y marriage I had
three sons by the beautiful Zambac. When he was three years old a holy
dervish gave the eldest a string of the finest coral, saying "Keep this
treasure carefully, and be faithful to the Prophet, and you will be
happy." To the second, who now stands before you, he presented a copper
plate on which the name of Mahomet was engraved in seven languages,
telling him never to part from his turban, which was the sign of a true
believer, and he would taste the greatest of all joys; while on the
right arm of the third the dervish clasped a bracelet with the prayer
that his right hand should be pure and the left spotless, so that he
might never know sorrow.

'My eldest son neglected the counsel of the dervish and terrible
troubles fell on him, as also on the youngest. To preserve the second
from similar misfortunes I brought him up in a lonely place, under the
care of a faithful servant named Gouloucou, while I was fighting the
enemies of our Holy Faith. On my return from the wars I hastened to
embrace my son, but both he and Gouloucou had vanished, and it is only
a few months since that I learned that the boy was living with a man
called Mohammed, whom I suspected of having stolen him. Tell me, my son,
how it came about that you fell into his hands.'

'My lord,' replied Neangir, 'I can remember little of the early years
of my life, save that I dwelt in a castle by the seashore with an old
servant. I must have been about twelve years old when one day as we were
out walking we met a man whose face was like that of this Jew, coming
dancing towards us. Suddenly I felt myself growing faint. I tried to
raise my hands to my head, but they had become stiff and hard. In a
word, I had been changed into a copper pot, and my arms formed the
handle. What happened to my companion I know not, but I was conscious
that someone had picked me up, and was carrying me quickly away.

'After some days, or so it seemed to me, I was placed on the ground near
a thick hedge, and when I heard my captor snoring beside me I resolved
to make my escape. So I pushed my way among the thorns as well as I
could, and walked on steadily for about an hour.

'You cannot imagine, my lord, how awkward it is to walk with three legs,
especially when your knees are as stiff as mine were. At length after
much difficulty I reached a market-garden, and hid myself deep down
among the cabbages, where I passed a quiet night.

'The next morning, at sunrise, I