To-day
we know that Abracadabra was the supreme
deity of the
Assyrians,
and this curious arrangement of the letters of the word was commonly
worn
in Europe as an amulet or charm against diseases.
But
Sir Hugh had
never
heard of it, and, regarding the document rather seriously, he sent for
a
learned priest.
"I pray you, Sir Clerk," said he, "show me the
true intent of
this
strange writing."
"Sir
Hugh," replied the holy man, after he had
spoken in a
foreign tongue
with the stranger, "it is but an amulet that this poor wight doth wear
upon his breast to ward off the ague, the toothache, and such other
afflictions of the body."
"Then
give the varlet food and raiment and set him
on his
way," said Sir
Hugh.
"Meanwhile, Sir Clerk, canst thou tell me in
how many ways this
word 'Abracadabra' may be read on the amulet, always starting from the
A
at the top thereof?"
Place
your pencil on the A at the top and count in
how many
different
ways you can trace out the word downwards, always passing from a letter
to an adjoining one.
See
answer