"One moment," said Ali Baba; "will you not tell us what the story
is about?"

Old Bidpai looked at him and stroked his long white beard. "It
is," said he, "about--


The Talisman of Solomon

There was once upon a time a man whom other men called Aben
Hassen the Wise. He had read a thousand books of magic, and knew
all that the ancients or moderns had to tell of the hidden arts.

The King of the Demons of the Earth, a great and hideous monster,
named Zadok, was his servant, and came and went as Aben Hassen
the Wise ordered, and did as he bade. After Aben Hassen learned
all that it was possible for man to know, he said to himself,
"Now I will take my ease and enjoy my life." So he called the
Demon Zadok to him, and said to the monster, "I have read in my
books that there is a treasure that was one time hidden by the
ancient kings of Egypt--a treasure such as the eyes of man never
saw before or since their day. Is that true?"

"It is true," said the Demon.

"Then I command thee to take me to that treasure and to show it
to me," said Aben Hassen the Wise.

"It shall be done," said the Demon; and thereupon he caught up