Twilight Land Read online

  Not a Pin to Choose.

  Once upon a time, in a country in the far East, a merchant wastravelling towards the city with three horses loaded with richgoods, and a purse containing a hundred pieces of gold money.The day was very hot, and the road dusty and dry, so that,by-and-by, when he reached a spot where a cool, clear spring ofwater came bubbling out from under a rock beneath the shade ofa wide-spreading wayside tree, he was glad enough to stop andrefresh himself with a draught of the clear coolness and restawhile. But while he stooped to drink at the fountain the purse ofgold fell from his girdle into the tall grass, and he, not seeingit, let it lie there, and went his way.

  Now it chanced that two fagot-makers--the elder by name Ali, theyounger Abdallah--who had been in the woods all day choppingfagots, came also travelling the same way, and stopped at the samefountain to drink. There the younger of the two spied the purselying in the grass, and picked it up. But when he opened it andfound it full of gold money, he was like one bereft of wits; heflung his arms, he danced, he shouted, he laughed, he acted likea madman; for never had he seen so much wealth in all of his lifebefore--a hundred pieces of gold money!

  Now the older of the two was by nature a merry wag, and though hehad never had the chance to taste of pleasure, he thought thatnothing in the world could be better worth spending money for thanwine and music and dancing. So, when the evening had come, heproposed that they two should go and squander it all at the Inn.But the younger fellow--Abdallah--was by nature just as thrifty asthe other was spendthrift, and would not consent to waste what hehad found. Nevertheless he was generous and open-hearted, andgrudged his friend nothing; so, though he did not care for a wildlife himself, he gave Ali a piece of gold to spend as he chose.

  By morning every copper of what had been given to the elderfagot-maker was gone, and he had never had such a good time inhis life before. All that day and for a week the head of Ali wasso full of the memory of the merry night that he had enjoyed thathe could think of nothing else. At last, one evening, he askedAbdallah for another piece of gold, and Abdallah gave it to him,and by the next morning it had vanished in the same way that theother had flown. By-and-by Ali borrowed a third piece of money, andthen a fourth and then a fifth, so that by the time that six monthshad passed and gone he had spent thirty of the hundred pieces thathad been found, and in all that time Abdallah had used not so muchas a pistareen.

  But when Ali came for the thirty-and-first loan, Abdallah refusedto let him have any more money. It was in vain that the elderbegged and implored--the younger abided by what he had said.

  Then Ali began to put on a threatening front. “You will not let mehave the money?” he said.

  “No, I will not.”

  “You will not?”

  “No!”

  “Then you shall!” cried Ali; and, so saying, caught the youngerfagot-maker by the throat, and began shaking him and shouting“Help! Help! I am robbed! I am robbed!” He made such an uproar thathalf a hundred men, women, and children were gathered around themin less than a minute. “Here is ingratitude for you!” cried Ali.“Here is wickedness and thievery! Look at this wretch, all goodmen, and then turn away your eyes! For twelve years have I livedwith this young man as a father might live with a son, and now howdoes he repay me? He has stolen all that I have in the world--apurse of seventy sequins of gold.”

  All this while poor Abdallah had been so amazed that he could donothing but stand and stare like one stricken dumb; whereupon allthe people, thinking him guilty, dragged him off to the judge,reviling him and heaping words of abuse upon him.

  Now the judge of that town was known far and near as the “WiseJudge;” but never had he had such a knotty question as this broughtup before him, for by this time Abdallah had found his speech, andswore with a great outcry that the money belonged to him.

  But at last a gleam of light came to the Wise Judge in hisperplexity. “Can any one tell me,” said he, “which of these fellowshas had money of late, and which has had none?”

  His question was one easily enough answered; a score of people werethere to testify that the elder of the two had been living welland spending money freely for six months and more, and a scorewere also there to swear that Abdallah had lived all the while inpenury. “Then that decides the matter,” said the Wise Judge. “Themoney belongs to the elder fagot-maker.”

