est thyself now; I will tomorrow tell thee what I have to say."

"'When the morning came he said to me, "There are in this room a
spade, a sieve, and a leather bag; bring them out." I said to myself,
God knows what labour he will make me undergo because he has made me
eat of his bread; having no help for it, I took up those articles and
brought them to him. He then ordered me to go to the black hillock [I
had passed] and dig a hole a yard deep, and "whatever you find in it
pass it through this sieve; whatever cannot pass through, put it in the
leather bag, and bring it to me." I took all those implements and went
there, and having dug as much [as I was ordered], I passed it through
the sieve, and put what remained into the bag, [as directed]; I then
saw they were all precious stones of different colours, and my eyes
were dazzled with their brilliancy. In this manner I filled the bag up
to the mouth, and carried it to that person; on seeing it, he said,
"Whatever is in the bag take it for thyself, and go away from hence;
for thy stay in this city will not do thee good." I gave for answer,
"Your worship has, on your part, done me a great favour by giving
me these stones and pebbles; but of what use are they to me? When I
become hungry, I shall not be able to eat them nor to fill my belly;
and if you give me more of them, what use will they be to me?? That
person smiled, and said, "I pity thee, for thou, like me, art an
inhabitant of the kingdom of Persia; for this reason I advise thee
[against remaining here], otherwise it rests with thee. If thou
art determined, at all hazards, to enter this city, then take my
ring with thee; when thou reachest the centre of the market place,
thou wilt find sitting there a man with a white beard--his face and
general appearance are very like mine--he is my eldest brother--give
him this ring--he will then take care of thee; act conformably to what
he says, otherwise thou wilt lose thy life for nothing; my authority
only extends as far as this; I have no entrance into the city."

"'I took the ring from him, and, saluting him, took my leave. I
entered the city, and saw it was a very elegant place; the streets
and market-places were clean and the men and women without concealment
were buying and selling among themselves, and were all well dressed. I
continued advancing on, and viewing sights. When I reached the four
cross roads of the market place, such a crowd there was, that if you
threw