high and
responsible position at court"
1T is bargain responded the bird,
but let it be sinecure; we wits love
not work or responsibility
So it was all arranged and Ahmed, ac-
companied by the owl and the parrot, sal
lied forth from Cordova bound for Toledo
where reigned the Christian king, whose
daughter was the fair princess Aldegon-
da. They journeyed' across the sun
burnt plains of La Mancha and Castillo
and made their way through the stern
passes of the Sierra Moreno. and then
along the banks of the Golden Tagus.
until at length, before them they saw a
great and strong city. set upon rocky
promontory and dominating the plain be-
low with walls and towers. Behold y
exclaimed the owl, the anciet city of
Toledo. city famous for It's antiquities.
i Behold those domes and towers hoary
with time and clothed with legendary
i grandeur"
j "Pish,. cried the parrot, "behold rather
the abode Of youth and beauty-behold.
4 Prince; the abode of your long-sought
princess" Ahmed looked in the direction
indicated by the parrot and saw, in u
delightful green meadow on the banks OF
1.-THE Tagus. a stately palace rising from
wall-incircled gardens-the very palace
described to him by the gentle dove which
had lost it's life bringing him the mes
sage of hts love-.
you" said he to the parrot, have thu
KIT of human speech. Fly to the palace
seek the princess and tell her that Ahmed
waits, on new the parrot to return
presently with the news that he hat
found the princess. had delivered his mes
sage. and that she had tainted upon re
4 eei1inrs a. IF hen, z:ofs: jssFfssiz $t4inues'
had she cried. ..I5ie thee beck tell hAH
Il that the words Of his letter are engraxeI