Pagina 576 van 1116

Hardly had he done this when the Ifrit came out of the tank,

[FN#418] wherein the water was, in semblance of a mouse and

squeaked out "Zeek!" Quoth the Hunchback, "What ails thee?"; and

the mouse grew and grew till it became a coal-black cat and

caterwauled "Meeao! Meeao!"[FN#419] Then it grew still more and

more till it became a dog and barked out "Owh! Owh!" When the

bridegroom saw this he was frightened and exclaimed "Out with

thee, O unlucky one!" [FN#420] But the dog grew and swelled till

it became an ass-colt that brayed and snorted in his face "Hauk!