will go,' said he.

'What madness!' cried his master, who happened to be standing near.
'You are too young to throw away your life like that. Run after the
herald and tell him you take back your offer.' But the young man shook
his head, and the merchant saw that it was useless to try and persuade
him.

'Well, it is your own affair,' he observed at last. 'If you must go,
you must. Only, if you ever return, I will give you a camel's load of
goods and my best mule besides.' And touching his turban in token of
farewell, he entered the tent.

Hardly had he done so than a crowd of men were seen pouring out of the
camp.

'How can we thank you!' they exclaimed, pressing round the youth. 'Our
camels as well as ourselves are almost dead of thirst. See! here is
the rope we have brought to let you down.'

'Come, then,' answered the youth. And they all set out.

On reaching the well, the rope was knotted securely under his arms, a
big goat-skin bottle was given him, and he was gently lowered to the
bottom of the pit. Here a clear stream was bubbling over the rocks,
and, stooping down, he was about to drink, when a huge Arab appeared
before him, saying in a loud voice:

'Come with me!'

The young man rose, never doubting that his last hour had come; but as
he could do nothing, he followed the Arab into a brilliantly lighted
hall, on the further side of the little river. There his guide sat
down, and drawing towards him two boys, one black and the other white,
he said to the stranger:

'I have a question to ask you. If you answer it right, your life shall
be spared. If not, your head will be forfeit, as the head of many
another has been before you. Tell me: which of my two children do I
think the handsomer.'

The question did not seem a hard one, for while the white boy was as
beautiful a child as ever was seen, his brother was ugly even for a
negro. But, just as the youth was going to speak, the old man's
counsel flashed into the youth's mind, and he replied hastily: 'The
one whom we love best is always the handsomest.'

'You have saved me!' cried the Arab, rising quickly from his seat, and
pressing the young man in his arms. 'Ah! if you could only guess what
I have suffered from the stupidity of all the people to whom I have
put that question, and I was condemned by a wicked genius to remain
here until it was answered! But what brought you to this place, and
how can I reward you for what you have done for me?'

'By