The adventures of Hatim Taï, a romance

by Unknown

BOOK VI.

The journey of Hatim in search of the pearl.

The narrators of past events have informed us that Hatim, after leaving Shahabad on his sixth adventure, came to a certain desert, across which he bent his course. After he had walked two farasangs, he came to a solitary tree, at the foot of which was a rude seat formed of stone. As the evening was approaching, he there sat down; and having passed some time in reflection with his head stooping towards his knee, the mantle of night began to overspread the world. In the meantime a brace of fowls, dazzling in all the splendor of the seven colors, came and perched upon the tree above him. Those birds were of the species called Natika (having the power of speech), which frequent the shores of the sea of Kahrmān; and by special providence they rested on that tree for the night.

The female bird said to the male, “I like not the air of these regions in which we have halted, and I wish we were safe in our own country.”—“I agree with you,” said the male; “and though it was my intention to stay here for some days, yet, as you dislike the place, we will depart early in the morning.”—“Well,” said the female, “I only hope you will abide by your resolution, and that to-morrow’s sun will shine upon us far hence.”—“Why all this anxiety?” rejoined the male; “you know well that I speak nothing but the truth.”

A short time after, the female natika again broke silence, saying, “Tell me, my dear mate, who is this wanderer from the haunts of men who is seated on the stones below, with his head sunk in the lap of reflection, and his brow stamped with the seal of sorrow?”—“He is the best of men,” replied the male, “and his anxiety is occasioned because he knows not whither to direct his course in quest of a pearl of the size of a Murghab’s[1] egg. Now Murghab is also the name of the place where these pearls are to be found. But to proceed: this man is Hatim Taï, the noble and generous prince of Yemen. He is now wandering in search of this pearl, not for his own sake, but in order to serve another person. He has left his princely home, and his fond parents, in order to promote the happiness of his fellow-creatures.”

“But,” rejoined the female, “inexperienced as Hatim is, how can he ever find the pearl in question?”—“I shall direct him,” replied the male, “if it is your wish, though it may not be altogether for our welfare.”—“Nothing is more noble,” said the female, “than to do good to others, and assuredly we shall ourselves reap the benefit thereof in the end.”—“Listen to me then, my dear consort,” said the male natika, “and you shall hear how this rare pearl of the Murghab is to be procured. You are aware that our species have lived since the creation of the world on the shores of the sea of Kahrman, and only once in thirty years our females laid an egg of this kind. But for some time past our race has been deprived of the virtue of producing these pearls, and those that have been formerly produced are sunk to an unfathomable depth in the sea. Of these pearls two only are above ground, and these originally fell into the hands of Chamchan, the king of Kahrman. He again gave one of them as a rare present to Shamshân, a neighboring prince of great wealth and splendor in his time. Shamshân died without issue; and his splendid capital was soon after reduced to a lifeless desert, while his wealth passed into the hands of strangers, and the pearl, after many changes of owner, is now in the possession of Husn Banu, the daughter of Burzakh the merchant.

“As to the other pearl, it happened that Chamchan, the king of Kahrman, died in early life, and another took possession of his crown. Without any warning the widowed queen was forced to fly for her life, and the pearl of the Murghab was the only part of her property which she had time to secure. With this rare treasure she left her palace, and fled through the desert till she reached the sea of Kahrman. There she sat down exhausted, not knowing whither to proceed, till a merchant with his ship approached in order to take in fresh water. When the queen saw the vessel she cried aloud for assistance, and the merchant himself came to her in a boat, and conveyed her on board.

“The merchant, whose name was Simbar, was a benevolent man, who had seen much of the world. He treated the queen with the utmost kindness; and on hearing the cause of her distress, he adopted her as his daughter, and conveyed her to his own country. A beautiful son was born to the happy couple during the next year. As Simbar had no children of his own, he appointed this child sole heir of his wealth. Meanwhile, the child grew up endowed with princely virtues, and by the time he came to manhood his generous patron Simbar died.

