Page:Three crump twin brothers of Damascus (3).pdf/2



NDER the Caliphat of Watik-billah, grandſon of Haroun Arreſchid, there dwelt at Damaſcus * an old man called Behemrillah, who did but juſt get a livelihood by making Steel-Bows, Swords, Sabres, and Knife-Blades. Of thirteen children, which he had by one wife, ten died all in one year, but the three that remained were of ſo odd a figure, that it was impoſſible to look at them without laughing: they were crooked both behind and before, blind of the left eye, lame of the right foot, and ſo perfectly like one another in face, ſhape and clothes, which they always wore the ſame, with one another ſo that even their father and mother ſometimes miſtook the one for the other

Of the three ſons of Behenrillah, the eldeſt was named Ibad, the ſecnod Syahouk, and the *Damaſcus is a city of Syria, at the foot of Mount Libanus, about forty leagues from Aleppo. It is mightily reſorted to for its knives, bows and ſabres. The ſteel of Damaſcus is in very great eſteem.