The caliph was very willing to do his grand vizier a favor; so he sent the black slave to bring the pedler up stairs. The pedler came. He was a little, dumpy man, with a dark complexion, and dressed in ragged garments. He bore a chest in which were wares of all sorts: pearls and rings, richly mounted pistols, drinking cups, and combs. The caliph and his vizier rummaged over the whole chest, and the caliph finally bought some pistols for himself and Mansor, and a comb for the vizier's wife. As the pedler was about to close the chest, the caliph saw a little drawer, and asked if there was any thing more in it. The pedler pulled the drawer out, and showed in it a box of blackish powder, and a paper with curious writing on it, which neither the caliph nor Mansor could read. "I got these two things from a merchant who found them at Mecca, in the street; I do not know what they contain, but you may have them very cheap, for I cannot do any thing with them." The caliph, who liked to have old manuscripts in his library, although he could not read them, bought the paper and the box, and dismissed the pedler. The caliph, however, thought he should like to know the contents of the manuscript, and asked the vizier if he knew any body who could decipher it. "Most gracious sovereign and master," answered he, "there is a man at the great mosque, who is called Selim the Learned; he understands all languages; send for him; perhaps he may make out these mysterious characters." The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the caliph to him, "they say you are very learned; now just look into this manuscript, and see whether you can read it; if you can, I will give you a new dress; but if you cannot, you shall have twelve boxes on the ear, and twenty-five blows on the soles of your feet, for having been called, without reason, Selim the Learned." Selim bowed and said, "Be it as you command, Sir!" He examined the writing for a long time, and then suddenly cried out, "This is Latin, sir, or I'll give you leave to hang me." "Let us hear what it contains, then, if it is Latin," said the caliph. Selim began to translate: "O man who findest this, praise Allah for his goodness. Whoever snuffs up some of the powder in this box, and at the same time says, 'Mutabor,' may change himself into any animal, and will understand the language of animals. If he wishes to return to the human shape, let him bow three times towards the East, and pronounce the same word. But let him take care, after he is transformed, not to laugh, otherwise the word will disappear entirely from his memory, and he will remain a beast." When Selim the Learned had read this, the caliph was exceedingly delighted. He made Selim swear never to reveal any thing of the secret to any one; then he gave him a beautiful robe, and dismissed him.