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with various legends and myths, and last of all with the

       story of the creation.

      He told his wondering listeners how in the beginning

       the solid earth on which they lived was not solid at all, 25

       but a mere bank of fog. "The Great Spirit," said he,

       "thrust his finger into the bank of fog and began slowly

       describing a circle in its midst, increasing the speed gradually

       until the fog went whirling round his finger so rapidly

       that it was transformed into a glowing ball of fire. Then

       the Creative Spirit hurled the fiery ball from his hand, and 5

       it shot through the universe, burning its way through other

       banks of fog and condensing them into rain, which fell

       in great floods, cooling the surface of the immense ball.

      "Flames then bursting from the interior through the

       cooled outer crust, threw up the hills and mountain ranges 10

       and made the beautiful fertile valleys. In the flood of rain

       that followed this fiery upheaval, the substance that

       cooled very quickly formed granite, that which cooled

       less rapidly became copper, the next in degree cooled down

       into silver, and the last became gold. But the most beautiful 15

       substance of all, the diamond, was formed by the first

       beams of sunlight condensed on the earth's surface.

      "A drop of sunlight the size of my thumb," said the

       priest, holding up his hand, "is worth more than mines of

       gold. With one such drop," he continued, turning to Ali 20

       Hafed, "you could buy many farms like yours; with a

       handful you could buy a province; and with a mine of

       diamonds you could purchase a whole kingdom."

      The company parted for the night, and Ali Hafed went

       to bed, but not to sleep. All night long he tossed restlessly 25

       from side to side, thinking, planning, scheming, how he

       could secure some diamonds. The demon of discontent

       had entered his soul, and the blessings and advantages

       which he possessed in such abundance seemed as by some

       malicious magic to have vanished utterly. Although his 30

       wife and children loved him as before—although his

       farm, his orchards, his flocks and herds, were as real and

       prosperous as they had ever been—yet the last words of

       the priest, which kept ringing in his ears, turned his content

       into vague longings and blinded him to all that had hitherto

       made him happy.

      Before dawn next morning the farmer, full of his purpose, 5

       was astir. Rousing the priest, he eagerly inquired

       if he could direct him to a mine of diamonds.

      "A mine of diamonds!" echoed the astonished priest.

       "What do you, who already have so much to be grateful

       for, want with diamonds?" 10

      "I wish to be rich and place my children on thrones."

      "All you have to do, then," said the Buddhist, "is to

       go and search until you find them."

      "But where shall I go?" questioned the infatuated man.

      "Go anywhere," was the vague reply; "north, south, 15

       east, or west—anywhere."

      "But how shall I know the place?" asked the farmer.

      "When you find a river running over white sands between

       high mountain ranges, in these white sands you will find

       diamonds. There are many such rivers and many mines 20

       of diamonds waiting to be discovered. All you have to do

       is start out and go somewhere—" and he waved his hand—"away,

       away!"

      Ali Hafed's mind was fully made up. "I will no longer,"

       he thought, "remain on a wretched farm, toiling day in and 25

       day out for a mere subsistence, when acres of diamonds—untold

       wealth—may be had by him who is bold enough

       to seek them."

      He sold his farm for less than half its value. Then,

       after putting his young family under the care of a neighbor, 30

       he set out on his quest—a quest that was to cover many

       years and lands.

      With high hopes and the coveted diamond mines beckoning

       in the far distance, Ali Hafed began his wanderings.

       During the first few weeks his spirits did not flag, nor did

       his feet grow weary. On and on he tramped, until he

       came to the Mountains of the Moon, beyond the bounds 5

       of Arabia. Weeks stretched into months, and the wanderer

       often looked regretfully in the direction of his once-happy

       home. Still no gleam of waters glinting over white

       sands greeted his eyes. But on he went, into Egypt,

       through Palestine and other eastern lands, always looking 10

       for the treasure he still hoped to find.

      At last, after years of fruitless search, during which he

       had wandered north and south, east and west, hope left

       him. All his money was spent. He was starving and

       almost naked, and the diamonds—which had lured him 15

       away from all that made life dear—where were they?

       Poor Ali Hafed never knew. He died by the wayside,

       never dreaming that the wealth for which he had sacrificed

       happiness and life might have been his had he remained

       at home. 20

      "Here is a diamond! here is a diamond! Has Ali Hafed

       returned?" shouted an excited voice.

      The speaker, no other than our old acquaintance, the

       Buddhist priest, was standing in the same room where

       years before he had told poor Ali Hafed how the world was 25

       made and where diamonds were to be found.

      "No, Ali Hafed has not returned," quietly answered his

       successor. "Neither is that which you hold in your hand

       a diamond. It is but a pretty black pebble I picked up

       in my garden." 30

      "I tell you," said the priest excitedly, "this is a genuine

       diamond. I know one when I see it. Tell me how and

       where you found it."

      "One day," replied the farmer slowly, "having led my

       camel into the garden to drink, I noticed, as he put his

      

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