Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/155

 And it was as he said. But as soon as Hasan felt himself on the ground he slit the skin and called out to the Fire Worshiper, who danced for joy when he heard him speak, and called out: "What is there behind thee?" And Hasan saw many rotten bones and much wood, and told it to Barham, who said to him: "This is what we need. Make six bundles of the wood and throw them down to me, for out of this wood do we do alchemy." So Hasan threw him the six bundles. And when he had them he called out to Hasan: "Thou gallows bird, I have all I wish of thee. Dwell there above, or throw thyself down, as thou wilt." So saying he left him; and Hasan knew that he had played the traitor with him. Then he looked about him and walked to the other side of the mountain, where he found the dark blue sea dashing against the foot of the mountain and turning the waves into yeast. So he said the prayers for the dead for himself, and cast himself down into the sea. But the waves bore him up unhurt and cast him safe ashore, where he found himself near the place where he had halted with Barham the Fire Worshiper.

And there he saw the palace wherein the Persian had said, "There dwells a foe of mine." So he went up to it, and finding the gate open, he entered the portico, where he found seated on a bench two girls, like twin moons, at play, with a chess-cloth before them. And one of them raised her head and cried out for joy, saying: "Here is a son of man; methinks it is the one that Barham the Fire Worshiper brought here this year."