“Shortly after, the young prince was appointed chief of that province; and as he was a youth of superior discernment, and had abundance of wealth at command, he soon raised himself to be king of that country and the adjacent islands. After his death, his descendants reigned there for many a generation, till the auspicious era of Sulaiman of Iram (on whom be peace), who reduced into their possession the whole extent of the Koh-i-Kāf and the coast of the sea of Kulzum. Since the reign of the prophet Sulaiman, the race has reigned in those regions, but then their intercourse ceased with the inhabitants of the earth. They no longer form a part of the human race, nor dareth a son of Adam visit their dominions.

“In the course of time the pearl came into the hands of a fairy, in the possession of whose son it now is. His name is Mahyār Sulaimani, and his father was of the race of Adam, so that he partakes of the twofold nature of man and fairy. He reigns in the island of Barzakh[2], and is on friendly terms with the demons, whose territories are contiguous to his kingdom; for he knows the powerful spell of Sulaiman, and no demon dares injure him.

“Mahyar Sulaimani has an only daughter, now seven years old, and whosoever shall be able to tell the history of the pearl, is to have the daughter in marriage, with the pearl for her dowry. He is a man of profound knowledge, having in his possession the books of his progenitor the great Sulaiman. In these books are many rare secrets; among others, the method of procuring the pearl of the Murghab, should the one which he has be lost. Since the reign of Sulaiman (on whom be peace), our race has not produced a single pearl, nor is it lawful for us to tell what I have now stated to you, a secret known to Mahyar alone. But to this generous youth, who has been for years exerting himself in the cause of his fellow-creatures, it is proper that I should disclose this much of the subject that now occupies his thought.”

On hearing this the female said, “How is Hatim to find his way to the sea of Kahrman? For the coast is infested by the demons who inhabit those regions, and the perils which await him are insuperable.”—“His safety,” replied the male, “depends on heaven alone; for if his days are not yet at an end, he may encounter every danger, and return in safety. Meanwhile he must proceed to the south, and it will be necessary that he take with him several of our feathers. When he arrives at the confines of the mountain Kaf, he will see before him a wide desert, and ere he enter that wilderness, he must use the following precaution: let him burn the green feathers and strew the ashes in water, with which he must wash his whole body. This will have so strong a scent that no wild beast of the desert can come near him. Moreover, his appearance will be altogether that of a demon; his color will be black as night, and his hands and feet will assume an unnatural size, and he will be able to speak the language of the demons.

“After he shall have passed through the wilderness, and arrived at the island of Barzakh, he must burn the white feathers, and having mingled the ashes with water as before, wash his body with the same. He will then resume his original shape. When he enters the dominions of Mahyar Sulaimani, the fairies of those realms will seize him, and take him before their monarch. Then let Hatim boldly state the object of his journey; when the king, as a matter of course, will ask of him to give an account of the pearl, whereupon he shall have both the pearl and the daughter. Then let Hatim tell all that I have stated, and Mahyar being of most honorable conduct and of strict integrity, will assuredly give him his daughter and the pearl.”

Having thus spoken, the male natika flapped his wings, when a shower of feathers fell around Hatim, who immediately arose and carefully collected them. When the female bird saw this, she said to her partner, “He gathers the feathers as if he had understood what you said; how do you know that Hatim is destined for such important services, and how have you recollected all the circumstances of the pearls?”—“The whole history of the two pearls,” replied the male, “has been preserved by our race from one generation to another; but you females attend not to such grave subjects, nor are you good for anything but talking. The time will come, too, when our race shall be extinct, with the exception of a solitary bird, which is destined to perish only with the world. But these days are still remote; and at present let us enjoy the bounty of Providence, of which we have a greater share than any animal except man. We, like him, are endowed with the faculty of speech, and the ordinary term of our life is longer than his; even we two are destined to live together in this world for the next hundred years.”

