Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/149



N days of yore, there lived a merchant in the Land of Bassorah who died and left two sons, who divided his estate between them. The elder of these was named Hasan, a youth of great beauty and comeliness, who soon dissipated all the wealth he had inherited from his father in feasts and frolics. At last, when he had exhausted all his property he met a friend of his father's, who recommended him to learn a trade, and he learned the trade of a goldsmith. One day as he sat in his booth in the bazaar there came to him an old Persian with a great white beard, and white turban on his head, and he looked upon Hasan's work and asked him his name.

"Hasan," said the young man. Then the old man said, "My son, thou art a comely youth. Thou hast no sire, and I have no son, and I know an art than which there is none more goodly; to none have I imparted it, but I am willing to teach it to thee and make thee my son, so that thou mayest be free from all fear of poverty."

Then Hasan asked, "What is this art thou wouldst teach me?" 127