I was only trying to make a living.”  The djinn listened to Ali’s tale, and his anger subsided.  Then the djinn produced two beautiful birds and gave them to Ali as a present.

Ali hurried home.  When night fell the birds turned into two lovely girls, who at once began to sing and dance before the astonished eyes of Ali and his mother.  They enjoyed themselves for many hours.  In the morning the girls turned back into birds, but each evening they were again transformed into singing and dancing girls.

Word soon spread through the town that poor Ali had two lovely young wives who could dance like professionals and had voices of exceptional beauty.  People began to gather around the poor widow’s hut.  Within a few weeks the grand vizier heard the story.  When he saw the two girls dance, he decided that only the sultan deserved such treasures.  The next day, the sultan sent three soldiers to Ali’s hut with a message: “Come at once to the palace with all the people of your household.”

When Ali and his aged mother arrived at the palace, the monarch was enraged: “Liar! Bring the two women hidden in your house!”  So poor Ali said good-bye to his beloved birds and handed them over to the sultan.  Tears flowed across his cheeks.  The grand vizier now advised the sultan: “This young woodcutter can get anything for you.  Tell him to win the demon king’s daughter for you, or else you will cut off his head.”

When Ali was informed of the sultan’s new wish, he did not know what to do.  His mother advised him to ask the djinn; after all, it was the beautiful birds that had brought Ali such misfortune.  So Ali again knocked on the djinn’s tree.  The djinn was really annoyed.  “Tell your sultan to ready a ship,” he said.  “Put ten thousand bags of gold, a thousand sailors, and the grand vizier aboard.  All the men must be disguised in women’s clothes.  I will be the captain.  Call me when all is ready.”

The sultan ordered all the preparations for the voyage.  When all was ready, Ali called the djinn, who emerged from his tree disguised as a sea captain.  They sailed for many days.  Finally they arrived at Sinisini, the city of the demon king.  The demon king greeted the ship at the quay.  The djinn captain met him at the gangplank and said: “Great king of Sinisini! I cannot invite you here.  As you will appreciate, with 1,001 women on board, your presence would be embarrassing.  Perhaps you could send your daughter as your representative?  In return I will present you with a princess from our country, but you may not unveil her before you have brought her to the safety of your harem.”