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an important affair was not proper, he would take some time in thinking over the question. Meanwhile he treated Zartusht with great respect and assigned to him a house adjacent to his palace. The sages who saw themselves defeated conspired to wreak vengeance upon Zartusht. They bribed the porter of the house in which the prophet lived and contrived to place blood and hair, heads of a cat and a dog, and dead men's bones under the pillow of Zartusht. They found Zartusht sitting by the side of the king and reading the Avesta to him. They boldly approached the king and said that the new-comer was a magician and had deluded the king by the force of charms, and added that if the king required to ascertain the truth let him send his men to his house and see what foul things generally used in magic were stored there. The king ordered the soldiers to repair to the house of Zartusht and examine its contents. They soon returned with the impure things and exposed them to the royal view. The king was enraged, he threw away the Avesta, and sent Zartusht to prison in chains. A loaf of bread and a pitcher of water were carried to him daily by a porter and Zartusht remained in chains both day and night A week thus passed and it was discovered that the fore and hind feet of a favourite royal steed were drawn up into his belly. The king was in great affliction and summoned the skilled surgeons to cure the horse. All possible remedies were applied but they failed to produce any benefit. The king was so grieved that he did not partake of any food. General mourning prevailed at the royal court. When Zartusht learnt from the porter about the malady of the horse, he sent a message to the king that he could restore the health of the royal horse The king ordered Zartusht to be brought into his presence. He seated him by his side and said that if he could restore the steed to perfect health, he would believe him to be a true prophet, sent by Ormazd. Zartusht demanded that if the king engaged to perform four things he would behold again the fore and hind legs of the charger. The king readily accepted Zartusht's conditions. The first condition made by Zartusht was that the king should make his heart and tongue of one accord and, without doubt and equivocation, speak with the tongue and repeat with the heart that Zartusht was the prophet and messenger sent by God. The king agreed and Zartusht addressed his prayer to Ormazd and rubbed the right foot of the