it was not a difficult thing
to throw a man into the furnace and rake him out from the ashes
restored to youth, decided to do away with his apprentice's services,
but kept the sign above the door.

It happened that the captain of the Janissaries, who was a very aged
man, came to him, and after bargaining for a much more modest sum than
his apprentice would have asked, the smith thrust him into the furnace
as the devil, his apprentice, used to do, and worked at the bellows.
He afterwards raked in the fire for the young man but he only raked
out cinders and ashes. Great was his consternation, but what could he
do?

The devil in the meantime went to the head of the Janissaries and the
police, and informed them of what had taken place. The poor smith was
arrested, tried, and condemned to be bowstrung, as it was proved that
the Janissary was last seen to enter his shop.

Just as the smith was about to be executed, the devil again appeared
before him in the form of the discharged apprentice, and asked him if
he wished to be saved; if so, that he could save him, but on one
condition only,--that he ceased from cursing the devil five times a
day and pray as other Mussulmans prayed. He agreed. Thereupon the
apprentice called in a loud voice to those who were about to execute
him: "What will you of this man? He has not killed the Janissary; he
is not dead, for I have just seen him entering his home." This was
found to be true, and the smith was liberated, learning the truth of
the proverb, 'Curse not even the devil.'

THE BRIBE

There once lived in Stamboul a man and wife who were so well mated
that though married for a number of years their life was one of ideal
harmony. This troubled the devil very much. He had destroyed the peace
of home after home; he had successfully created, between husband and
wife, father and son and brothers, the chasm of envy wide and deep, so
wide that the bridge of life could not span the gap. In this one
little home alone did he fail in spite of his greatest endeavor. One
day the devil was talking to an old woman, when the man who had thus
far baffled him passed by. The devil groaned at the thought of his
repeated failures. Turning to the old woman he said:

"I will give you as a reward a pair of yellow slippers if you make
that man quarrel with his wife."

The old woman was delighted, and at once began to scheme and work for
the coveted slippers. At an hour when she was sure to find