'Oh, birds,' said he, 'are ye willing to be fish?
For I have no fishes swimming in my pond, yet my heart desires them greatly.

So if ye are willing to be fish and will stay in my good pond and swim there, gladdening my eyes, I will abstain from killing you but instead will set you in the pond and let you live.' "So the birds, who were very terrified, declared themselves willing to be fish, and the birds swore even more oaths than he insisted on, so that he was greatly pleased and very confident.

Therefore he used not very much precaution when he came to plunge the birds into the water, and the instant he let go of them the birds with feathers scarcely wet flew away and perched on the trees about him.
"Then Abdul grew very furious.

'Oh, birds,' said he, 'ye are traitors.

Ye are forsworn! Ye are liars--breakers of oaths--deceitful ones!' And he shook his fist at them and spat, being greatly enraged and grieved at their deception.
"But the birds answered him, 'Oh, Abdul, a captive's gyves and a captive's oath are one, and he who rivets on the one must keep the other!' And the birds flew away, but Abdul went to seek his advocate to have the law of them! Now, what think ye was the advocate's opinion in the matter, and what remedy had Abdul ?" Has the sahib ever seen three hundred men all at the same time becoming conscious of the same idea?
That is quite a spectacle.
There was no whispering, nor any movement except a little shifting of the feet.