  “But listen, oh my lord judge!” cried Abdallah. “All that this manhas spent I have given to him--I, who found the money. Yes, mylord, I have given it to him, and myself have spent not so much asa single mite.”

  All who were present shouted with laughter at Abdallah’s speech,for who would believe that any one would be so generous as to spendall upon another and none upon himself?

  So poor Abdallah was beaten with rods until he confessed where hehad hidden his money; then the Wise Judge handed fifty sequins toAli and kept twenty himself for his decision, and all went theirway praising his justice and judgment.

  That is to say, all but poor Abdallah; he went to his home weepingand wailing, and with every one pointing the finger of scorn athim. He was just as poor as ever, and his back was sore with thebeating that he had suffered. All that night he continued to weepand wail, and when the morning had come he was weeping and wailingstill.

  Now it chanced that a wise man passed that way, and, hearing hislamentation, stopped to inquire the cause of his trouble. Abdallahtold the other of his sorrow, and the wise man listened, smiling,till he was done, and then he laughed outright. “My son,” saidhe, “if every one in your case should shed tears as abundantly asyou have done, the world would have been drowned in salt water bythis time. As for your friend, think not ill of him; no man lovethanother who is always giving.”

  “Nay,” said the young fagot-maker, “I believe not a word of whatyou say. Had I been in his place I would have been grateful for thebenefits, and not have hated the giver.”

  But the wise man only laughed louder than ever. “Maybe you willhave the chance to prove what you say some day,” said he, and wenthis way, still shaking with his merriment.

  * * * * *

  _“All this,” said Ali Baba, “is only the beginning of my story;and now if the damsel will fill up my pot of ale, I will begin inearnest and tell about the cave of the Genie.”_

  _He watched Little Brown Betty until she had filled his mug, andthe froth ran over the top. Then he took a deep draught and beganagain._

  * * * * *

  Though Abdallah had affirmed that he did not believe what the wiseman had said, nevertheless the words of the other were a comfort,for it makes one feel easier in trouble to be told that others havebeen in a like case with one’s self.

  So, by-and-by, Abdallah plucked up some spirit, and, saddling hisass and shouldering his axe, started off to the woods for a bundleof fagots.

  * * * * *

  Misfortunes, they say, never come singly, and so it seemed to bewith the fagot-maker that day; for that happened that had neverhappened to him before--he lost his way in the woods. On he went,deeper and deeper into the thickets, driving his ass before him,bewailing himself and rapping his head with his knuckles. But allhis sorrowing helped him nothing, and by the time that night fellhe found himself deep in the midst of a great forest full of wildbeasts, the very thought of which curdled his blood. He had hadnothing to eat all day long, and now the only resting-place lefthim was the branches of some tree. So, unsaddling his ass andleaving it to shift for itself, he climbed to and roosted himselfin the crotch of a great limb.

  In spite of his hunger he presently fell asleep, for trouble breedsweariness as it breeds grief.

  About the dawning of the day he was awakened by the sound of voicesand the glaring of lights. He craned his neck and looked down, andthere he saw a sight that filled him with amazement: three old menriding each upon a milk-white horse and each bearing a lightedtorch in his hand, to light the way through the dark forest.

  When they had come just below where Abdallah sat, they dismou
ntedand fastened their several horses to as many trees. Then he whorode first of the three, and who wore a red cap and who seemed tobe the chief of them, walked solemnly up to a great rock that stoodin the hill-side, and, breaking a switch from a shrub that grew ina cleft, struck the face of the stone, crying in a loud voice, “Icommand thee to open, in the name of the red Aldebaran!”

  Instantly, creaking and groaning, the face of the rock opened likea door, gaping blackly. Then, one after another, the three old menentered, and nothing was left but the dull light of their torches,shining on the walls of the passage-way.

