e hands of the white men, for they
have in their possession Sipao, the Magic Mirror.

Story of the King Who Would See Paradise

Once upon a time there was king who, one day out hunting, came upon a
fakeer in a lonely place in the mountains. The fakeer was seated on a
little old bedstead reading the Koran, with his patched cloak thrown
over his shoulders.

The king asked him what he was reading; and he said he was reading about
Paradise, and praying that he might be worthy to enter there. Then they
began to talk, and, by-and-bye, the king asked the fakeer if he could
show him a glimpse of Paradise, for he found it very difficult to
believe in what he could not see. The fakeer replied that he was asking
a very difficult, and perhaps a very dangerous, thing; but that he would
pray for him, and perhaps he might be able to do it; only he warned the
king both against the dangers of his unbelief, and against the curiosity
which prompted him to ask this thing. However, the king was not to be
turned from his purpose, and he promised the fakeer always to provided
him with food, if he, in return, would pray for him. To this the fakeer
agreed, and so they parted.

Time went on, and the king always sent the old fakeer his food according
to his promise; but, whenever he sent to ask him when he was going to
show him Paradise, the fakeer always replied: 'Not yet, not yet!'

After a year or two had passed by, the king heard one day that the
fakeer was very ill--indeed, he was believed to be dying. Instantly he
hurried off himself, and found that it was really true, and that
the fakeer was even then breathing his last. There and then the king
besought him to remember his promise, and to show him a glimpse of
Paradise. The dying fakeer replied that if the king would come to his
funeral, and, when the grave was filled in, and everyone else was gone
away, he would come and lay his hand upon the grave, he would keep his
word, and show him a glimpse of Paradise. At the same time he implored
the king not to do this thing, but to be content to see Paradise when
God called him there. Still the king's curiosity was so aroused that he
would not give way.

Accordingly, after the fakeer was dead, and had been buried, he stayed
behind when all the rest went away; and then, when he was quite alone,
he stepped forward, and laid his hand upon the grave! Instantly the
ground opened, and the astonished king, peeping in, saw a flight of
roug