dah took the key from her and giving it to Masrur said, "Take this key and go to the house, and enter the store cupboard there, in the middle of which thou wilt find a chest buried. Take the chest out, break it open, and bring me the feather dress therein." So he went forth as she bade him, and the old woman followed him weeping. And he took the feather dress from the chest and wrapping it in a napkin brought it to Lady Zubaydah, who turned it about, marveling at its beauty. Then she gave it to the damsel, saying: "Is this thy dress of feathers?" "Yes, O my lady," replied she, and took it joyfully. Then she examined it, and was delighted to find it whole, without a feather missing. And she arose and came down from her seat, and wrapping herself and her sons in the feather dress became a bird, so that Zubaydah and all present marveled. Then she walked with a swaying, graceful gait, and danced, and sported, and flapped her wings. Then she said, "Is this goodly, O my ladies?" And they replied, "Yes, O Princess of the Fair! All thou dost is goodly." Said she, "And this, O my mistresses, that I am about to do is better yet." Then she spread her wings and flew up with her children to the palace dome and perched upon the roof, whilst they looked at her wide-eyed, and said, "This is indeed, a rare and outlandish fashion! Never saw we its like." "Wilt thou not come down to us that we may enjoy thy beauty, O fairest of the fair?" said Lady Zubaydah. "Far be it from me," she replied, "to come back to the past." And to Hasan's mother she said,
