Is it indeed true speaking, as I have heard, that the Caliph el Walid the First, in Hegira 88, sent to Mecca an immense present of gold and silver, forty camel-loads of small cut gems and a hundred thousand _miskals_ in gold coin ?" "It is true, Master.

Save that he sent more; nearly two hundred thousand _miskals_.

He also sent eighty Coptic and Greek artists to carve and gild the mosques.
"One Greek sculptured a hog on the Mosque of Omar, trying to make it into a _kanisah_ (unclean idol-house).

My people discovered the sacrilege, and"-- he added with intent--"gave that Greek the bowstring, then quartered the body and threw it to the vultures." "That is of no importance whatever, Rrisa," answered the Master with an odd smile.

"What thy people do to the unbeliever, if they capture him, is nothing to me.