sold his house, and bought
another, moderately large, pleasantly situated in an open plain in the
neighbourhood of a mosque. He fitted it up conveniently; for his
wealth, though not limited, was still not superfluously large.

When he took possession of his new house, the person who had sold it
to him said, "I must leave something of my own here with you, as I
have not been able to remove it, though with the best intention." He
then conducted him into one of the apartments in which was standing a
large copper vessel of elaborate workmanship. The cover of the vessel
was sealed, and on the seal Jalaladdeen perceived the letters of a
strange language.

"Sir," said the former owner, "this chest has stood in this room from
time immemorial. My father forbade me to break the seal, and declared
that he who should lay his hand on it for such a purpose would suffer
severely for his foolhardiness. I have, I confess, in former times
felt a strong inclination to loosen the seal, but fear has hitherto
deterred me; but to-day as I had all my furniture removed from this
house, I had this chest also conveyed to my new dwelling; but scarcely
had the porter placed it down, when it disappeared. However, I found
it shortly afterwards in this room again, and ordered its removal a
second time; but it was soon standing here again in its old place.
Perhaps a tutelary genius, invisible to us, inhabits the house.
However, as it will not suffer itself to be removed, you may keep it
here in the name of the Prophet. But forget not my warning--leave the
seal unbroken."

Jalaladdeen felt half inclined to doubt these words; but nodding his
head, he said to the man, "Well, well, leave the chest here; and if at
any time I find it inconvenient, you will not, of course, object to
remove it."

Scarcely had the man quitted the house, when Jalaladdeen called a
slave, and desired him to place the vessel in a corner of the house.

"'T is an old chest," said he: "remove it; its old appearance does not
correspond with the decorations of this room, which I intend to use as
my sleeping-chamber. Now," said he to himself, "I shall see if the man
has told the truth."

The slave removed the chest without ceremony, and Jalaladdeen
contemplated, for some time, with great earnestness, the spot where it
had lately stood; and as it did not appear again, he fancied that he
had rid himself of it for ever. All at once, however, it was standing
on the same spot once mor