By this time the portals of the dawn flew open in the east, and the two birds took their flight from the tree. Hatim at the same time arose, and began his journey towards the south. One night, as he lay down to repose underneath a tree, he heard the cry of some animal in pain, exclaiming, “Alas! is there no creature at hand who will, for the sake of God, assist me?” Hatim, ever ready to aid the distressed, arose and ran towards the spot whence the sound issued. There he saw a female fox stretched on the ground, beating her head upon the stones. “Tell me,” said Hatim, “who has caused thy sorrow?”—“A huntsman,” replied the fox, “has caught in his snares both my husband and children, and has carried them off to be murdered. This heartrending separation is the cause of my grief.”—“Knowest thou where the huntsman resides?” asked Hatim. “His house,” she replied, “is distant from hence two farasangs.”—“Show me the way thither,” said Hatim, “and I will endeavor to save thy kindred.”

The fox hesitated, and said, “O man, how can I trust thee? Art thou not one of the bloodthirsty race of him that has torn my heart asunder, and will it not be thy delight to lead me also into the snare? Truly my fate would be like that of the monkey, whose mishap has become a proverb.”—“Tell me,” said Hatim, “what happened to the monkey?” The fox began as follows: “Once upon a time a monkey with his mate took up their abode in a sequestered spot in the desert of Dāmaghan, where they soon had a family. A huntsman happened to pass that way, and succeeded in catching all the monkeys except the mother, who effected her escape. Meanwhile the huntsman conveyed the male with the young ones to a nobleman’s house, where he disposed of them for a high price, while the poor mother wandered through the desert in the agonies of despair. Regardless of her life, she at last ventured among the haunts of men, and going to the chief of the province, stated the cause of her woe and implored redress, saying, ‘Noble sir, as you hope for mercy from God, have pity on my sorrows. A huntsman belonging to this place has cruelly deprived me of my husband and family.’

“Now it happened that the chief was the very man to whom the huntsman had sold the monkeys, though he was not then aware of it. He, therefore, said to the monkey, ‘Go, conduct my attendants to that huntsman’s house, and bring the parties concerned to my presence.’ The female monkey accordingly led the way to the house of the huntsman, who instantly obeyed the order of the chief. When they returned, the chief said, ‘Is it true, huntsman, that you have deprived this poor monkey of her partner and young ones; and if so, what have you done with them?’

“‘It is most true, noble sir,’ replied he, ‘and the very day I caught them I sold them all to your Highness. If, however, you are disposed to pity her distress, and restore to her those that are so dear to her, I am most willing to return to your Highness the price that was paid for them.’ On hearing this the chief said, in reply to the huntsman, ‘What you propose seems very fair; yet I do not conceive it to be the best plan. Now that I have considered the matter seriously, I think the best thing we can do is to detain the female in the same cage with her kindred, for I would not give away for any money the monkeys you sold to me.’

“But the miseries of the monkey did not cease here. After being for some time confined in the same cage with her young, the prince of Damaghan having heard that the chief had some young monkeys, expressed his wish to have them in his palace. Thus the hapless monkey was doomed to suffer another separation from her young, while her own liberty was lost at the same time. The male had previously died, and now being left solitary, she rejected food and drink, and in a few days escaped from sorrow by death.”

When the fox had finished the story of the monkey, she said to Hatim, “In like manner, it is natural for me to suppose that you will involve me in greater misery.”—“Fear not,” said Hatim; “all men are not so treacherous as those you have mentioned.” At length the fox led the way in the dark, while Hatim followed to the huntsman’s house, where they arrived about the third watch[3] of the night. He there reposed beneath a tree till the approach of day, while the fox concealed herself in the adjacent forest. When the sun arose, Hatim went to the huntsman’s door, knocked, and requested to be admitted. The huntsman opened the door, and was surprised on seeing a handsome stranger of noble and ingenuous countenance standing before him. “Tell me,” said he, “sir, who and whence are you? I see you are a stranger; pray what is your business with me?”—“Worthy sir,” replied Hatim, “I am by birth an Arab; and the cause of my troubling you so early is this: I am afflicted with a pain through all my joints; and the physician has advised me to wash my body all over with the warm blood of a fox, whereby my recovery will be complete. Now I have been informed that you have some live foxes, which you lately caught when hunting. I pray you, then, let me have them all, and I will pay you any price you may name for them.”—“Truly, sir,” replied the huntsman, “I am glad that I can supply you with foxes; for here have I not fewer than seven of them, the old one and six cubs, all alive; take them, then, at your own price, and I wish you joy of your purchase.”