  What happened inside the cavern the fagot-maker could neither seenor hear, but minute after minute passed while he sat as in a mazeat all that had happened. Then presently he heard a deep thunderingvoice and a voice as of one of the old men in answer. Then therecame a sound swelling louder and louder, as though a great crowd ofpeople were gathering together, and with the voices came the noiseof the neighing of horses and the trampling of hoofs. Then at lastthere came pouring from out the rock a great crowd of horses ladenwith bales and bundles of rich stuffs and chests and caskets ofgold and silver and jewels, and each horse was led by a slave cladin a dress of cloth-of-gold, sparkling and glistening with preciousgems. When all these had come out from the cavern, other horsesfollowed, upon each of which sat a beautiful damsel, more lovelythan the fancy of man could picture. Beside the damsels marcheda guard, each man clad in silver armor, and each bearing a drawnsword that flashed in the brightening day more keenly than thelightning. So they all came pouring forth from the cavern until itseemed as though the whole woods below were filled with the wealthand the beauty of King Solomon’s day--and then, last of all, camethe three old men.

  “In the name of the red Aldebaran,” said he who had bidden therock to open, “I command thee to become closed.” Again, creakingand groaning, the rock shut as it had opened--like a door--and thethree old men, mounting their horses, led the way from the woods,the others following. The noise and confusion of the many voicesshouting and calling, the trample and stamp of horses, grew fainterand fainter, until at last all was once more hushed and still, andonly the fagot-maker was left behind, still staring like one dumband bereft of wits.

  But so soon as he was quite sure that all were really gone, heclambered down as quickly as might be. He waited for a while tomake doubly sure that no one was left behind, and then he walkedstraight up to the rock, just as he had seen the old man do. Heplucked a switch from the bush, just as he had seen the old manpluck one, and struck the stone, just as the old man had struckit. “I command thee to open,” said he, “in the name of the redAldebaran!”

  Instantly, as it had done in answer to the old man’s command, therecame a creaking and a groaning, and the rock slowly opened like adoor, and there was the passageway yawning before him. For a momentor two the fagot-maker hesitated to enter; but all was as still asdeath, and finally he plucked up courage and went within.

  By this time the day was brightening and the sun rising, andby the gray light the fagot-maker could see about him prettyclearly. Not a sign was to be seen of horses or of treasure orof people--nothing but a square block of marble, and upon it ablack casket, and upon that again a gold ring, in which was set ablood-red stone. Beyond these things there was nothing; the wallswere bare, the roof was bare, the floor was bare--all was bare andnaked stone.

  “Well,” said the wood-chopper, “as the old men have takeneverything else, I might as well take these things. The ring iscertainly worth something, and maybe I shall be able to sell thecasket for a trifle into the bargain.” So he slipped the ring uponhis finger, and, taking up the casket, left the place. “I commandthee to be closed,” said he, “in the name of the red Aldebaran!”And thereupon the door closed, creaking and groaning.

  After a little while he found his ass, saddled it and bridled it,and loaded it with the bundle of fagots that he had chopped the daybefore, and then set off again to try to find his way out of thethick woods. But still his luck was against him, and the fartherhe wandered the deeper he found himself in the thickets. In themeantime he was like to die of hunger, for he had not had a biteto eat for more than a whole day.

  “Perhaps,” said he to himself, “there may be something in thecasket to stay my stomach;” and, so saying, he sat him down,unlocked the casket, and raised the lid.

  * * * * *

  Such a yell as the poor wretch uttered ears never heard before.Over he rolled upon his back and there lay staring with wide eyes,and away scampered the jackass, kicking up his heels and braying sothat the leaves of the trees trembled and shook. For no sooner hadhe lifted the lid than out leaped a great hideous Genie, as blackas a coal, with one fiery-red eye in the middle of his foreheadthat glared and rolled most horribly, and with his hands and feetset with claws, sharp and hooked like the talons of a hawk. PoorAbdallah the fagot-maker lay upon his back staring at the monsterwith a face as white as wax.

  “What are thy commands?” said the Genie in a terrible voice, thatrumbled like the sound of thunder.

