surprise of the sultan, when the metals in the furnace were all
melted, to find them converted into a mass of solid gold, which
proved, on assay, to be of the purest quality. Every one was
questioned as to what he had cast into the furnace, when there
appeared no reason to suppose the transmutation could have been
effected by such an accidental mixture of metals. At length it
was remarked, that a dervish, accompanying the barber's son, had
cast in a lump of ore, and immediately disappeared. Upon this the
sultan summoned the youth to his presence, and inquiring after
his companion, was informed of the place of his residence, and of
what, on his departure, he had said to him. The sultan was
overjoyed at the welcome intelligence, and dispatched the young
man, with an honourable attendance, to conduct the venerable
dervish to his presence, where being arrived, he was received
with the most distinguishing attention, and the barber's son was
promoted to high office. After some days, the sultan requested
the dervish to instruct him in the transmutation of metals, which
he readily did, as well as in many other occult mysteries; which
so gratified his royal patron, that he trusted the administration
of government to his care. This disgusted the ministers and
courtiers, who could not bear to be controlled by a stranger, and
therefore resolved to effect his ruin. By degrees they persuaded
their credulous master that the dervish was a magician, who would
in time possess himself of his throne, and the sultan, alarmed,
resolved to put him to death. With this intention, calling him to
the presence, he accused him of sorcery, and commanded an
executioner to strike off his head. "Forbear awhile," exclaimed
the dervish, "and let me live till I have shown you the most
wonderful specimen of my art." To this the sultan consented, when
the dervish, with chalk, drew a circle of considerable extent
round the sultan and his attendants, then stepping into the
middle of it, he drew a small circle round himself, and said,
"Now seize me if you can;" and immediately disappeared from
sight. At the same instant, the sultan and his courtiers found
themselves assaulted by invisible agents, who, tearing off their
robes, whipped them with scourges till the blood flowed in
streams from their lacerated backs. At length the punishment
ceased, but the mortification of the sultan did not end here, for
all the gold which the dervish had transmuted returned to