money to spare."

The caliph was very willing to do his grand vizier a favor; so he
sent the black slave to bring the pedler up stairs. The pedler came.
He was a little, dumpy man, with a dark complexion, and dressed in
ragged garments. He bore a chest in which were wares of all sorts:
pearls and rings, richly mounted pistols, drinking cups, and combs.
The caliph and his vizier rummaged over the whole chest, and the
caliph finally bought some pistols for himself and Mansor, and a
comb for the vizier's wife. As the pedler was about to close the
chest, the caliph saw a little drawer, and asked if there was any
thing more in it. The pedler pulled the drawer out, and showed in it
a box of blackish powder, and a paper with curious writing on it,
which neither the caliph nor Mansor could read. "I got these two
things from a merchant who found them at Mecca, in the street; I do
not know what they contain, but you may have them very cheap, for I
cannot do any thing with them."

The caliph, who liked to have old manuscripts in his library,
although he could not read them, bought the paper and the box, and
dismissed the pedler.

The caliph, however, thought he should like to know the contents of
the manuscript, and asked the vizier if he knew any body who could
decipher it. "Most gracious sovereign and master," answered he,
"there is a man at the great mosque, who is called Selim the
Learned; he understands all languages; send for him; perhaps he may
make out these mysterious characters."

The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the caliph to him,