  “I--I do not know,” said Abdallah, trembling and shaking as with anague. “I--I have forgotten.”

  “Ask what thou wilt,” said the Genie, “for I must ever obeywhomsoever hast the ring that thou wearest upon thy finger. Hath mylord nothing to command wherein I may serve him?”

  Abdallah shook his head. “No,” said he, “there isnothing--unless--unless you will bring me something to eat.”

  “To hear is to obey,” said the Genie. “What will my lord be pleasedto have?”

  “Just a little bread and cheese,” said Abdallah.

  The Genie waved his hand, and in an instant a fine damask napkinlay spread upon the ground, and upon it a loaf of bread as white assnow and a piece of cheese such as the king would have been glad totaste. But Abdallah could do nothing but sit staring at the Genie,for the sight of the monster quite took away his appetite.

  “What more can I do to serve thee?” asked the Genie.

  “I think,” said Abdallah, “that I could eat more comfortably if youwere away.”

  “To hear is to obey,” said the Genie. “Whither shall I go? Shall Ienter the casket again?”

  “I do not know,” said the fagot-maker; “how did you come to bethere?”

  “I am a great Genie,” answered the monster, “and was conjuredthither by the great King Solomon, whose seal it is that thouwearest upon thy finger. For a certain fault that I committed Iwas confined in the box and hidden in the cavern where thou didstfind me to-day. There I lay for thousands of years until one daythree old magicians discovered the secret of where I lay hidden. Itwas they who only this morning compelled me to give them that vasttreasure which thou sawest them take away from the cavern not longsince.”

  “But why did they not take you and the box and the ring away also?”asked Abdallah.

  “Because,” answered the Genie, “they are three brothers, andneither two care to trust the other one with such power as the ringhas to give, so they made a solemn compact among themselves that Ishould remain in the cavern, and that no one of the three shouldvisit it without the other two in his company. Now, my lord, if itis thy will that I shall enter the casket again I must even obeythy command in that as in all things; but, if it please thee, Iwould fain rejoin my own kind again--they from whom I have beenparted for so long. Shouldst thou permit me to do so I will stillbe thy slave, for thou hast only to press the red stone in the ringand repeat these words: ‘By the red Aldebaran, I command thee tocome,’ and I will be with thee instantly. But if I have my freedomI shall serve thee from gratitude and love, and not from compulsionand with fear.”

  “So be it!” said Abdallah. “I have no choice in the matter, andthou mayest go whither it pleases thee.”

  No sooner had the words left his lips than the Genie gave a greatcry of rejoicing, so piercing that it made Abdallah’s flesh creep,and then, fetching the black casket a kick that sent it flying overthe tree tops, vanished instantly.

  �
��Well,” quoth Abdallah, when he had caught his breath from hisamazement, “these are the most wonderful things that have happenedto me in all of my life.” And thereupon he fell to at the bread andcheese, and ate as only a hungry man can eat. When he had finishedthe last crumb he wiped his mouth with the napkin, and, stretchinghis arms, felt within him that he was like a new man.

  Nevertheless, he was still lost in the woods, and now not even withhis ass for comradeship.

  He had wandered for quite a little while before he bethoughthimself of the Genie. “What a fool am I,” said he, “not to haveasked him to help me while he was here.” He pressed his fingerupon the ring, and cried in a loud voice, “By the red Aldebaran, Icommand thee to come!”

  Instantly the Genie stood before him--big, black, ugly, and grim.“What are my lord’s commands?” said he.

  “I command thee,” said Abdallah the fagot-maker, who was not halfso frightened at the sight of the monster this time as he had beenbefore--“I command thee to help me out of this woods.”

  Hardly were the words out of his mouth when the Genie snatchedAbdallah up, and, flying swifter than the lightning, set him downin the middle of the highway on the outskirts of the forest beforehe had fairly caught his breath.

  * * * * *

  When he did gather his wits and looked about him, he knew very wellwhere he was, and that he was upon the road that led to the city.At the sight his heart grew light within him, and off he steppedbriskly for home again.

