It was some hours later that Sumi returned , bringing with her the sacred book . ` See , ' she said , beckoning to Hassan , ` your destiny is written here . ' And Hassan stooped and read these words in Hebrew : ` His right hand has become black as ebony from touching the fat of an impure animal , and will remain so till the last of its race is drowned in the sea . ' -LSB- Illustration : SUMI · SHOWS · HASSAN · THE · BOOK · OF · MAGIC -RSB- ` Alas ! ' sighed the unfortunate youth . ` It now comes back to my memory . One day the slave of Zambac was making a cake . She warned me not to touch , as the cake was mixed with lard , but I did not heed her , and in an instant my hand became the ebony that it now is . ' ` Holy dervish ! ' exclaimed the Bassa , ` how true were your words ! My son has neglected the advice you gave him on presenting him the bracelet , and he has been severely punished . But tell me , O wise Sumi , where I can find the last of the accursed race who has brought this doom on my son ? ' ` It is written here , ' replied Sumi , turning over some leaves . ` The little black pig is in the pink bag carried by the two Circassians . ' When he read this the Bassa sank on his cushions in despair . ` Ah , ' he said , ` that is the bag that was offered me this morning for three hundred sequins . Those must be the women who caused Izif and Izouf to dance , and took from them the two talismans of the daughters of Siroco . They only can break the spell that has been cast on us . Let them be found and I will gladly give them the half of my possessions . Idiot that I was to send them away ! '
While the Bassa was bewailing his folly , Ibrahim in his turn had opened the book , and blushed deeply as he read the words : ` The chaplet of beads has been defiled by the game XXXXX `` Odd and Even . ''
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