wool
and weave coarse mantles." "But I am from Mecca," said the boy.
"Then," replied Hyjauje, "thou comest from a mine of
perverseness, stupidity, ignorance, and slothfulness; for from
among its people God raised up his prophet, whom they
disbelieved, rejected, and forced away to a strange nation, who
loved, venerated, and assisted him in spite of the men of Mecca.
But whence comest thou, youth? for thy pertness is become
troublesome, and my inclination leads me to punish thee for thy
impertinence." "Had I been assured that thou durst kill me,"
cried the youth, "I should not have appeared before thee; but
thou canst not." "Woe to thee, rash boy," exclaimed Hyjauje; "who
is he that can prevent my executing thee instantly?" "To thee be
thy woe," replied the youth: "he can prevent thee who directs man
and his inmost thoughts, and who never falsifieth his gracious
promises." "He it is," cried the tyrant, "who instigates me to
put thee to death." "Withhold thy blaspheming," replied the
youth; "it is not God, but Satan that prompts thy mind to my
murder, and with God I hope for refuge from the accursed: but
know, that I am from the glorious Medina, the seat of religion,
virtue, respectability, and honour, descended of the race of Bin
Ghalib, and family of Ali, son of Abou Talib, whom God has
glorified and approved, and will protect all his posterity, which
you would extirpate; but you cannot root it out, for it will
flourish even to the last day of the existence of this world."

The tyrant was now overcome with rage, and commanded the youthful
Syed to be slain; but his nobles and officers interceded for him,
saying, while they bowed their necks before him, "Pardon, pardon;
behold our heads and our lives a ransom for his! For God's sake
accept our intercession, O ameer, for this youth is not deserving
of death." "Forbear your entreaties," exclaimed the tyrant, "for
were an angel to cry from Heaven, 'Do not slay him!' I would not
attend." Upon this the young Syed said, "Thou ravest, O Hyjauje;
who art thou that an angel should be commissioned for thy sake?"
The tyrant, struck with his magnanimity, became calm, and
commanding the executioner to release the youth, said, "For the
present I forbear, and will not kill thee unless thy answers to
my further questions shall deserve it." They then entered on the
following dialogue; Hyjauje hoping to entrap him in discourse.

Hyjauje. How can the creature approach the perfection of