  But the sun shone hot and the way was warm and dusty, and beforeAbdallah had gone very far the sweat was running down his facein streams. After a while he met a rich husbandman riding easilyalong on an ambling nag, and when Abdallah saw him he rapped hishead with his knuckles. “Why did I not think to ask the Genie fora horse?” said he. “I might just as well have ridden as to havewalked, and that upon a horse a hundred times more beautiful thanthe one that that fellow rides.”

  He stepped into the thicket beside the way, where he might be outof sight, and there pressed the stone in his ring, and at hisbidding the Genie stood before him.

  “What are my lord’s commands?” said he.

  “I would like to have a noble horse to ride upon,” saidAbdallah--“a horse such as a king might use.”

  “To hear is to obey,” said the Genie; and, stretching out his hand,there stood before Abdallah a magnificent Arab horse, with a saddleand bridle studded with precious stones, and with housings of gold.“Can I do aught to serve my lord further?” said the Genie.

  “Not just now,” said Abdallah; “if I have further use for you Iwill call you.”

  The Genie bowed his head and was gone like a flash, and Abdallahmounted his horse and rode off upon his way. But he had not gonefar before he drew rein suddenly. “How foolish must I look,” saidhe, “to be thus riding along the high-road upon this noble steed,and I myself clad in fagot-maker’s rags.” Thereupon he turned hishorse into the thicket and again summoned the Genie. “I shouldlike,” said he, “to have a suit of clothes fit for a king to wear.”

  “My lord shall have that which he desires,” said the Genie. Hestretched out his hand, and in an instant there lay across hisarm raiment such as the eyes of man never saw before--stiff withpearls, and blazing with diamonds and rubies and emeralds andsapphires. The Genie himself aided Abdallah to dress, and when helooked down he felt, for the time, quite satisfied.

  He rode a little farther. Then suddenly he bethought himself, “Whata silly spectacle shall I cut in the town with no money in my purseand with such fine clothes upon my back.” Once more the Genie wassummoned. “I should like,” said the fagot-maker, “to have a boxfull of money.”

  The Genie stretched out his hand, and in it was a casket ofmother-of-pearl inlaid with gold and full of money. “Has my lordany further commands for his servant?” asked he.

  “No,” answered Abdallah. “Stop--I have, too,” he added. “Yes; Iwould like to have a young man to carry my money for me.”

  “He is here,” said the Genie. And there stood a beautiful youthclad in clothes of silver tissue, and holding a milk-white horse bythe bridle.

  “Stay, Genie,” said Abdallah. “Whilst thou art here thou mayestas well give me enough at once to last me a long time to come. Letme have eleven more caskets of money like this one, and eleven moreslaves to carry the same.”

  “They are here,” said the Genie; and as he spoke there stood elevenmore youths before Abdallah, as like the first as so many picturesof the same person, and each youth bore in his hands a box likethe one that the monster had given Abdallah. “Will my lord haveanything further?” asked the Genie.

  “Let me think,” said Abdallah. “Yes; I know the town well, and thatshould one so rich as I ride into it without guards he would becertain to be robbed before he had travelled a hundred paces. Letme have an escort of a hundred armed men.”

  “It shall be done,” said the Genie, and, waving his hand, the roadwhere they stood was instantly filled with armed men, with swordsand helmets gleaming and flashing in the sun, and all seated uponmagnificently caparisoned horses. “Can I serve my lord further?”asked the Genie.

  “No,” said Abdallah the fagot-maker, in admiration, “I have nothingmore to wish for in this world. Thou mayest go, Genie, and it willbe long ere I will have to call thee again,” and thereupon theGenie was gone like a flash.

  The captain of Abdallah’s troop--a bearded warrior clad in a superbsuit of armor--rode up to the fagot-maker, and, leaping from hishorse and bowing before him so that his forehead touched the dust,said, “Whither shall we ride, my lord?”

