Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 3.djvu/251

229 to eat and drink and clothed me and entreated me kindly, till my heart was comforted and I was somewhat restored.

One day my master said to me, ‘Knowest thou not some art or handicraft?’ And I answered, saying, ‘O my lord, I am a merchant and know nought but traffic.’ Quoth he, ‘Knowest thou how to shoot with a bow and arrows?’ And I replied, ‘Yes, I know that.’ So he brought me a bow and arrows and mounting me behind him on an elephant, set out with me, at the last of the night, and fared on till we came to a forest of great trees; whereupon he made me climb a high and stout tree and giving me the bow and arrows, said to me, ‘Sit here, and when the elephants come hither by day, shoot at them, so haply thou shalt hit one of them; and if any of them fall, come at nightfall and tell me.’ Then he went away and left me trembling and fearful. I abode hidden in the tree till the sun rose, when the elephants came out and fared hither and thither among the trees, and I gave not over shooting at them with arrows, till I brought down one of them. So, at eventide, I went and told my master, who rejoiced in me and