acceptance, and turned thousands unto righteousness. But a sorcerer hath
arisen, saying, "Why follow ye Abdallah, seeing that he breathes not fire
out of his mouth and nostrils?" And the people give ear unto the words that
come from this man's lips, when they behold the flame that cometh from his
nose. And unless thou teachest me to do as he doth I shall assuredly
perish.'

"And I told Abdallah that it was better to perish for the truth's sake than
to prolong life by lies and deceit. But he wept and lamented exceeding
sore, and in the end he prevailed with me; and I taught him to breathe
flame and smoke out of a hollow nut filled with combustible powder. And I
took a certain substance called soap, but little known in this country, and
anointed his feet therewith. And when he and the sorcerer met, both
breathing flame, the people knew not which to follow; but when Abdallah
walked over nine hot ploughshares, and the sorcerer could not touch one of
them, they beat his brains out, and became Abdallah's disciples.

"A long time afterward Abdallah came to me again, this time with a joyful,
and yet with somewhat of a troubled look, carrying a camel-hair blanket,
which he undid, and lo! it was full of bones.

"'O father,' he said, 'I bring thee happy tidings. We have found the bones
of the camel of the prophet Ad, upon which his revelation was engraved by
him.'

"'If this be so,' said I, 'thou art acquainted with the precepts of the
prophet, and hast no need of mine.'

"'Nay, but father,' said he, 'although the revelation was without question
originally engraved by the prophet on these very bones, it hath come to