THE HISTORY OF THE CHANDELIER WITH TWELVE BRANCHES.

A venerable Dervish fell ill at the house of a poor widow, who lived in great distress in the neighbourhood of Bassora. He was so grateful for the kindness and attention of his hostess, that when he was recovered, and on the point of departure, he said to her:-"I have remarked that thou canst, with great difficulty, manage to subsist thyself, but thou hast not sufficient to share with thy son Abdallah. If thou wilt confide the youth to my care, I will endeavour to prove, by my tenderness to him, my sense of the obligations I owe thee."

The good woman acceded with joy to the proposition, and the Dervish left with his companion, telling him beforehand that he was about to make a voyage that might last two years.

While traversing various countries, the Dervish treated Abdallah with great generosity, causing him to be instructed and richly clothed. They lived together in opulence, and the young man having been attacked with a dangerous illness, was completely restored by the skill of the patriarch, who, indeed, behaved to him as if he were his own son.

Abdallah constantly repeated his acknowledgments for these services, but the Dervish would always reply: "My son, it is by actions that gratitude is proved. We shall see hereafter what thine will be." In the course of their travels, they rested one day in a solitary spot, when the Dervish addressed Abdallah thus :

"My son, this will be the termination of our journey. I am about to supplicate heaven that the earth may open, and thou mayst be permitted to enter where thou wilt find riches of endless value. Wilt thou have sufficient courage to descend into the abyss ?"

Abdallah assured him of his resolution and firmness, and he might rely on his obedience. The Dervish, on this, lighted a small fire, in which he threw some perfumes. He then read some extracts from an ancient work, and after praying for a few moments, the ground near them opened, and the patriarch said to the young man :—

"Thou canst now enter, my dear Abdallah, and I will inform thee it is now in thy power to render me a great service, and this is, perhaps, the only occasion thou mayst have of proving to me that thou art not ungrateful. Do not be dazzled by all the wealth that will be outspread around thee, but think only of obtaining possession of an iron chandelier with twelve branches, thou wilt find near a door. This object is absolutely necessary to me. Return quickly with it."

Abdallah promised to follow these instructions implicitly, and descended, full of confidence, into the subterranean cave; but forgetting what had been expressly enjoined by the Dervish, and intent upon filling his pockets with gold and diamonds, which lay in heaps around

him, the opening through which he had entered closed with a loud noise. He had the presence of mind, however, to seize the iron chandelier which had been indicated to him, and although the situation in which he now found himself was fearful, he did not give way to despair. He reflected that it was his disobedience to the injunctions of his benefactor, that had been the cause of this accident, and in a passion of repentance for his folly and ingratitude, he prostrated himself to the ground, and prayed to heaven for forgiveness. He then rose, and after searching about the place, discovered a small orifice, through which, after many trials, he contrived to escape from the wonderful cavern. On reaching the spot near which he had descended, he looked about for the Dervish, but he had disappeared, and all his efforts to discover him were useless. He wished to deliver to the old man the chandelier he had so much coveted; and after doing so, he had determined to leave the patriarch; finding himself sufficiently rich with what he had brought from the cave, to dispense with his assistance.

After wandering at hazard some considerable distance, Abdallah was astonished to find himself suddenly near the house of his mother, which he had thought far away. She inquired after the venerable Dervish, and Abdallah then related all that had happened, the danger he had escaped in endeavouring to satisfy his cupidity, and displayed

the riches he had obtained in the cave of diamonds.

His mother, on seeing them, believed that the Dervish had only been trying the courage and obedience of her son, and it was as well to profit by the gifts that fortune had brought them, for such was, undoubtedly, the intention of the old man.

Whilst they were contemplating the treasures with raptured eyes, and making a thousand grand projects for the future, the riches suddenly vanished from sight. At this Abdallah again reproached himself for his ingratitude and disobedience, and seeing that the chandelier remained, and resisted the enchantment, or rather punishment that always falls on those who do not fulfil their promise, he exclaimed, prostrating himself, "That which has happened to me is just. I have lost what I was unwilling to give up, and the chandelier I wished to present to the Dervish, remains with me. This is a proof that it belongs to him, and that the rest was unfairly obtained. The first faults that we commit, are ordinarily accompanied by remorse, but it does not last." Repeating these words, he placed the chandelier in the middle of the apartment.

When night was come, Abdallah, without reflection, placed in the chandelier the solitary light that was usually burned in the house, and immediately a dervish appeared, who turned round for nearly an hour, and disappeared, after throwing him a piece of money.

