“Then I remembered a tale which travelers had told me about the famous Diamond Valley.  They said that every year, when the young eagles were hatched, merchants went to the heights above, and rolled down great pieces of raw meat into the valley.  The diamonds on which the meat fell would often stick into the soft flesh, and then when the eagles came, and carried off the meat to feed their young ones, the merchants would beat them off their nests, and take the diamonds out of the meat.

“I had never believed this wonderful tale, but now indeed I knew it to be true, and felt sure that I was in the famous Diamond Valley.

“I had quite given up all hope of escape, for there was no possible way of climbing out of the valley, but as I watched the eagles carry off the lumps of raw meat, I thought of a plan, and hope revived.

“First of all I searched around, and filled all my pockets with the biggest diamonds I could find.  Then I chose out the largest piece of meat and fastened myself securely to it, with the rope made out of my turban.  I knew that the eagles would soon come for more food, so I lay flat on the ground, with the meat uppermost, and holding on tightly, I waited for what would happen next.  I had not long to wait before a gigantic eagle came swooping down.  It seized the meat and carried it and me swiftly up, until it reached its nest high among the mountain rocks.  And no sooner had it dropped me into the nest, than a man climbed out from behind the rock, and with loud cries frightened the eagle away.  Then this man, who was the merchant to whom the nest belonged, came eagerly to look for his piece of meat.  When he saw me, he started back in surprise and anger.

“‘What doest thou here?’ he asked roughly.  ’How dost thou dare to try and steal my diamonds?’

“‘Have patience,’ I answered calmly, ’I am no thief, and when thou hast heard my story thou wilt pity and not blame me.  As for diamonds, I have some here which will more than make up to thee for thy disappointment.’

“Then I told him and the other merchants all my adventures, and they cast up their eyes to heaven in surprise at my courage, and the wonderful manner in which I had managed to escape so many dangers.  Pulling out a handful of diamonds, I then passed the precious stones round among them, and they all declared them to be the finest they had ever seen.

“‘Thou shalt choose one, to make up for thy disappointment,’ I said to the merchant who had found me.

“‘I will choose this small one,’ he replied, picking out one of the least of the glistening heap.

“I urged him to take a larger one, but he only shook his head.

“‘This one will bring me all the wealth I can desire,’ he said, ’and I need no longer risk my life seeking for more.’

“Then we all set off for the nearest port, where we found a ship ready to carry us home.  We had many adventures on the way, but at last we reached our journey’s end, and when I had sold my diamonds, I had so much money that I gave a great deal to the poor, and lived in even greater splendor than before.”