Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/157

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Hasan of Bassorah
135

Worshiper come back with a young man just as he had done with Hasan. Then the seven sisters armed themselves, and slung on their swords, and brought Hasan a steed of the best, and weaponed him with goodly weapons. And they came up to Barham just as he was saying to the young man: "Sit thou in this hide." Hasan spake to him, saying: "Hold thy hand, cursed one! dog! traitor! that has broken the bond of bread and salt." But Barham said: "O Hasan, how hast thou escaped? Thou art dearer to me than the light of mine eyes." But Hasan stepped up to him and smote him between the shoulders, that the sword came out brightly gleaming on the other side of his throat. Then he took the Fire Worshiper's bag and opened it, and taking out the kettledrum struck it with the strap, whereupon out came the dromedaries. So he unbound the youth and placed him on the camel, and loaded another with food and water, and said: "Go thou whither thou wilt."

When the damsels saw Hasan slay the Fire Worshiper they rejoiced greatly and returned to the palace. One day there rose from the desert a cloud of dust, and when the Princesses saw this they said to him: "Rise, Hasan, run to thy chamber and conceal thyself, but fear not, no harm shall befall thee." So he went to his chamber and locked the door upon himself, and presently the dust opened and showed beneath it a great host like the surging sea coming from the King, the father of the Princesses. And when they came to the palace they told the damsels that their father summoned them to a.