TALES OF THE GENII 
 
 
   Tales of the Genii, that is, tales told 
 by the genii to Iracagem, their chief, 
 respecting their tutelary charges, or how 
 they had discharged their functions as the 
 guardian genii of man. Patna and Coulor, 
 children of Giualar (im~n of Terki), were 
 permitted to hear these accounts rendered, 
 and hence they have reached our earth. 
 The genius, Barhaddan, related the history 
 of his tutelary charge of Abu'dah, a mer- 
 chant of Bagdad. The genius, Mamlouk, 
 told how he had been employed in watch- 
 ing over the Dervise Alfouran.   Next, 
 Omphram recounted his labors as the 
 tutelar genius of Hassan Assar, caliph of 
 Bagdad. The genius, Hassarack, tells his 
 experience in the tale of Kelaun and Guz- 
 zarat. The fifth was a female genius, by 
 name, Houadir, who told the tale of Urad, 
 the fair wanderer, her ward on earth. 
 Then rose the sage genius, Macoma, and 
 told the tale of the Sultan Misnar, with 
 the episodes of Mahoud and the princess 
 of Cassimir.  The affable Adiram, the 
 tutelar genius of Sadak and Kalas'rade, 
 told of their battle of life. Last of all 
 rose the venerable genius, Nadan, and re- 
 counted the history of his earthly charge, 
 named Mirglip, the dervise. These tales 
 are from the Persian, and are ascribed to 
 Horam, son of Asmar. 
 
 Talgol, a butcher in Newgate market, 
 who obtained a captain's commission in 
 Cromwell's army   for his bravery at 
Naseby. 
    Talgol was of courage stout ... 
    Inured to labor, sweat, and toil, 
    And like a champion, shone with oil ... 
    He many a boar and huge dun cow 
    Did, like another Guy, o'erthrow ... 
    With greater troops of sheep he'd fought 
    Than Ajax or bold Don Quixote. 
            S. Butler, Hudibras. i. 2 (1663). 
 
  Taliesin or TAJmssiN, son of St. Hen- 
 
 
wig, chief of the bards of the West, in the 
time of King Arthur (sixth century). In 
the Mabinogion, are given the legends con- 
nected with him, several specimens of his 
songs, and all that is historically known 
about him. The bursting in of the sea 
through the neglect of Seithenin, who had 
charge of the embankment, and the ruin 
which it brought on Gwyddno Garanhir, 
is allegorized by the bursting of a pot 
called the "caldron of inspiration," through 
the neglect of Gwion Bach, who was set 
to watch it. 
That Taliessen, once which made the livers 
    dance, 
 And in his rapture raised the mountains from 
    their trance, 
 Shall tremble at my verse. 
             Drayton, Polyolbion, iv. (1613). 
 
   Talisman (The), a novel by Sir W. 
 Scott, and one of the best of the thirty- 
 two which he wrote (1825). It relates 
 how Richard Coeur de Lion was cured of 
 a fever in the Holy Land, by Saladin, the 
 soldan, his noble enemy. Saladin, hear- 
 ing of his illness, assumed the disguise of 
 Adonbee el Hakim, the physician, and vis- 
 ited the king. He filled a cup with spring 
 water, into which he dipped the talisman, 
 a little red purse that he took from his 
 bosom, and when it had been steeped long 
 enough, he gave the draught to the king 
 to drink (ch. ix.). During the king's sick- 
 ness, the archduke of Austria planted his 
 own banner beside that of England; but 
 as soon as Richard recovered from his 
fever he tore down the Austrian banner, 
and gave it in custody to Sir Kenneth. 
While Kenneth was absent he left his 
dog in charge of it, but on his return, 
found the dog wounded, and the banner 
stolen. King Richard, in his rage, ordered 
Sir Kenneth to execution, but pardoned 
him on the intercession of "the physi- 
cian" (Saladin). Sir Kenneth's dog showed 
                                   IV 
 
 
71 
 
 
TALISMAN