The chandelier had twelve branches, and Abdallah, whose thoughts

throughout the whole of the next day were occupied on what he had beheld the preceding evening, considered what effect twelve candles might have when lighted together. The following night, therefore, he put his idea into execution, and twelve Dervishes instantly made their appearance. During an hour they performed the same rotary movement as before, and on leaving, each one threw on the ground a coin.

He repeated the same ceremony for several successive days, and with always a similar success, but he could never summon them more than once in twenty-four hours.

The money thus left with Abdallah and his mother by the Dervishes, was sufficient to supply them with many comforts, and even luxuries. They could not have desired greater happiness, but the sums they received did not suffice to encourage extravagance and waste.

It is always at the risk of danger that the imagination dwells on riches. The sight of the ill-acquired wealth of Abdallah, and the projects they had formerly entertained in consequence, were not

entirely effaced from the minds of the mother and. son, and the latter, impatient at the slow distribution of favour by the chandelier, took the resolution of returning it to the Dervish, in hope of regaining the treasures that had so mysteriously eluded his grasp, or obtaining some generous recompense by taking him an object he had so much valued. Fortunately he had retained the name of his old protector in his memory, and also that of the city he inhabited, which was called Magrebi. Bidding farewell to his mother, he accordingly set forth with thechandelier in his hands, which he caused to furnish him every evening with

the supplies necessary for his journey, and thus saved him the humiliation of asking alms from the travellers he encountered on his way,

When Abdallah arrived at Magrebi, his first care was to inquire at what convent or house Abounadar resided. The patriarch was so well known, that the young man had no difficulty in finding the place. On approaching the gate, he found fifty porters, each having a stick with a gold top in his hand. The court-yard was filled with slaves and domestics; in fact, no princely abode could have exhibited greater magnificence.

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Abdallah, struck with astonishment and admiration, could scarcely summon courage to proceed. "Certainly," he reasoned with himself, "either I have lost my way, or those who directed me here have laughed at me, seeing I am a stranger; for this is no dwelling for a Dervish, but the home of a King."

He was in this embarrassment, when a man approached him and said: "Abdallah, you are welcome; my master, Abounadar, has been expecting you a long time."

He then conducted him into a delicious garden, where the Dervish was seated. Abdallah, overcome by the splendour he beheld on every side, was about to prostrate himself before the venerable man, but Abounadar prevented him, and interrupted the young man when he wished to make a merit of having returned the chandelier to him.

"Thou art an ungrateful person," he said, addressing the confused Abdallah; "dost thou think to impose on me? I know all thy thoughts, and hadst thou been aware of the real value of this chandelier, thou wouldst never have brought it me. I will now show thee its virtues."

So saying, Abounadar placed a light in each of the branches, and when the twelve Dervishes had turned round for some minutes, he gave to each of them a blow with a stick, and in a moment they were changed into twelve rows of sequins, diamonds, and precious stones. "Behold," he cried, "the use to which this marvellous object can be applied! But I have never desired it for any other purpose than to place it in my cabinet, as a talisman executed by a philosopher whom I revere, and to exhibit to the friends who come to visit me at different times. And to prove to thee," he added, "that curiosity is my only reason, take these keys of my cellars, and thou wilt tell me that the most insatiable of misers would be content with my stores."

Abdallah obeyed, and traversed twelve caves of immense extent, so filled with riches of various kinds, that he was puzzled to select those which chiefly claimed his admiration. The sight was dazzling and perplexing. He was, however, sorrowful; for the thought of having restored the chandelier, and thus lost the opportunity of realising wealth, preyed upon his mind. Abounadar, however, pretended not to notice his disappointment, but, on the contrary, loaded him with kindness, detained him several days in his house, and caused him to be treated with the same distinction as himself.

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$1621ES OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

throughout the whole of the next day were occupied on Wi beheld the preceding evening, considered what effect twe might have when lighted together. The following night, he put his idea into execution, and twelve Dervishes insta their appearance. During an hour they performed the sa movement as before, and on leaving, each one threw on the coin.

He repeated the same ceremony for several successive d with always a similar success, but he could never summon the than once in twenty-four hours.

The money thus left with Abdallah and his mother by the De was sufficient to supply them with many comforts, and even l They could not have desired greater happiness, but the sums they r did not suffice to encourage extravagance and waste.

It is always at the risk of danger that the imagination dw viches. The sight of the ill-acquired wealth of Abdallah, an projects they had formerly entertained in consequence, wer

entirely effaced from minds of the mothe

son, and the latter patient at the slow tribution of favour by chandelier, took the solution of returning the Dervish, in ho regaining the tresur that had so mysterious eladed his grasp, or taining some

recompense br him an object

nately he the nam