Long ago in olden days there was a country, and the Sultan of that
country had seven wives and the Wazir also had seven wives.
And the seven wives of the Sultan had seven children, and the seven
wives of the Wazir had seven children, all boys.
[Illustration: Ali Of The Crooked Arm]
The seventh child of the Sultan had only one eye, but the seventh child
of the Wazir was wondrously beautiful. They called him Ali; but oh,
misfortune, one arm was crooked.
Now all these fourteen children were brought up together till, by the
power of Allah, they grew up into youths.
That seventh child of the Sultan, his companion was always Ali, the
seventh child of the Wazir.
So those children grew up, and they were sent to school until they
finished learning.
The Wazir's seventh child said to his father, "Buy me a white horse;"
and the Sultan's seventh son said to his father, "Buy me a white horse."
So each one had a white horse given him with fine trappings.
Then one day the crier was sent forth to beat his horn and proclaim, "On
Friday there is a meeting at the Sultan's. Every one must bring his
horse. There will be racing between the Sultan's son and the Wazir's
son."
So people came with their horses, and the Wazir's son said, "I will go
first," and the Sultan's son said, "I will go first," till grown-up men
said, "Do not contend one against another like that."
So the Sultan's son went first, and the Wazir's son followed behind him.
Then all who were present followed, every man on his horse, but the
horses of the Wazir's son and the Sultan's son leaped and soared like
kites, higher and higher.
At half-past six o'clock they all returned safely.
Next day Ali said to the Sultan's son, "Let us first go to the
plantation, and remain in the garden till four o'clock, and then let us
both go and play on horseback."
So they went into the garden at noon and gathered pomegranates and ate.
The Sultan's son said, "Let each one of us pluck a pomegranate and put
it in his pocket."
So they each picked a pomegranate, but behold, in that one which Ali
took was living the Jin of Jehan, who carries off children from year to
year.
After this they returned to the palace and found their horses already
saddled.
They mounted, and the Wazir's son struck his horse with his whip, and it
soared over the clouds like a kite. And the Sultan's son followed his
companion, his horse leaping. He saw his friend soaring and flying away
in front till, as six o'clock struck, he saw him no more, so he returned
weeping and in great distress.
Ali flew away on his horse till he found himself in the Jin's house, and
he lifted up his voice and cried, "Alas, I am already lost."
That Jin sought a house, and told Ali, "Put your horse in here and
fasten it apart."
On the second day he said to him, "Ali, do you see this big cooking-pot?
Your work will be to keep up the fire under it."
On the third day the Jin gave into his hands all the keys of his house,
seven in all, and he said to him, "You may open this one room, but these
other six you may not open."
The demon then set out to go and walk about, saying to Ali as he left,
"To-day I am going out to walk, and to-morrow I will return. You are to
look after this pot, but you must not lift the lid to see what is in
it."
[Illustration: The Jin.]
When the demon had gone Ali lifted up the lid to see what was in the
pot, and he saw human flesh stewing.
Then Ali said to himself, "Ah! My father, the demon, eats human flesh."
Then he thought, "I, too, will be eaten. Whatever God wishes is best."
As he thought he played with a knife in his hand and cut his finger.
In the evening the old demon returned and called out, "Hi, Ali!" and he
answered him, "Here, father."
When he came to him the demon said, "Oh dog, what have you done to your
finger?"
Ali said, "Father, why are you angry and speaking fiercely to me? I am
afraid."
So the Jin said to him, "Come now, undo your finger that I may see."
Then he touched it and healed it up.
They slept that night, and in the morning the Jin said to him, "Ali, I
am going out to walk about for the space of fourteen days, and then I
will return."