252 JOURNEY TO CENTRAL AFRICA.

mined to challenge him to a game. He thereupon visited the coffee-house, where he had not remained long when the woodcutter made his appearance, in even greater splendor than before. This was in accordance with the instructions of Zubeydeh, who was informed of all that had taken place. He at once accepted the Vizier's challenge to play, for a stake of two thousand pieces of gold. After a hard-fought battle, the Vizier was fairly beaten, but the wood-cutter paid him the two thousand pieces of gold, as if he had lost the game, gave away another thousand as usual, and retired to his palace.

"The Vizier took his defeat so much to heart, that his chagrin, combined with grief for the loss of his son, carried him off in a few days. This circumstance brought the whole history to the ears of Haroun Al-Raschid himself, who was immediately seized with a strong desire to play chess with the foreign prince, not doubting but that, as he had always beaten his Vizier, he would be more than a match for the new antagonist. Accordingly he sent an officer to the palace of the woodcutter, with a message that the Commander of the Faithful desired to offer his hospitality to the son of the foreign king.

By Zubeydeh's advice, the invitation was accepted, and the officer speedily returned to Haroun Al-Rasehid, to whom he gave such a description of the magnificence of the new palace, that the Caliph's mouth began to water, and he exclaimed : ' By Allah ! I must look to this.' No man, who has not the ring of Solomon on his finger, shall surpass me in my own capital ! " In a short time the wood-cutter arrived, attired in such splendor that the day seemed brighter for his appearance, and attended by forty black slaves, in dresses of crimson silk, with turbans of white and gold, and golden swords by their