Darting up , he seized him by the arm and dragged him to the Cadi 's house ; but not before the man whom he had found in the shop contrived to whisper to his brother , in a tone loud enough for Neangir to hear , ` Confess nothing , or we shall both be lost . ' When the Cadi was informed of what had taken place he ordered the crowd to be dispersed by blows , after the Turkish manner , and then asked Neangir to state his complaint . After hearing the young man 's story , which seemed to him most extraordinary , he turned to question the Jewish merchant , who instead of answering raised his eyes to heaven and fell down in a dead faint . The judge took no notice of the swooning man , but told Neangir that his tale was so singular he really could not believe it , and that he should have the merchant carried back to his own house . This so enraged Neangir that he forgot the respect due to the Cadi , and exclaimed at the top of his voice , ` Recover this fellow from his fainting fit , and force him to confess the truth , ' giving the Jew as he spoke a blow with his sword which caused him to utter a piercing scream . ` You see for yourself , ' said the Jew to the Cadi , ` that this young man is out of his mind . I forgive him his blow , but do not , I pray you , leave me in his power . ' At that moment the Bassa chanced to pass the Cadi 's house , and hearing a great noise , entered to inquire the cause . When the matter was explained , he looked attentively at Neangir , and asked him gently how all these marvels could possibly have happened . ` My lord , ' replied Neangir , ' I swear I have spoken the truth , and perhaps you will believe me when I tell you that I myself have been the victim of spells wrought by people of this kind , who should be rooted out from the earth . For three years I was changed into a three-legged pot , and only returned to man 's shape when one day a turban was laid upon my lid . ' At these words the Bassa rent his robe for joy , and embracing Neangir , he cried , ` Oh , my son , my son , have I found you at last ? Do you not come from the house of Mohammed and Zinebi ? ' ` Yes , my lord , ' replied Neangir , ` it was they who took care of me during my misfortune , and taught me by their example to be less worthy of belonging to you . ' ` Blessed be the Prophet , ' said the Bassa , ` who has restored one of my sons to me , at the time I least expected it ! You know , ' he continued , addressing the Cadi , ` that during the first years of my marriage I had three sons by the beautiful Zambac . When he was three years old a holy dervish gave the eldest a string of the finest coral , saying `` Keep this treasure carefully , and be faithful to the Prophet , and you will be happy . '' To the second , who now stands before you , he presented a copper plate on which the name of Mahomet was engraved in seven languages , telling him never to part from his turban , which was the sign of a true believer , and he would taste the greatest of all joys ; while on the right arm of the third the dervish clasped a bracelet with the prayer that his right hand should be pure and the left spotless , so that he might never know sorrow . ` My eldest son neglected the counsel of the dervish and terrible troubles fell on him , as also on the youngest . To preserve the second from similar misfortunes I brought him up in a lonely place , under the care of a faithful servant named Gouloucou , while I was fighting the enemies of our Holy Faith .
On my return from the wars I hastened to embrace my son , but both he and Gouloucou had vanished , and it is only a few months since that I learned that the boy was living with a XXXXX called Mohammed , whom I suspected of having stolen him .
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