"Your turn comes next."
The painter said to himself :
"Surely, if he could go, and come
back safe, why mightn't I ? I'll go and
get the reward."
In seven days a great collection of
dry sticks was piled np, and the painter
took his seat on the top with his paint
ing materials and tools, and the pile
was lighted. Ah, the poor wretch 1 A
great cry was heard, but it was drowned
by the drums and trumpets, and no
message or messenger ever came again
from Tangari land.
A BatArnm. Incident. A poor Arab
traveling in the desert met with a spring
of clear, sweet, sparkling water. Used
as he was only to brackish wells, such
water as this, appeared to his simple
mind worthy of a monarch, and filling
his leathern bottle from the spring, Le
determined to go and present it to the
Caliph himself.
The poor man traveled a long way
before he reached the presence of his
sovereign and laid his humble offering
at bis feet. The Caliph did not despise
the little gift, brought to him with so
much trouble. He ordered some of the
water to be poured into a cup, drank it,
and thanking the Arab with a smile, or
dered him to be presented with a re
ward. The courtiers around pressed
forward, eager to taste of the wonderful
water ; bat, to the surprise of all, the
Caliph forbade them to touch a single
drop.
