TWILIGHT LAND

middle of his forehead that glared and rolled most
horribly, and with his hands and feet set with claws,
sharp and hooked like the talons of a hawk. Poor
Abdallah the fagot-maker lay upon his back, staring at
the monster with a face as white as wax.

“What are thy commands?” said the Genie in a ter-
rible voice, that rumbled like the sound of thunder.

“J—I do not know,” said Abdallah, trembling and
shaking as with an ague. ‘‘I—I have forgotten.”

‘Ask what thou wilt,” said the Genie, ‘for I must ever
obey whomsoever hast the ring that thou wearest upon
thy finger. Hath my lord nothing to command wherein
I may serve him?”

Abdallah shook his head. ‘No,’ said he, ‘there is
nothing—unless—unless you will bring me something
to eat.”

‘To hear is to obey,” said the Genie. ‘‘ What will my
lord be pleased to have?”

“Just a little bread and cheese,” said Abdallah.

The Genie waved his hand, and in an instant a fine
damask napkin lay spread upon the ground, and upon it a
loaf of bread as white as snow and a piece of cheese such
as the king would have been glad to taste. But Abdallah
could do nothing but sit staring at the Genie, for the sight
of the monster quite took away his appetite.

“What more can I do to serve thee ? ” asked the Genie.

“I think,” said Abdallah, “that I could eat more com-
fortably if you were away.”

‘To hear is to obey,” said the Genie. ‘ Whither shall
Igo? Shall I enter the casket again ?”

“I do not know,” said the fagot-maker ; “how did you
come to be there?”

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