The huntsman produced the foxes, the male tied by the four feet, and the cubs enclosed in a basket; and Hatim having paid him a price beyond his expectation, returned to the desert. There he opened the basket, and let out the cubs; but when he loosened the strings that tied the old fox, he found that the wretched animal had not the power of moving. In fact, it had been strongly fettered by the huntsman, and confined all the time without food or drink, so that the spark of life had almost become extinct. Hatim was about to leave the fox to his fate, saying, “Thy life is at an end, God’s will be done,” when the female approached him, and said, “Generous Hatim, there is yet one remedy that will restore him to life.”—“Name it,” replied Hatim, “and, if possible, I will procure it.”—“A cupful of human blood,” rejoined the fox, “warm and newly drawn, will be the means of his complete recovery.” On hearing this, Hatim instantly opened a vein in his left arm; and having drawn a cupful of his own blood, he administered the same to the perishing fox, whereby a perfect cure ensued. He then tied up his wound, while the animals prostrated themselves at his feet in gratitude for his beneficence.

Hatim then resumed his southward journey, and a few days after arrived in a barren desert of burning sand. As he wandered in quest of water beneath the scorching rays of a vertical sun, his eye was refreshed with the sight of a verdant spot which indicated the presence of a fountain. Thither he dragged his weary steps, till his eye could see the gushing spring, when a huge serpent began to uncoil itself from the brink. Hatim stood aghast, for he expected to be swallowed alive; but the serpent, far from assailing him, said in a soft voice, “Brave prince of Yemen, advance and drink; why do you hesitate?” Hatim was the more astonished on hearing the words of the serpent, and for some time stood still. Again the serpent said to him, “Fear nothing; the water of this fountain is free for your use; drink, and follow me.”

Hatim at length ventured to quench his thirst in the fountain, and resigning himself to his fate, followed the path of the serpent across the desert. In a short time they came to a beautiful garden, in the centre of which was a shady grove lined with splendid couches and cushions. The serpent conducted Hatim to this cool and pleasant retreat, and said to him, “Noble Arab, sit down on this couch, and secure from danger rest awhile from your fatigue.” Having thus spoken, the serpent plunged into a pond of water that ornamented the garden.

Hatim, fatigued with his late journey, sat down on one of the couches, marvelling much at what had happened. After he had remained here a short time, admiring the beauty of the scene, a troop of fairies, beautiful as angels, each bearing a golden tray filled with emeralds, issued from the lake, made their obeisance, and stood waiting his commands. “Who are you,” said Hatim, “and what is your business with me?”—“We are,” replied they, “the faithful subjects of him who conducted you hither. He sends you these jewels as a present, and requests that you will do him the favor to accept them.”—“Convey my thanks to him who sent these jewels,” replied Hatim, “and say that I desire them not; and even if I did, I am alone, and cannot carry them away with me.”

