or, the man of wisdom, was no
longer by his side to advise him.

"I would give one-fourth of my kingdom to bring Ikkor to life again,"
he exclaimed.

Hearing these words, Nabu Samak, the executioner, fell on his knees
and confessed that Ikkor was alive.

"Bring him hither at once," cried the king.

Ikkor could scarcely credit the truth when his friend came to him in
the cellar with the news, and the people wept tears of joy and pity
when the old vizier was led through the streets. He presented a most
extraordinary spectacle.

For twelve months he had been immured in the cellar and his beard had
grown down to the ground, his hair descended below his shoulders and
his finger nails were several inches long. The king wept, too, when he
saw his old vizier.

"Ikkor," he said, "for months have I felt that thou wert innocent, and
I have missed thy wise counsels. Help me in my difficulty and thou
shalt be pardoned."

"Your majesty," said Ikkor, "I desire nothing more than to serve thee.
I am innocent. Time will prove me guiltless."

When he saw Pharaoh's demand, he smiled.

"'Tis easy," he said. "I will go to Egypt and outwit Pharaoh."

He gave orders that four of the tame eagles in the gardens of the
palace should be brought to him with cords five hundred ells long
attached to their claws. Then he selected four youths, lithe of
figure, and trained them to sit on the backs of the eagles and soar
aloft. This done, he set out for Egypt with a big caravan and a long
retinue of slaves.

"What is thy name?" asked Pharaoh, when he presented himself.

"My name is Akbam, and I am but the lowest of my king's advisers."

"Does thy master then think my demand so simple?" asked Pharaoh.

Ikkor bowed to indicate that this was so, and Pharaoh was much annoyed
and puzzled.

"Perform thy task and at once," he commanded.

At a sign from Ikkor, the four youths mounted the eagles which flew
aloft to the extremity of their cords. The birds remained in the air
two hundred ells apart, as they had been trained, and the lads held
cords in the form of a square.

"That is the plan of the palace in the clouds," said Ikkor, pointing
aloft. "Bid your men carry up bricks and mortar. The task is so simple
that the boys will build."

Pharaoh frowned. He had not expected to be thus outwitted, but he
would not immediately acknowledge this.

"In this land," he said, sarcastically, "we use no mortar. We sew the
stones together. Canst thou