d unearthly music; but by dint of repeating the name of
Allah the trouble left him, and he went to sleep.

In the middle of the night he woke with a start, to find the cavern
lighted up, and full of people talking angrily. By their pointed ears,
domed heads, and slanting eyes he knew them for the dwellers
underground. Fear paralysed and kept him silent; which was lucky, for
he learnt presently that their wrath concerned him. They were there,
it seemed, to guard a treasure-ground against intruders; and were
debating in what manner they should kill him, when Mansur, who was a
Christian, lifted up his voice and cried:

"In the name of Allah, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!" They vanished
instantly with horrid yells.

In the morning, when Mansur arose and went to the cave-mouth, he saw
that the bottom of the ravine was strewn with lumps of gold. In
delight he ran and gathered of the stuff as much as his bags would
hold, and then set forth. But he had forgotten to give thanks to Allah
for the burden; and in consequence of the omission it was not made
light to him. For relief he was forced to thrust a hand into his
placket, to pull out lump after lump and drop it on the road, till
there remained but one piece, small as compared with the rest, but
still enough to make his fortune in the world of common men.

Allah blessed his journey, and he reached his home at last. There,
after a consultation with his wife, he resolved to submit the nugget to
some man renowned for probity and wisdom. He brought it, therefore, to
Elias, who believed it to be gold, but, loth to trust his judgment,
advised Mansur to show it to a certain jeweller of high repute, as well
for virtue as for craftsmanship; and Mansur did so. The jeweller asked
Mansur to leave it with him for a day or two, that he might apply
certain tests, and when asked for a receipt, appeared so hurt, called
so loudly upon Allah and the neighbourhood to attest his honesty, and
in all respects bore himself so nobly, that Mansur retired convinced
that he had left his treasure in clean hands.

But when he returned after two days, that jeweller informed him that it
was not gold. Mansur then asked for it to be returned, saying that if
it were only brass it would be worth preserving. The merchant replied
that he had thrown it away, and told the muleteer to go and hunt for it
upon the rubbish-heaps outside the city gate. Mansur then called him
thief. The jeweller cried "