Hatim had scarcely done speaking, when another troop of fairies, bearing trays filled with still more costly jewels, ascended from the water. “Who are you,” said Hatim, “and what do you bring in these trays?”—“They are jewels,” replied they, “the most precious that can be procured, which our sovereign hath sent for your acceptance.”—“I am beholden to your sovereign,” said Hatim, “but gold and jewels are at present of no use to me.” Meanwhile another troop emerged from the lake, carrying trays of gold and silver filled with all sorts of food and fruits. As Hatim had fasted long, the sight of food made his heart rejoice; but he would not eat of it till he asked for the hospitable sovereign of the place, that he might have the pleasure of breaking his fast with him, and thanking him in person. Ere he had done speaking, a young man of beautiful countenance, attended by a troop of fairies, ascended from the crystal lake. When Hatim saw his noble form, he wondered within himself who this could be, and by what mystery they issued from the water. The fairy king approached Hatim; and after mutual salutation, they both sat down on the same couch. His Majesty then addressed Hatim, saying, “Tell me, noble Hatim, do you recognize me, for this is not our first meeting?”—“Truly,” replied Hatim, “I cannot now recollect of having ever seen you before.”—“I am,” resumed the king, “the serpent that conducted you hither from the fountain in the desert.”—“How,” said Hatim, “have you so suddenly passed from a shape so horrible to a form so beautiful?”—“The tale is long,” replied the king, “and therefore I shall waive the telling of it till we have broken our fast.”

After they had taken food together, they washed their hands from ewers of gold, and the attendants presented them with fragrant perfumes which they applied to their hands. Hatim then addressing his royal host, said, “I long to hear, sir, by what strange mystery I have lately seen you in the form of a serpent and behold you now in human shape.” The fairy king, smiling, replied, “Noble Hatim, know that I am of the fairy race; and that my name was Shams Shah previous to my transformation into a serpent. In the reign of Sulaiman the prophet (on whom be peace), I was one day seated in my garden in the fairy regions, when thoughts the most diabolical entered my mind. I viewed with impatience the submission of our race to the powerful Sulaiman; I therefore resolved to collect my troops from all parts of my dominions, and next day descend upon earth and slay the whole race of Adam. This done, it was my intention to occupy for myself and subjects the terrestrial globe, of which I should become sole monarch.

“Having formed this resolution, I despatched winged couriers to the utmost bounds of my realms, summoning the choicest of my warriors to prepare for a dangerous expedition, and to be at the palace gate completely armed before the dawn of the morrow. When evening came, I went to sleep as usual; and next morning, when I awoke, I went out to view my troops. They had repaired to the place of rendezvous, armed as I had ordered; but, to my astonishment, I beheld that their wings had been taken from them. Instantly I myself was transformed into a serpent, and from that period I was doomed to creep the earth, the terror of every creature that beheld me. Days and nights I spent in prayer and supplication, but all of no avail; the voice of some invisible being used to sound in my ears, ‘Such shall ever be the fate of him who violates his promise.’ This awful voice made me tremble in the consciousness of my guilt; and I made vows and prayers to the Most High that I should never more let such thoughts enter my mind. The voice at length answered, ‘Thy doom is fixed; wait with patience in the desert till the arrival there of Hatim, prince of Yemen. When he comes, remember that thou administer to his wants, and serve him with thy whole heart and soul; then shalt thou be restored to thy original form, and whatsoever prayers he may offer up in thy behalf before the throne of the Supreme Creator, they shall be answered.’

“Since the time of Sulaiman I have been doomed to pass my life under the loathsome form of a serpent; and it is now thirty years since I removed to this desert, watching night and day for your arrival. To-day, the moment I saw you, I knew you to be the far-famed prince of Yemen; and now may I request your prayers in my behalf?”—“Most willingly,” replied Hatim, “but first tell me, what was the nature of the promise which you have violated?”—“In the reign of Sulaiman,” replied the fairy king, “my grandfather entered into a solemn compact with that mighty monarch, that none of our race should ever injure any of the race of Adam, or on any pretext invade the dominions of the latter, on pain of having our forms changed to that of the brute species. From that day till my reign, when, as I have said, the evil spirit entered my heart, this agreement was strictly observed on our part. Now, brave Hatim, I am ready to do what penance you as the representative of your race may ordain; and I humbly supplicate your prayers in my behalf.”

On hearing this, Hatim devoutly rose up, and having performed his ablutions and changed his garments, bowed down his head upon the prayer-carpet, with his face turned to the sacred Kibla[4], and prayed for the divine mercy upon him whom heaven had deemed proper to chastise.

