a blow
on the face." But Jussuf remained where he was, watching for the
throw, that he might avoid it. "Come back," she said still; but he
remained stationary.

Then she breathed low some words over the pomegranate, and threw it
suddenly at Jussuf. He wished to avoid the blow, by bending down
quickly; but before he could succeed, he felt it on his forehead. The
pomegranate was so violently thrown that it burst in pieces. The
numerous grains lay scattered on the ground; but hardly had they
touched the earth than they changed into so many wasps, which flew
into the air and swarmed round his head. In the anguish of their
stings, he held his hands before his eyes and ran on; but the swarm of
wasps followed him, buzzing around him.

"Throw now thy turban on the ground," called the maiden at last to
him, who was standing in the distance, loudly laughing at his anguish.

He listened, and obeyed her call without thinking of it, and quickly
all the wasps crept under the turban. He stood in astonishment, and
looked at the turban. Then the maiden approached him with ceaseless
laughter, and said,

"What has happened to thee, friend Jussuf? Why dost thou gaze upon thy
turban with such anxious attention? It is a pity they are not bees,
the honey might be collected there. Take it up and put it on thy
head."

He stooped down and raised it with cautious slowness; but, to his
astonishment, all the wasps had disappeared; only a green lizard ran
to and fro, and was lost among the grass and the leaves near the
pathway.

"Where did that go?" asked Jussuf, reflectingly. "That was a
pomegranate and became wasps, and where are they now gone?"

"What!" rejoined the maiden; "where did it go? Who would ask such a
thing? How are wasps and pomegranates generally produced in this
world? Or can you tell me how it is that grass comes up and grows out
of a grain of seed? or how is it that a fig-tree can spring up from
each little seed of the fig? The case is just so; and if people would
ask questions about everything, there would be no end to such
inquiries. But man must not inquire too closely. Come," continued she,
quickly changing to a quieter and more mischievous manner, "Dost thou
see those figs hanging on the branch over the way? let us see if you
can jump high enough to reach and pick them."

He saw the figs, and sprang, but did not nearly reach the height at
which they hung. She encouraged him to jump again and again, and at
every aw