By the time the dragon had been killed they were very hungry and set up a clamour for food .<br>The prince therefore cut up the dragon and fed them with it , bit by bit , till they had eaten the whole .<br>He then washed himself and lay down to rest , and he was still asleep when the Simurgh came home .<br>As a rule , the young birds raised a clamour of welcome when their parents came near , but on this day they were so full of dragon-meat that they had no choice , they had to go to sleep .<br>As they flew nearer , the old birds saw the prince lying under the tree and no sign of life in the nest .
The old birds could not see the prince