rob me and expose me to
frightful punishment?"

Ibrahim affirmed that he had taken nothing; he felt compassion for poor
Hussain, and forgot his own trouble.

"You lie, infamous fellow," cried Hussain; "your bag is full, you have
filled it from mine."

"I assure you," replied Ibrahim, "that I have taken nothing, nor have I
ever thought of grieving you, and, as a proof, I will exchange my bag
for yours whenever you wish." He then offered his own. "Stop here and
rest yourself," he continued. "I am not yet so tired as to be unable
to try to fill a second bag before evening." He left him, and with
much pains collected the second half. Hussain did not know what to
think of all this, and both went together to the cavern without
speaking.

"Are your bags full:" cried the monster, who was sitting at the
entrance as they arrived. "Empty them before me." Ibrahim emptied his
bag first; it was full of gold and precious stones. Hussain came with
the one Ibrahim had given him--and it contained nothing but sand and
pebbles. Lockman looked silently incensed at Hussain, took him by the
arm, and led him, weak and fainting, again to the terrible rushing
shower-bath, where, for want of strength, he would have fallen into the
abyss, had not Lockman seized him and flung him half dead on the sand.

"He is a villain," said he to Ibrahim, while the other lay fainting.
"I will tell you plainly that he has slandered you to me, and is the
sole cause of my receiving you so harshly. I hate him, for he is not
even fit to do the work of a slave. If you will do me a service I will
restore you to liberty, bring you to your son, and arrange every thing
so that you may again live in Bagdad in your former happy
circumstances."

"What do you desire?" asked Ibrahim.

"I am a spirit, and cannot dispose arbitrarily of the life of a mortal.
You, on the other hand, have power to destroy each other; take this
knife and thrust it into Hussain's heart, then I will restore you to
your former happiness, and give you all the gold-dust and precious
stones in my cavern."

"Far be it from me," said Ibrahim, "to act thus even to my bitterest
enemy. May God forgive the evil we have done, and for which we are
both now suffering. My hatred is extinguished. I have this day
exchanged my bag for his, with the honest intention of lightening his
burden. That it has turned out so badly is not my fault."

"Kill him," cried Lockman, threatening as he reach