When Mazin of Bussorah had heard the above, he said to himself, “This drum is fitting only for me, as I have much more need of it than the brothers.  It will protect me from all evil in the islands of Waak al Waak, should I reach them, and meet with my wife and children.  It is true, if I take only the cap I may be able to enter all places, but this drum will keep injury from me, and with it I shall be secure from all enemies’ After this, he said, “I have been informed of the virtues of the cap, and the properties of the drum, there now only remains the account of the wooden ball, that I may give judgment between you, therefore let the third brother speak.  He an swercd, “To hear is to obey.”

The third brother said, “My dear uncle, whoever possesses this ball will find in it wonderful properties, for it brings distant parts near, and makes near distant, it shortens long joumeys, and lengthens short ones If any person wish to perform one of two hundred years in two days, let him take it from its case, then lay it upon the ground and mention what place he desires to go, it will instantly be in motion, and rush over the earth like the blast of the stormy gale.  He must then follow it till he arrives at the place desired, which he will have the power to do with ease.”

When the youth had concluded his description of the virtue of the wooden ball, Mazin resolved within himself to take this also from the brothers, and said, “If your wish be that I should arbitrate between you, I must first prove the virtues of these three articles, and afterwards let each take that which may fall to him by decision.”  The three brothers exclaimed, “We have heard, and we consent; act as thou thinkest best, and may God protect thee in thy undertakings!” Mazin then put on the cap, placed the drum under his vestband, took up the ball and placed it on the ground, when it speeded before him swiftly as the gale.  He followed it till it came to the gate of a building which it entered, and Mazin also went in with it.  The brothers ran till they were fatigued, and cried out, “Thou hast sufficiently tried them;” but in vain, for by this time there was between him and them the distance of ten years’ journey.  Mazin now rested, took the drum in his hands, rubbed his fingers over the talismanic characters, hesitated whether he should strike them with the sticks, then labored lightly upon them, when, lo! a voice exclaimed, “Mazin, thou hast gained thy desires.

“Thou wilt not, however,” continued the voice, “arrive at thy object till after much trouble, but take care of the ball in this spot, for thou art at present in the land of the evil genii.”  Upon this, Mazin took up the ball and concealed it in his clothes; but he was overcome with astonishment at hearing words without seeing the speaker, and exclaimed, “Who art thou, my lord?” “I am,” replied the voice, “one of the slaves of the characters which thou seest engraved upon the drum, and unremittingly in attendance; but the other servants will not appear except the drum be beaten loudly, when three hundred and sixty chiefs will attend thy commands, each of whom has under his authority ten thousand genii, and every individual of them numerous followers.”