  Abdallah smote his forehead with vexation. “If I live a thousandyears,” said he, “I will never learn wisdom.” Thereupon,dismounting again, he pressed the ring and summoned the Genie. “Iwas mistaken,” said he, “as to not wanting thee so soon. I wouldhave thee build me in the city a magnificent palace, such as mannever looked upon before, and let it be full from top to bottomwith rich stuffs and treasures of all sorts. And let it havegardens and fountains and terraces fitting for such a place, andlet it be meetly served with slaves, both men and women, the mostbeautiful that are to be found in all of the world.”

  “Is there aught else that thou wouldst have?” asked the Genie.

  The fagot-maker meditated a long time. “I can bethink myself ofnothing more just now,” said he.

  The Genie turned to the captain of the troop and said some words tohim in a strange tongue, and then in a moment was gone. The captaingave the order to march, and away they all rode with Abdallah inthe midst. “Who would have thought,” said he, looking around him,with the heart within him swelling with pride as though it wouldburst--“who would have thought that only this morning I was a poorfagot-maker, lost in the woods and half starved to death? Surelythere is nothing left for me to wish for in this world!”

  Abdallah was talking of something he knew nothing of.

  * * * * *

  Never before was such a sight seen in that country, as Abdallah andhis troop rode through the gates and into the streets of the city.But dazzling and beautiful as were those who rode attendant uponhim, Abdallah the fagot-maker surpassed them all as the moon dimsthe lustre of the stars. The people crowded around shouting withwonder, and Abdallah, in the fulness of his delight, gave orders tothe slaves who bore the caskets of money to open them and to throwthe gold to the people. So, with those in the streets scramblingand fighting for the money and shouting and cheering, and othersgazing down at the spectacle from the windows and the house-tops,the fagot-maker and his troop rode slowly along through the town.

  Now it chanced that their way led along past the royal palace, andthe princess, hearing all the shouting and the hubbub, looked overthe edge of the balcony and down into the street. At the samemoment Abdallah chanced to look up, and their eyes met. Thereuponthe fagot-maker’s heart crumbled away within him, for she was themost beautiful princess in all the world. Her eyes were as black asnight, her hair like threads of fine silk, her ne
ck like alabaster,and her lips and her cheeks as soft and as red as rose-leaves. Whenshe saw that Abdallah was looking at her she dropped the curtain ofthe balcony and was gone, and the fagot-maker rode away, sighinglike a furnace.

  So, by-and-by, he came to his palace, which was built all of marbleas white as snow, and which was surrounded with gardens, shadedby flowering trees, and cooled by the plashing of fountains. Fromthe gateway to the door of the palace a carpet of cloth-of-goldhad been spread for him to walk upon, and crowds of slaves stoodwaiting to receive him. But for all these glories Abdallah carednothing; he hardly looked about him, but, going straight to hisroom, pressed his ring and summoned the Genie.

  “What is it that my lord would have?” asked the monster.

  “Oh, Genie!” said poor Abdallah, “I would have the princess for mywife, for without her I am like to die.”

  “My lord’s commands,” said the Genie, “shall be executed if Ihave to tear down the city to do so. But perhaps this behest isnot so hard to fulfil. First of all, my lord will have to have anambassador to send to the king.”

  “Very well,” said Abdallah with a sigh; “let me have an ambassadoror whatever may be necessary. Only make haste, Genie, in thydoings.”

  “I shall lose no time,” said the Genie; and in a moment was gone.

  * * * * *

  The king was sitting in council with all of the greatest lords ofthe land gathered about him, for the Emperor of India had declaredwar against him, and he and they were in debate, discussing how thecountry was to be saved. Just then Abdallah’s ambassador arrived,and when he and his train entered the council-chamber all stood upto receive him, for the least of those attendant upon him was moremagnificently attired than the king himself, and was bedecked withsuch jewels as the royal treasury could not match.

  Kneeling before the king, the ambassador touched the ground withhis forehead. Then, still kneeling, he unrolled a scroll, writtenin letters of gold, and from it read the message asking for theprincess to wife for the Lord Abdallah.

