than the
giant bird swooped down and gobbled up the snake.

"That was a good fat worm for breakfast," called the bird. "Now I
shall rest."

It flew toward a gigantic tree which now appeared. So tall was it that
its upper branches were lost in the clouds. The bird perched on a
branch of the tree.

"Proceed along the coast until you come to two bridges," said the
bird. "There you will find Hormuz. Give him two cups of wine to drink,
then you can slay him. But be sure you take the diamond from his cap.
I, the ziz, give you this warning."

Rabba thanked the bird for its information, and with Ali continued on
his journey. After three days they came to a river crossed by two
bridges, and with one foot on each stood Hormuz.

As soon as he saw them he began to run, but Rabba called after him,
"We bring thee an offering of good wine," and he promptly returned.
Rabba filled the two cups which he had from a leathern bottle, and
Hormuz took a cup in each hand, smacking his lips as he did so.

"See," he said, and he tossed the wine into the air, and the wine from
the right hand cup fell into the left hand cup and that from the left
hand cup into the right and not a drop was spilt. Then he swallowed
them both at one gulp.

Almost immediately he fell down in a stupor, and Rabba stabbed him
again and again with his spear. Yet, when he seemed quite dead, he
jumped up again.

"The diamond," cried Rabba, excitedly, and Ali snatched it from the
cap of Hormuz. Then the demon fell dead.

"We can return now," said Rabba, and they set out at once, taking the
body with them. They halted only to take food, and the first time they
did so a funny thing happened. Ali had killed an animal and Rabba had
caught some fish, and, while these were cooking, Rabba took the jinn's
diamond from his pocket and examined it. At once the fish and the
animal came to life again, jumped out of the cooking pot and made off.

"This is a magic diamond," said Rabba, "that has the power to bring
dead things to life. We keep it covered when we wish to eat."

They did so, and after long journeying they came in sight of the great
wall and at last reached the place from which they had started. They
had been away twelve months in all, and the people were heartily glad
to see them, especially when they heard that Hormuz had been killed
and saw his body. They had worked hard on the carcass of the huge
whale and were rebuilding the sixty towns and villages that ha