` You see for yourself , ' said the Jew to the Cadi , ` that this young man is out of his mind . I forgive him his blow , but do not , I pray you , leave me in his power . ' At that moment the Bassa chanced to pass the Cadi 's house , and hearing a great noise , entered to inquire the cause . When the matter was explained , he looked attentively at Neangir , and asked him gently how all these marvels could possibly have happened . ` My lord , ' replied Neangir , ' I swear I have spoken the truth , and perhaps you will believe me when I tell you that I myself have been the victim of spells wrought by people of this kind , who should be rooted out from the earth . For three years I was changed into a three-legged pot , and only returned to man 's shape when one day a turban was laid upon my lid . ' At these words the Bassa rent his robe for joy , and embracing Neangir , he cried , ` Oh , my son , my son , have I found you at last ? Do you not come from the house of Mohammed and Zinebi ? ' ` Yes , my lord , ' replied Neangir , ` it was they who took care of me during my misfortune , and taught me by their example to be less worthy of belonging to you . ' ` Blessed be the Prophet , ' said the Bassa , ` who has restored one of my sons to me , at the time I least expected it ! You know , ' he continued , addressing the Cadi , ` that during the first years of my marriage I had three sons by the beautiful Zambac . When he was three years old a holy dervish gave the eldest a string of the finest coral , saying `` Keep this treasure carefully , and be faithful to the Prophet , and you will be happy . '' To the second , who now stands before you , he presented a copper plate on which the name of Mahomet was engraved in seven languages , telling him never to part from his turban , which was the sign of a true believer , and he would taste the greatest of all joys ; while on the right arm of the third the dervish clasped a bracelet with the prayer that his right hand should be pure and the left spotless , so that he might never know sorrow . ` My eldest son neglected the counsel of the dervish and terrible troubles fell on him , as also on the youngest . To preserve the second from similar misfortunes I brought him up in a lonely place , under the care of a faithful servant named Gouloucou , while I was fighting the enemies of our Holy Faith . On my return from the wars I hastened to embrace my son , but both he and Gouloucou had vanished , and it is only a few months since that I learned that the boy was living with a man called Mohammed , whom I suspected of having stolen him . Tell me , my son , how it came about that you fell into his hands . ' ` My lord , ' replied Neangir , ' I can remember little of the early years of my life , save that I dwelt in a castle by the seashore with an old servant . I must have been about twelve years old when one day as we were out walking we met a man whose face was like that of this Jew , coming dancing towards us . Suddenly I felt myself growing faint .
I tried XXXXX raise my hands to my head , but they had become stiff and hard .
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