d thy
brethren gather together your attendant spirits. And thou shalt learn
that there is a God."

In a month's time the Baal Shem with all his pupils met the wizard
with his fellows in an open field; and there, under the blue circle of
Heaven, the Baal Shem made two circles around himself and one in
another place around his pupils, enjoining them to keep their eyes
fixed on his face, and, if they noticed any change in it, immediately
to begin crying the Penitential Prayer. The arch-wizard also made a
circle for himself and his fellow-wizards at the other end of the
field, and commenced his attack forthwith. He sent against the Baal
Shem swarms of animals, which swept towards the circle with clamorous
fury. But when they came to the first circle, they vanished. Then
another swarm took their place--and another--and then another--lions,
tigers, leopards, wolves, griffins, unicorns, and unnameable
creatures, all dashing themselves into nothingness against the holy
circle. Thus it went on all the long day, every instant seeing some
new bristling horde vomited and swallowed up again.

Towards twilight the arch-magician launched upon the Baal Shem a herd
of wild boars, spitting flames; and these at last passed beyond the
first circle. Then the pupils saw a change come over the Baal Shem's
face, and they began to wail the Penitential Prayer.

Still the boars sped on till they reached the second circle. Then they
vanished. Three times the wizard launched his boars, the flames of
their jaws lighting up the gathering dusk, but going out like blown
candles at the second circle. Then said the wizard, "I have done my
all." He bowed his head. "Well, I know one glance of thine eyes will
kill me. I bid life farewell."

"Nay, look up," said the Baal Shem; "had I wished to kill thee, thou
wouldst long ago have been but a handful of ashes spread over this
field. But I wish to show thee that there is a God above us. Come,
lift up thine eyes to Heaven."

The wizard raised his eyes towards the celestial circle, in which the
first stars were beginning to twinkle. Then two thorns came and took
out his eyes. Till his death was he blind; but he saw that there was a
God in Heaven.

V

Of Rabbi Baer I heard on my way nothing but eulogies, and his miracles
were second only to those of his Master. He was a great man in Israel,
a scholar profound as few. Even the enemies of the Chassidim--and they
were many and envenomed--admitted his lea