Page:Three crump twin brothers of Damascus (3).pdf/5

 Syria, came at length to Bagdad *, where Watikbillah, the grandſon of Haroun Arreſchid, held the ſupreme power.

This little crooked wretch underſtanding that there was in that city a cutler of tolerable good repute went to him for employment; he told him he was of Damaſcus, and that he had a particular art in tenpering ſteel: the cutler was willing to try if Babeken was as great a maſter of his trade as he boaſted himſelf to be, he took him in to his ſhop, and finding indeed that not only the ſteel he tempered was, as hard and ſharp again, as what was commonly uſed at Bagdad, but alſo that his work was much more neat and perfect, he retained him in his ſervice, and entertainded him with great kindneſs, that he might keep him to himſelf.

From that time his ſhop was always crowded with cuſtomers. The little crump could not work faſt enough; the cutler ſold his Bows and Sabres at his own price; and if he had not been a drunken extravagant ſot, he might have made a very conſiderable fortune.

Babeken had ſcarce been two years at Bagdad when his maſter fell very ill of a great debauch he had made: his body was ſo worn und waiſed by wine, brandy and women, that all the care of his wife and Babeken could not ſave his life; he died in her arms.

Though Nohoud, which was the name of the cutler s wife, was very far from being handſome, Babeken had nevertheleſs been in love with her for ſome time; and his maſter's death being a-fair opportunity to declare his paſſion, he without any *Bagdad is a city of Aſia, ſeated upon the Tygris, in the province of Hierac.