When Hasan's mother heard these lines，she shrieked and said；'Yes，O my son！ Indeed，the house is desolate and the visitation-place is distant！' Then the neighbours took leave of her and after they had prayed that she might be vouchsafed patience and speedy reunion with her son，went away；but she ceased not to weep all watches of the night and tides of the day and she built amiddlemost the house a tomb whereon she let write Hasan's name and the date of his loss，and thenceforward she quitted it not，but made a habit of incessantly biding thereby night and day.Such was her case；but touching her son Hasan and the Ajami，this Persian was a Magian，who hated Moslems with exceeding hatred and destroyed all who fell into his power.He was a lewd and filthy villain，a hankerer after alchemy，an astrologer and a hunter of hidden hoards，such an one as he of whom quoth the poet；'A dog，dog-fathered，by dog-grandsire bred；* No good in dog from dog race issued：
E'en for a gnat no resting-place gives he*Who is composed of seed by all men shed.'[24]
The name of this accursed was Bahr m the Guebre，and he was wont；every year，to take a Moslem and cut his throat for his own purposes.So，when he had carried out his plot against Hasan the goldsmith，they sailed on from dawn till dark，when the ship made fast to the shore for the night，and at sunrise，when they set sail again，Bahram bade his black slaves and white servants bring him the chest wherein were Hasan.They did so，and he opened it and taking out the young man，made him sniff up vinegar and blew a powder into his nostrils.Hasan sneezed and vomited the Bhang；
then，opening his eyes，he looked about him right and left and found himself amiddleward the sea on aboard a ship in full sail；and saw the Persian sitting by him；wherefore he knew that the accursed Magian had put a cheat on him and that he had fallen into the very peril against which his mother had warned him.So he spake the saying which shall never shame the sayer，to wit；'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah，the Glorious，the Great！ Verity，we are Allah's and unto Him we are returning！ O my God，be Thou gracious to me in Thine appointment and give me patience to endure this Thine affliction，O Lord of the three Worlds！' Then he turned to the Persian and bespoke him softly，saying，'O my father，what fashion is this and where is the covenant of bread and salt and the oath thou swarest to me？'[25]But Bahram stared at him and replied，'O dog；knoweth the like of me bond of bread and salt？ I have slain of youths like thee a thousand，save one，and thou shalt make up the thousand.' And he cried out at him and Hasan was silent，knowing that the Fate-shaft had shot him.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-second Night； She resumed，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Hasan beheld himself fallen into the hands of the damned Persian he bespoke him softly but gained naught thereby for the Ajami cried out at him in wrath，so he was silent，knowing that the Fate-shaft had shot him.Then the accursed bade loose his pinion-bonds and they gave him a little water to drink，whilst the Magian laughed and said，'By the virtue of the Fire and the Light and the Shade and the Heat，methought not thou wouldst fall into my nets！ But the Fire empowered me over thee and helped me to lay hold upon thee，that I might win my wish and return and make thee a sacrifice，to her[26] so she may accept of me.'
Quoth Hasan，'Thou hast foully betrayed bread and salt'；
whereupon the Magus raised his hand and dealt him such a buffet that he fell and，biting the deck with his fore-teeth，swooned away，whilst the tears trickled down his cheeks.Then the Guebre bade his servants light him a fire and Hasan said，'What wilt thou do with it？'Replied the Magian，'This is the Fire，lady of light and sparkles bright！ This it is I worship，and if thou wilt worship her even as I，verily I will give thee half my monies and marry thee to my maiden daughter.' Thereupon Hasan cried angrily at him，'Woe to thee！ Thou art a miscreant Magian who to Fire dost pray in lieu of the King of Omnipotent sway；Creator of Night and Day；and this is naught but a calamity among creeds！'At this the Magian was wroth and said to him，'Wilt thou not then conform with me，O dog of the Arabs，and enter my faith？' But Hasan consented not to this： so the accursed Guebre arose and prostrating himself to the fire，bade his pages throw him flat on his face.They did so，and he beat him with a hide whip of plaited thongs[27] till his flanks were laid open；whilst he cried aloud for aid but none aided him，and besought protection，but none protected him.Then he raised his eyes to the All-powerful King and sought of Him succour in the name of the Chosen Prophet.And indeed patience failed him；his tears ran down his cheeks，like rain，and he repeated these couplets twain；'In patience，O my God，Thy doom forecast * I'll bear，an thereby come Thy grace at last：
They've dealt us wrong，transgressed and ordered ill；* Haply Thy Grace shall pardon what is past.'
Then the Magian bade his negro-slaves raise him to a sitting posture and bring him somewhat of meat and drink.So they sat food before him；but he consented not to eat or drink；and Bahram ceased not to torment him day and night during the whole voyage；whilst Hasan took patience and humbled himself in supplication before Almighty Allah to whom belong Honour and Glory；whereby the Guebre's heart was hardened against him.They ceased not to sail the sea three months，during which time Hasan was continually tortured till Allah Almighty sent forth upon them a foul wind and the sea grew black and rose against the ship，by reason of the fierce gale；whereupon quoth the captain and crew，[28]'By Allah，this is all on account of yonder youth；who hath been these three months in torture with this Magian.
