he
ground, and saw another form seize the ass. Two men with blackened
faces tore off his turban and robe and left him lying half-naked by
the roadside, after having warned him to keep quiet as to this attack
unless he wished to lose his life. Trembling with fright and rage, he
saw the robbers disappear with his ass in the direction of the
mountain. What pained him most was the loss of his diamond, which he
had concealed in his robe. He reached home, where he lay hidden for
weeks, too ashamed to show himself in the streets or at the bazaar.
But once as he sat on the Golden Bridge fishing, to try and provide
himself with a frugal meal, the weapon-dealer passed him by, and said:
"Well, Ali Hassuf, when are you coming for your sword?"

But sword and Princess were forever lost to Ali Hassuf.

In the meantime, as the two elder brothers were mourning their losses,
Abdul Kassim, the youngest, sat at home in his little house by the
gardens, thinking with regret of his father, and wondering what he
should do to earn himself his daily bread. Before him, on a little
stool, stood the iron casket. There came a knock at the door, and
Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, who had lent him money a month or two ago,
walked in. Micha looked grave and said, "Abdul Kassim, times are bad,
and ready money gets scarcer and scarcer. You know I lent you ten
golden coins, and I have come to ask"--his eyes fell on the casket and
he started, but collecting himself, went on: "I have come to tell you
that I am not in an immediate hurry for the return of the loan. If you
like you can keep it, or, as it is hardly worth mentioning, keep it
for some months, or even years if you like. I only wanted to tell you
you needn't trouble about it, there is no hurry at all." He bowed low
to his debtor and withdrew.

Abdul Kassim marvelled at the change in the Jew's manner, but as he
thought of the looks he had cast at the casket he couldn't help
smiling.

On the same evening came his neighbour, the clothes dealer, who had
not visited him for years, "Dear friend," he said, and placed a
bundle on the floor before Kassim, "I have come to entreat your pardon
that my horse should have splashed your robe with mud the other day;
he is a young thing, and is not yet properly broken. I have brought
you a new robe to replace it, which I hope will please you." Then he
withdrew. The young man could not recollect having been splashed by
his neighbour's horse, still less could he acc