  When he had ended, the king sat for a while stroking his beard andmeditating. But before he spoke the oldest lord of the councilarose and said: “O sire! if this Lord Abdallah who asks for theprincess for his wife can send such a magnificent company in thetrain of his ambassador, may it not be that he may be able also tohelp you in your war against the Emperor of India?”

  “True!” said the king. Then turning to the ambassador: “Tell yourmaster,” said he, “that if he will furnish me with an army of onehundred thousand men, to aid me in the war against the Emperor ofIndia, he shall have my daughter for his wife.”

  “Sire,” said the ambassador, “I will answer now for my master, andthe answer shall be this: That he will help you with an army, notof _one_ hundred thousand, but of _two_ hundred thousand men. Andif to-morrow you will be pleased to ride forth to the plain thatlieth to the south of the city, my Lord Abdallah will meet youthere with his army.” Then, once more bowing, he withdrew from thecouncil-chamber, leaving all them that were there amazed at whathad passed.

  So the next day the king and all his court rode out to the placeappointed. As they drew near they saw that the whole face of theplain was covered with a mighty host, drawn up in troops andsquadrons. As the king rode towards this vast army, Abdallah methim, surrounded by his generals. He dismounted and would havekneeled, but the king would not permit him, but, raising him,kissed him upon the cheek, calling him son. Then the king andAbdallah rode down before the ranks and the whole army waved theirswords, and the flashing of the sunlight on the blades was likelightning, and they shouted, and the noise was like the pealing ofthunder.

  * * * * *

  Before Abdallah marched off to the wars he and the princess weremarried, and for a whole fortnight nothing was heard but the soundof rejoicing. The city was illuminated from end to end, and allof the fountains ran with wine instead of water. And of all thosewho rejoiced, none was so happy as the princess, for never had sheseen one whom she thought so grand and noble and handsome as herhusband. After the fortnight had passed and gone, the army marchedaway to the wars with Abdallah at its head.

  Victory after victory followed, for in every engagement the Emperorof India’s troops were driven from the field. In two months’ timethe war was over and Abdallah marched back again--the greatestgeneral in the world. But it was no longer as Abdallah that he wasknown, but as the Emperor of India, for the former emperor had beenkilled in the war, and Abdallah had set the crown upon his own head.

  The little taste that he had had of conquest had given him anappetite for more, so that with the armies the Genie providedhim he conquered all the neighboring countries and brought themunder his rule. So he became the greatest emperor in all of theworld; kings and princes kneeled before him, and he, Abdallah, thefagot-maker, looking about him, could say: “No one in all the worldis so great as I!”

  Could he desire anything more?

  * * * * *

  Yes; he did! He desired to be rid of the Genie!

  When he thought of how all that he was in power and might--he, theEmperor of the World--how all his riches and all his glory had comeas gifts from a hideous black monster with only one eye, his heartwas filled with bitterness. “I cannot forget,” said he to himself,“that as he has given me all these things, he may take them allaway again. Suppose that I should lose my ring and that some oneelse should find it; who knows but that they might become as greatas I, and strip me of everything, as I have stripped others. Yes; Iwish he was out of the way!”

  Once, when such thoughts as these were passing through his mind, hewas paying a visit to his father-in-law, the king. He was walkingup and down the terrace of the garden meditating on these matters,when, leaning over a wall and looking down into the street, he sawa fagot-maker--just such a fagot-maker as he himself had one timebeen--driving an ass--just such an ass as he had one time driven.The fagot-maker carried something under his arm, and what should itbe but the very casket in which the Genie had once been imprisoned,and which he--the one-time fagot-maker--had seen the Genie kickover the tree-tops.

  The sight of the casket put a sudden thought into his mind. Heshouted to his attendants, and bade them haste and bring thefagot-maker to him. Off they ran, and in a little while camedragging the poor wretch, trembling and as white as death; forhe thought nothing less than that his end had certainly come. Assoon as those who had seized him had loosened their hold, he flunghimself prostrate at the feet of the Emperor Abdallah, and therelay like one dead.

