PART I

THE DRAGON OF THE APPLES

Once upon a time, in the pleasure garden of a king, there grew a tree which produced three apples every year. But the king had never tasted one of them. In the middle of the night, before they were quite ripe, a seven-headed genie always came and carried them away.

Now, the king had three sons. One day the eldest son came into his father’s presence, kissed the ground, then arose and stood before him.

“What dost thou wish, my son?” asked the king.

“My father,” was the answer, “thou knowest that the precious apples should be ripe upon the morrow. To-night I would keep watch in the garden and kill the genie.”

“Thou speakest well, my son,” said the king.

Thereupon the prince took a bow in his hand and hid himself in the garden. At midnight there was a terrific earthquake, followed by a black cloud, out of which the genie emerged and walked toward the tree upon which hung the precious fruit. At sight of him the affrighted prince forgot his determination and ran to the palace for safety. The genie plucked the apples and carried them away.

In the morning the king sent for the prince and inquired if he had accomplished his purpose.

“Sire,” was the reply, “I barely escaped with my life!”

When a year had passed the second son asked that he be allowed to kill the monster. His ill fortune was like unto that of his brother. At the end of another year the youngest prince came into his father’s presence.

“If your majesty only consent,” he pleaded, “I will go and kill this evil creature who trespasses upon your private grounds.”

But the king was loath to let his favorite son rush into danger, and demurred, saying: “If thy brothers could not accomplish this hazardous undertaking how canst thou hope to do it? Alas! thou wilt surely perish.”

Nevertheless, upon the pleading of the boy, permission was granted him. The grateful young prince placed the Koran in his bosom, took a poisoned arrow in his hand, and sought a secluded spot in the garden.

Exactly at midnight there was an earthquake, after which appeared a dense cloud, out of which emerged the seven-headed genie and approached the tree which bore the precious fruit.

“By the power of Allah!” cried the young prince as he threw the poisoned arrow. It passed through all the seven heads of the monster, who, uttering a cry that made the earth to tremble, sank upon the ground.

The prince gathered the apples, ran with them to his father, and told what he had done.

“Brave art thou, my son!” cried the king. “I perceive that thou hast great courage.”

But the prince was not content. Kissing the ground before his father, he asked permission to remove the body of the genie from off the face of the earth. And, although the king had grave fears for his son’s safety, he was persuaded to yield consent.