“One day as I was sauntering, mournful and dejected, through the bazar, I espied a learned man who cried out, ’If any one has lost his money by theft or otherwise, my knowledge of the occult sciences enables me to recover the same, but on condition that I receive one fourth of the amount.’  When I heard this seasonable proclamation, I immediately approached the man of science, and stated to him my sad condition and how I had been reduced from affluence to poverty.  The sage undertook to restore my wealth, and above all to discover the treasures concealed in my father’s house.  I conducted him to the house and showed him every apartment, which he carefully examined one after another.  At length by his art he discovered the stores we were in search of; and when I saw the gold and silver and other valuables, which exceeded calculation, the demon of fraud entered my heart, and I refused to fulfil my promise of giving a fourth of the property to the man of wisdom.  I offered him only a few small pieces of silver; instead of accepting which, he stood for a few moments in silent meditation, and with a look of scorn said, ’Do I thus receive the fourth part of your treasure which you agreed to give me?  Base man, of what perjury are you guilty?’ On hearing this I became enraged, and having struck him several blows on the face, I expelled him from my house.  In a few days however he returned. and so far ingratiated himself into my confidence that we became intimate friends; and night and day he displayed before my sight the various hidden treasures contained within the bowels of the earth.  One day I asked him to instruct me in this wonderful science, to which he answered that no instruction was requisite.  ‘Here,’ said he, ’is a composition of surma and whoever applies the same to his eyes, to him will all the wealth of this world become visible.’[FN#406] ‘Most learned sir,’ I replied, ’if you will anoint mine eyes with this substance I promise to share with you the half of all such treasures as I may discover.’  ‘I agree,’ said my friend; ’meanwhile let us retire to the desert, where we shall be free from interruption.’

“We immediately set out, and when we arrived there I was surprised at seeing this cage and asked my companion whose it was.  I received for answer, that it belonged to no one.  In short, we both sat down at the foot of this tree, and the sage, having produced the surma from his pocket, began to apply it to my eyes.  But, alas! no sooner had he applied this composition than I became totally deprived of sight.  In a voice of sorrow I asked him why he had thus treated me, and he replied, ’Such is the reward of treachery; and if you wish to recover your sight, you must for some time undergo penance in this cage.  You must utter no complaint and you shall exclaim from time to time, ’Do no evil to any one; if you do, evil will befall you.’  I entreated the sage to relieve me, saying, ’You are a mere mortal like myself, and dare you thus torment