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The Black Pullet reappeared during its own period at various dates, with slight
alterations--once as the Treasure of the Old Man of the Pyramids, when it was followed
by a sequel or companion under the title of the Black Screech Owl. It has been reprinted
within recent years at Paris in an edition intended for bibliophiles but bearing no
indications of bibliographical research. Though modest in the claims which have been
specified, the title of the original edition is portentous enough, namely, "The Black Pullet,
or the Hen with the Golden Eggs, comprising the Science of Magical Talismans and
Rings, the Art of Necromancy and of the Kabalah, for the Conjuration of Ærial and
Infernal Spirits, of Sylphs, Undines and Gnomes, serviceable for the acquisition of the
Secret Sciences, for the Discovery of Treasures, for obtaining power to command all
beings and to unmask all Sciences and Bewitchments. The whole following the Doctrines
of Socrates, Pythagoras, Zoroaster, Son of the Grand Aromasis, and other philosophers
whose works in MS. escaped the conflagration of the Library of Ptolemy. Translated
from the Language of the Magi and that of the Hieroglyphs by the Doctors Mizzaboula-
Jabamîa, Danhuzerus, Nehmahmiah, Judahim, and Eliaeb. Rendered into French by A. J.
S. D. R. L. G. F." The place of publication is Egypt, which probably stands for Rome,
and the date is 740, meaning 1740, which, however, is untrue, as we shall see. It may be
said at once that there is no pretence in the text to fulfil the magnificent assurances of the
title.
The preface entreats that the Black Pullet may not be confounded with the collections of
reveries and errors which
p. 115
so many have sought to accredit by announcing supernatural effects. This request, after
due consideration, most readers will find it impossible to grant. The work, it has been
said, is a romance, and the first thing which it makes clear is that even the addition of a
thousand years to the date in the title is insufficient. 1 It is the narrative of a man who
"formed part of the expedition to Egypt," and was "an officer in the army of the genius."
The reference is, of course, to Napoleon and at best the date of composition is little more
than a century ago. While in Egypt, the narrator was sent upon an expedition to the
Pyramids, accompanied by some mounted chasseurs. They lunched under the shadow of
the "grand colossus," when they were attacked by a horde of Arabs of the desert; the
comrades of the writer were slain and even he was left for dead upon the ground. On
returning to consciousness, he surrendered himself to mournful reflections in the
immediate anticipation of his end and delivered a valedictory address to the setting sun,
when a stone was rolled back in the Pyramid, and a venerable man issued forth, who was
proclaimed to be a Turk by his turban. This personage did not fail to discover the corpses
which strewed the desert, nor to identify their nation. When the officer in his turn was
examined, he manifested life by kissing the hand of the ancient man, who, superior to all
prejudices which might have been dictated to the ordinary Mussulman by patriotism or
religion, took pity on him, revived him by a wonderful cordial which put the wounded
man upon his feet, and he followed his preserver into the Pyramid, wherein was the home
of the ancient man and a mighty house of Magic. There were vast halls and endless
galleries, subterranean chambers piled with treasures,