ll at last there only
remained nine. Now he began another speech, which appeared to Jussuf
to be in a different language, and sang it three times, while he took
away more of the ivory figures, and pointed to some of the gold and
silver worked stars. At last he had collected all the three nearest
constellations.

"It is good," said the old man, with a joyful and tranquil
countenance. "I now know what I wanted; now I can tell you what you so
earnestly wish to know. If thou wishest to find thy vain, trifling
playmate, go towards the rising of the sun till thou comest to a town
of Persia, in the neighbourhood of which are situated the ruins of an
old royal city, now destroyed. There stay till the third day after the
new moon. Then go to the ruins in the evening. On the eastern edge, at
some distance from the heap of relics, thou wilt find a large
well-formed stone, which once served as the head; seat thyself on this
stone, and at the moment when the narrow illumined streak of the moon,
like a fiery ship, seems to swim over the mountains on the horizon,
call out the word 'Haschanascha,' and a sign-post will soon appear.
But then thou art still distant from the object of thy journey. But
may the exertions and vicissitudes of thy long travel so lessen thy
foolishly-ardent desire that thou mayest listen to the voice of a
prudent friend, who will certainly be near thee when thou hast need of
him."

Hardly had Jussuf heard where he was to go when he sprang out of his
seat, in order to take leave at once of Modibjah, and to commence his
journey. The wish which Modibjah had expressed was hardly heard by
him.

"Wait, wait," said the former; "who knows whether we shall ever see
each other again? This journey leads thee far away, and I am old.
Thou art also a mortal, who mayest be overwhelmed by the dangers thou
hast to encounter. Here, take this as a token of remembrance." At
these words he reached him a small leathern pouch.

"What is this?" asked Jussuf, after he had opened it, and saw in it a
rather opaque milk-white stone, at the bottom of which a red spark
seemed to shine. "That is certainly a talisman."

"It is a talisman," answered Modibjah: "esteem it for my sake. Use it
when thy strength and intellect are not sufficient for thee. As long
as thou perceivest the spark, thou wilt proceed in the right way, and
wilt not encounter any danger; but the contrary will happen when the
spark appears to be quite extinguished. Then