Meanwhile, the man in question was strolling down the street, glancing at the shop windows, and in no way aware of the terrible danger hanging over him because of an ordinary watch glittering on his wrist.
’ “Why, I’ll…” Hottabych raged on in his boastfulness, “why, if you only so desire, I’ll turn him into a…”
Each second counted. Volka shouted:
“Don’t!”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t touch that man! I don’t need a watch! I don’t need anything!”
“Nothing at all?” the old man asked doubtfully, quickly calming down. The only sun watch in the world disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
“Nothing at all,” said Volka. He heaved such a sigh that Hottabych realized he must apply himself to cheering up his young saviour and dispelling his gloomy thoughts.
HOTTABYCH’S SECOND SERVICE
Volka was in the dumps. Hottabych sensed that something was wrong. He never dreamed he had done the boy such a bad turn during the exam, but it was all too clear that Volka was upset. And the one to blame, apparently, was none other than himself, Hassan Abdurrakhman ibn Hottab.
“Would you, O moon-like, feel inclined to listen to stories of most unusual and strange adventures?” he asked slyly. “For instance, do you know the story of the Baghdad barber’s three black roosters and his lame son? Or the one about the copper camel with a silver hump? Or about the water-carrier Ahmet and his magic pail?”