When Hatim had offered up his prayers, the king and his subjects were restored to their original form. After the fairies had expressed their gratitude to Hatim, the king said to him, “Providence had long foreordained that you should visit our distressed race; but may I ask what has been the object of your toilsome journey hither, and to what place you are bound?”—“The object of my journey,” replied he, “is to visit the island of Barzakh, where I expect to procure a pearl similar to this model”; whereupon he showed the fairy king the model he had in silver of Husn Banu’s pearl. Shams Shah viewed it for some time, and said to Hatim, “The prince of Barzakh has indeed a pearl exactly of this size, but it is to be got from him only on one condition: he who can tell the history of the pearl, shall have both the pearl and the daughter. But how will you be able to reach that island? The distance is great, and the route dangerous.”—“I am prepared for the worst,” replied Hatim; “therefore let fate take its course.”—“You cannot escape with life,” said Shams Shah, “for the road is infested with men-devouring demons.”—“God,” rejoined Hatim, “will be my protector.”—“True,” said the fairy king, “but to ensure your safety, some of the boldest of my subjects shall go with you as guides.” The king having thus spoken, addressed those around him, and said, “Good friends, you are aware that to this generous man we owe our release from the bondage in which we have lately been. Now he has an arduous journey to perform; his business is important, and the road full of danger. I call upon the bravest of you, as you love your king, to accompany this noble prince and be his protectors on the way.” The fairies volunteered their services, saying, “Sire, tell us the nature of the difficulties which this prince has to encounter, and we will endeavor with our whole heart and soul to enable him to overcome them.”

The fairy king minutely detailed the object of Hatim’s journey; on the hearing of which, the fairies were staggered in their resolution, and said, “The journey to the island of Barzakh is truly dangerous; but if your Majesty in person deign to accompany us thither, so that we may have an experienced leader in case of a war with the demons, we are ready to go this moment; otherwise, we pray to be excused.”—“Well,” said the king, “it is but right that I should do all that is in my power to serve the prince of Yemen. Therefore, I will follow you at a distance, so that he may come by no harm on the road.” The king made instant preparation, girded on his armor, and ordered four of his people to place Hatim on a golden litter and carry him on their shoulders. The order was speedily executed, and four fairies swift of wing seizing each a foot of the couch, soared aloft with their burden into the aerial regions. Three days and nights they traversed the air, when they found it necessary to alight in order to procure for their charge food and drink. The place where they halted was within the territory of the demons, a circumstance of which they were not aware. Two of the fairies went in quest of food while the other two remained to guard Hatim. It happened that a troop of demons on a hunting excursion passed the spot, and on seeing the golden couch on which one of Adam’s race reclined, with two fairies standing by, they without ceremony took possession of the prize. The demons were so numerous, and their arrival so sudden, that the two fairies stood panic-struck, without offering the least resistance. Their first effort was to fly away; but despair supplied them with courage, and the next moment they made a desperate assault upon their enemies, of whom they slew numbers. At last, however, the demons won the battle, and the two fairies along with Hatim were made prisoners, and conveyed to the dwelling of the demon chief. There the fairies were first questioned, “Who is this man, and whence have you brought him?”—“This is Hatim, prince of Yemen,” they replied, “to whom we and our gracious monarch Shams Shah owe our restoration to life. Oh, chief of the demons, spare our lives for the sake of this brave man; and woe be to you should aught evil befall him.”

On hearing this, the demon said to them, “What is this I hear? Shams Shah has not been heard of for many centuries: how dare you say, then, that he is now alive?” The fairies detailed all the facts connected with their king; on the hearing of which the demon maintained a long silence, meditating what course to adopt. At last he formed his resolution, and said to those near him, “Take the man and the two fairies to the deepest of our dungeons; there secure them till to-morrow, when we shall devour them.” The sentence was speedily executed, and Hatim with his two companions were cast into a dark and loathsome pit.

