"No," replied my host; "our guest is not a Cawal (a sort of priest). Who told you about the Melek Taoos?"
"The Turks, and, besides, I have read about it, and seen a picture of the bird in a book written by a Frank."
"What a marvel!" said the host; "very few of our sheiks can read, much less write."
"Do you ever pray?" I inquired.
"Pray? like the Mohammedans?"
"Yes."
"No; what is the use? You Christians do not pray like the Mohammedans," continued the old man.
"No; but we pray to the Founder of our faith."
"Everything is fixed," observed the Yezeed; "then what is the good of praying? You cannot force Destiny to change her mind."
"Then what is the good of the balls you have just received? for if your cows are destined to die, they will die."