helping me to draw enough water for my caravan of eighty merchants
and their camels, who are dying for want of it,' replied the youth.

'That is easily done,' said the Arab. 'Take these three apples, and
when you have filled your skin, and are ready to be drawn up, lay one
of them on the ground. Half-way to the earth, let fall another, and at
the top, drop the third. If you follow my directions no harm will
happen to you. And take, besides, these three pomegranates, green,
red and white. One day you will find a use for them!'

The young man did as he was told, and stepped out on the rocky waste,
where the merchants were anxiously awaiting him. Oh, how thirsty they
all were! But even after the camels had drunk, the skin seemed as full
as ever.

Full of gratitude for their deliverance, the merchants pressed the
money into his hands, while his own master bade him choose what goods
he liked, and a mule to carry them.

So the widow's son was rich at last, and when the merchant had sold
his merchandise, and returned home to his native city, his servant
hired a man by whom he sent the money and the mule back to his wife.

'I will send the pomegranates also,' thought he 'for if I leave them
in my turban they may some day fall out,' and he drew them out of his
turban. But the fruit had vanished, and in their places were three
precious stones, green, white and red.

For a long time he remained with the merchant, who gradually trusted
him with all his business, and gave him a large share of the money he
made. When his master died, the young man wished to return home, but
the widow begged him to stay and help her; and one day he awoke with a
start, to remember that twenty years had passed since he had gone
away.

'I want to see my wife,' he said next morning to his mistress. 'If at
any time I can be of use to you, send a messenger to me; meanwhile, I
have told Hassan what to do.' And mounting a camel he set out.

* * * * *

Now, soon after he had taken service with the merchant a little boy
had been born to him, and both the princess and the old woman toiled
hard all day to get the baby food and clothing. When the money and the
pomegranates arrived there was no need for them to work any more, and
the princess saw at once that they were not fruit at all, but precious
stones of great value. The old woman, however, not being accustomed,
like her daughter-in-law, to the sight of jewels, took the