Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/35

17 world! What wilt thou with us?’ Quoth he, ‘I will burn you with fire, except ye make a covenant with me, to open to me the treasure of Es Shemerdel.’ ‘We promise this to thee,’ answered they, ‘and we will open the treasure to thee, so thou produce to us Jouder ben Omar, the fisherman, for it may not be opened but by his means, nor can any enter therein but he.’ ‘He of whom ye speak,’ answered the Moor, ‘I have brought, and he is here, listening to you and looking at you.’ Thereupon they covenanted with him to open the treasure to him, and he released them.

Then he brought out a hollow wand and tablets of red cornelian and laid the latter on the former; after which he took a chafing-dish and laying charcoal thereon, blew one breath into it and it kindled forthwith. Then said he to Jouder, ‘O Jouder, I am now about to begin the necessary conjurations and fumigations, and when I have once begun, I may not speak, or the conjuration will be naught; so I will tell thee first what thou must do.’ ‘Say on,’ replied Jouder. ‘Know then,’ said the Moor, ‘that, when I have recited the charm and thrown on the perfumes, the water will dry up from the river’s bed and discover to thee a door of gold, the bigness of the city-gate, with two rings of metal thereon; whereupon do thou go down to the door and knock lightly and wait awhile; then knock a second time more loudly than the first and wait another while; after which give three knocks, one after another, and thou wilt hear a voice say, “Who knocks at the door of the treasure, unknowing how to solve the mysteries?” Do thou answer, “I am Jouder ben Omar, the fisherman;” and the door will open and there will come forth one with a sword in his hand and say to thee, “If thou be that man, stretch forth thy neck, that I may strike off thy head.” Then do thou stretch forth thy neck and fear not; for, when he lifts his hand and smites thee, VOL. VI.