The parrot brings a fruit from the Tree of Life to the king of Syria, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night

c. 1560

The parrot brings a fruit from the Tree of Life to the king of Syria, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night, c. 1560. Lalu. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; painting only: 7.6 x 10.2 cm (3 x 4 in.); overall: 20 x 14.4 cm (7 7/8 x 5 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.75.b A wise, green parrot perches on the hand of the king of Syria. Clutched in his beak is a small orange fruit that he plucked from a tree in the netherworld and brought back as a reward for many years of the king’s kindness. Despite being offered eternal life, the king is hesitant to eat the fruit. Outside of this manuscript, only one other known work is attributed to the painter Lalu.