Our chronicles relate that one day an infidel Chinaman, who up to that time had refused to be converted, was passing in front of the church, when suddenly the devil presented himself to him in the form of a cayman and upset the banka, in order to devour him and carry him off to hell.

Inspired by God, the Chinaman at that moment called upon St.Nicholas and instantly the cayman was changed into a stone.

The old people say that in their time the monster could easily be recognized in the pieces of stone that were left, and, for my part, I can assure you that I have clearly made out the head, to judge from which the monster must have been enormously large." "Marvelous, a marvelous legend!" exclaimed Ben-Zayb.

"It's good for an article--the description of the monster, the terror of the Chinaman, the waters of the river, the bamboo brakes.

Also, it'll do for a study of comparative religions; because, look you, an infidel Chinaman in great distress invoked exactly the saint that he must know only by hearsay and in whom he did not believe.