t refused, but finally made an
agreement, that on the payment of a sum equal to a thousand tomauns,
or 500_l_., the water should be allowed to flow into the city as
long as life remained in the head of a fly, which was to be cut off
and thrown into a basin of water. This was done; but, to the great
astonishment of the Guebres, the head retained life during thirteen
days, which so exasperated them against Sin and Lam, whom they
perceived to be men of God that they sent an armed party to Semnoon
to make them prisoners.

"'Meanwhile Sin and Lam had received intelligence of their designs,
and fled. The first village they halted at was called Shadderron,
where, having rested awhile, they continued their flight, strictly
enjoining the inhabitants not to tell their pursuers the direction
which they had taken. Shortly afterwards the Guebres arrived, and
inquired where they had gone. The villagers did not mention the
direction in words, but treacherously indicated it by turning their
heads over their right shoulders, in which position they became
immovably fixed; and since then all their descendants have been born
with a twist in the neck towards the right shoulder.'"

Here the boys had some difficulty in repressing their laughter; for
Charles placed his head in the position of the faithless
Shadderrons, and looked so mischievously at George, that he was
obliged to cover his eyes, or he would have stopped the story by a
boisterous shout of merriment.

MR. BARRAUD continued: "'The fugitives next arrived at a place
called Giorvenon, on quitting which they left the same injunctions
as before. On the arrival of the pursuers, however, the people
pointed out the direction of their flight by stretching their chins
straightforward. An awful peal of thunder marked the divine
displeasure; and the inhabitants of Giorvenon now found themselves
unable to bring their heads back to their proper position; and the
curse likewise descended to their posterity, who have since been
remarkable for long projecting chins. After a long chase, the
Guebres overtook the prophets at the foot of a steep hill, up which
they galloped into a small plain, where, to the astonishment and
disappointment of their pursuers, the earth opened and closed over
them. It was now evening; and the Guebres, placing a small heap of
stones over the spot where Sin and Lam had disappeared, retired for
the night. Early the next morning the Guebres repaired thither with
the in