Meanwhile the two fairies who had gone in search of food, on returning to the spot where they had left Hatim, were astonished at seeing the ground covered with blood, and strewed with the carcases of demons. They looked everywhere for their charge and their friends, but no trace of either could they find. They said the one to the other, “Of what race are these demons, and how came they to be slain here? But above all, what is become of Hatim and our companions? I fear they have been attacked and overpowered by the demons that infest these regions. Let us ascertain the fact and give intelligence of it to our king.” Having formed this resolution, the two fairies approached the spot, expecting to find the dead bodies of their companions. In the course of their search, they found one of the demons grievously wounded, but not dead. They gave him water to drink, and bound up his wounds, so that in a short time he recovered.

The fairies questioned him, saying, “Who are you, and to what tribe do you belong?” He replied, “I am of that race of demons whose chief is Mukarnas; a party of us were hunting to-day in this neighborhood, when we chanced to surprise two fairies and a man, with whom we had a battle in which I received these wounds. The demons conquered, and by this time they are feasting on the blood of their foes.” The fairies, on hearing this, bore off the demon to their own country and presented themselves breathless before Shams Shah. The king said to them, “How is this? Did I not send you to Barzakh in charge of the prince of Yemen? How dare you, then, show your faces here?”

The fairies trembling, replied, “Gracious sire, three days and nights we sped towards Barzakh; but at length hunger and thirst assailed both us and the prince. We then placed the litter in the shade of a tree, and two of us went in quest of food, while the other two remained to protect Hatim. When we returned, we found the spot covered with the carcases of demons, and from one of the wounded we learned the news of the capture of the prince and our two companions. Had we known the dangers of the place, we should not have halted there; but God had decreed otherwise. On questioning the wounded demon, he informed us that the country belonged to Mukarnas, to whose presence the prince of Yemen and the two fairies were conveyed.”

Shams Shah being highly grieved, ordered them to produce the wounded demon, whom he thus addressed, “How dares your chief Mukarnas lay violent hands on my subjects? Truly he has forgotten himself; but he shall feel my resentment.”—“Sire,” said the demon, “my chief had heard for certain that you had been dead for many centuries; and though both the two fairies and the man informed him of the contrary, the tale was so extravagant that he could not believe it.” Shams Shah turned to his officers, and said, “Prepare the whole of my army for an instant expedition.”

The order was at once obeyed, and thirty thousand of the choicest troops stood armed and ready at his gate. The king put himself at their head, and swift as the lightning they winged their way through the air. In three days they reached the territories of Mukarnas. There they halted, and the king despatched scouts to procure intelligence of the enemy’s quarters. “Be wary,” he said, “and quickly bring me word where the demon chief holds his court, and in what he is engaged.”

The scouts soon returned, and reported that Mukarnas, accompanied by his demons, was out hunting; and that they knew the very spot where he was. Shams Shah then addressed his troops, and made them swear by the seal of Sulaiman that they would fiercely assail the demons and that they would slay them without mercy. The fairies one and all took the solemn oath. So, receiving the signal from their king, they started, surprised the demons, slew the greater part of them, and made prisoners of Mukarnas and such of his subjects as survived. Shams Shah gave orders for their immediate execution; but he first sent for Mukarnas into his presence, and said to him, “Accursed fiend, hast thou forgotten me? Hast thou not been well informed that I was alive? Thou hast treated with violence and oppression both my own subjects and a man who is under my protection; dost thou not tremble at the thoughts of my revenge? Tell me this instant, what hast thou done with the prince of Yemen and his guides?”—“I, along with my friends, feasted on their carcases,” replied he, “the moment they were brought before me.”—“False demon,” rejoined the king; “did not your ancestors swear before the mighty Sulaiman, that neither they nor their posterity would ever injure one of the human race?”—“Well,” said the demon, “where is the powerful Sulaiman now, and when did I bow to him in servitude?”

