a
height that the largest ships can pass full sail beneath them. Great
cities stud the land like jewels on the scabbard of the Caliph's
scimitar. Fine palaces and noble mosques, or buildings of that
character, abound, but most singular and beautiful of all is a palace
formed entirely of crystal, which stands amid gardens adorned with
fountains, and every facet of whose transparent walls glistens in the
sun. But another circumstance that much attracts my notice is that all
the country is covered with a marvellous network, like a gigantic
spider's web, composed of fine metallic thread. By this means and by
the aid of some incomprehensible magic the people communicate with each
other with lightning-like rapidity, and no matter how great the
distance that may separate them. But, indeed, this is less surprising
than another contrivance that they have, by means of which two men as
far apart as Bussora from Bagdad converse at their ease and by word of
mouth, each evidently hearing the very voice and words of the other."

When the Caliph heard this statement, so astounding, so audacious, he
was filled with rage.

"What!" he exclaimed, "can your magic tube, when it pretends to show us
future times and other nations, invent no more probable and coherent
wonders? What breath shall these men have, and what chests and throats
must they be, if one man standing in Bagdad shall make another at
Bussora hear him?"

"Take from him," said the Caliph to an officer in attendance, "his
magic tube and break it in pieces. As for the fellow himself, let him
be carried three times through the streets of the city mounted upon a
camel and seated with his face to the tail, and let this proclamation
be made by the criers: 'Thus shall it fare with the man who invents
lying tales and wonders, deceiving the people and pretending to magical
power which he does not possess.' After he has been carried three
times round the city in this manner, let him be scourged and beheaded
as a warning to others."

Thus perished miserably Almirvan, the owner of the magic tube. But
whether he lied more than other men, and whether his punishment has
effectually deterred others from following his pernicious example, we
will not attempt to determine.

FINIS.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales of the Caliph, by H. N. Crellin

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF THE CALIPH ***

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