  “Where didst thou get yonder casket?” asked the emperor.

  “Oh, my lord!” croaked the poor fagot-maker, “I found it out yonderin the woods.”

  “Give it to me,” said the emperor, “and my treasurer shall countthee out a thousand pieces of gold in exchange.”

  So soon as he had the casket safe in his hands he hurried away tohis privy chamber, and there pressed the red stone in his ring.“In the name of the red Aldebaran, I command thee to appear!” saidhe, and in a moment the Genie stood before him.

  “What are my lord’s commands?” said he.

  “I would have thee enter this casket again,” said the EmperorAbdallah.

  “Enter the casket!” cried the Genie, aghast.

  “Enter the casket.”

  “In what have I done anything to offend my lord?” said the Genie.

  “In nothing,” said the emperor; “only I would have thee enter thecasket again as thou wert when I first found thee.”

  It was in vain that the Genie begged and implored for mercy, itwas in vain that he reminded Abdallah of all that he had done tobenefit him; the great emperor stood as hard as a rock--into thecasket the Genie must and should go. So at last into the casket themonster went, bellowing most lamentably.

  The Emperor Abdallah shut the lid of the casket, and locked it andsealed it with his seal. Then, hiding it under his cloak, he boreit out into the garden and to a deep well, and, first making surethat nobody was by to see, droppe
d casket and Genie and all intothe water.

  * * * * *

  Now had that wise man been by--the wise man who had laughed sowhen the poor young fagot-maker wept and wailed at the ingratitudeof his friend--the wise man who had laughed still louder when theyoung fagot-maker vowed that in another case he would not have beenso ungrateful to one who had benefited him--how that wise man wouldhave roared when he heard the casket plump into the waters of thewell! For, upon my word of honor, betwixt Ali the fagot-maker andAbdallah the Emperor of the World there was not a pin to choose,except in degree.

  * * * * *

  _Old Ali Baba’s pipe had nearly gone out, and he fell a puffing atit until the spark grew to life again, and until great clouds ofsmoke rolled out around his head and up through the rafters above._

  _“I liked thy story, friend!” said old Bidpai--“I liked it mightilymuch. I liked more especially the way in which thy emperor got ridof his demon, or Genie!”_

  _Fortunatus took a long pull at his mug of ale. “I know not,” saidhe, “about the demon, but there was one part that I liked much, andthat was about the treasures of silver and gold and the palace thatthe Genie built and all the fine things that the poor fagot-makerenjoyed!” Then he who had once carried the magic purse in hispocket fell a clattering with the bottom of his quart cup upon thetable. “Hey! my pretty lass,” cried he, “come hither and fetch meanother stoup of ale!”_

  _Little Brown Betty came at his call, stumbling and tumbling intothe room, just as she had stumbled and tumbled in the Mother Goosebook, only this time she did not crack her crown, but gatheredherself up laughing._

  _“You may fill my canican while you are about it,” said St. George,“for, by my faith, ’tis dry work telling a story.”_

  _“And mine, too,” piped the little Tailor who killed seven flies ata blow._

  _“And whose turn is it now to tell a story?” said Doctor Faustus._

  _“’Tis his,” said the Lad who fiddled for the Jew, and he pointedto Hans who traded and traded until he had traded his lump of goldfor an empty churn._

  _Hans grinned sheepishly. “Well,” said he, “I never did have luck atanything, and why, then, d’ye think I should have luck at telling astory?”_

  _“Nay, never mind that,” said Aladdin, “tell thy story, friend, asbest thou mayst.”_

  _“Very well,” said Hans, “if ye will have it, I will tell it toyou; but, after all, it is no better than my own story, and thepoor man in the end gets no more than I did in my bargains.”_

  _“And what is your story about, my friend?” said Cinderella._

  _“’Tis,” said Hans, “about how--”_