Shams Shah said no more, but ordered them to pile together a quantity of dried wood, and when kindled to its height, hurl the demon into the flames. When the fiend saw that there was no escape, he said to the fairy king, “Will you give me my life, if I produce the man you mentioned?”—“If you bring me the man safe,” replied he, “there shall be no enmity between us.” The demon made the fairy king swear to this by the soul of Sulaiman, and then said, “Send some of your attendants to my dungeon, where they will find both the man and his companions still alive.” The fairies accordingly went and broke open the dungeon, released Hatim and his guides, and conveyed them before the king.

Shams Shah was overjoyed in once more meeting with Hatim. They sat down together and ate food; after which, the fairy king said to his attendants, “It would be a crime to spare the life of such a monster as this demon, therefore cast him instantly into the fire.”—“How,” said the demon, darest thou violate thy most sacred oath?”—“What hast thou to do with oaths?” returned Shams Shah. “Thy whole life has been a lie; and who can blame me, if for the welfare of my fellow-creatures, I disregard my promise to you?” In short, the fairy king destroyed the whole race of demons in that region, and appointed one of his own officers ruler of the conquered territory. He then addressed himself to Hatim, and said, “My dearest friend, what do you now intend to do?”—“I hold the same resolution,” replied Hatim, “as when I formerly left you.” The king hearing this, selected from among his troops four fairies of long experience, endowed with superior skill and bravery, and commanded them to convey Hatim to the end of his journey. These seized each a foot of the golden couch whereupon Hatim was seated, and soared aloft towards the sky. Night and day they continued their course; and when hunger or thirst assailed them, they took care to select a safe place where to halt. One day they were resting upon the summit of a mountain, where a fairy prince most beautiful of countenance had taken up his abode. This was the prince of the island of Tūmān, who had fallen desperately in love with the daughter of the king of Barzakh. He had sought for that solitary spot to give way to his sorrow and anguish. The voice of his lamentation reached the ear of Hatim, who said to his guides, “My dear friends, there is some one near us who feels the pangs of sorrow; let us see what is the cause of his grief.” He started from his couch, and following the direction of the sound came to the enamoured prince. He said to him, “Tell me, my friend, who are you; and why do you make the rocks echo the sound of your lamentation?

The fairy prince raised his eyes, and saw beside him a man of noble form and pleasant aspect. He said to him, “Tell me first, son of Adam, who are you, and what is your business here?”—“It has been the will of God the Supreme,” said Hatim, “that I should visit this spot.”—“But tell me,” said the fairy, “what is the object of your journey hither?”—“I have travelled thus far,” replied Hatim, “in quest of the pearl of the murghab, which I am informed is in the possession of the prince of Barzakh. He puts a question to every candidate for the pearl, which no one has yet answered.”—“You say right,” said the fairy prince, “and even we who are of the fairy race are unable to tell the history of the pearl; how then do you, a mere mortal, imagine that you will succeed?”—“For my own part,” replied Hatim, “my trust is in God; but tell me in the meantime what is the cause of your sorrow, and why have you chosen for your dwelling this solitary mountain?” The fairy prince replied, “Alas! I am enamoured of the beautiful daughter of Mahyar, the prince of the island of Barzakh. One day in my father’s court I heard my friends speak in the highest terms of the beauty and excellence of this peerless damsel, whereby I lost the reins of my heart. I straightway went to the palace of Mahyar, and informed him by message of my wish to marry his daughter. He admitted me to an audience; and having produced the pearl of the murghab, he asked me if I could tell the history of it. As I was quite unprepared for such a question, and utterly ignorant of the nature of the pearl, I could of course give no reply. I was then ordered to quit the court; and as I was coming out at the door, I happened to see the lady standing in the balcony of her window. The moment I beheld her my heart was pierced, and I became like one mad. In the agonies of despair I fled to this mountain, where I spend my nights and days in lamentation and sighs. I long for death to relieve me of my sorrow, since the idol of my heart can never be mine.”

When Hatim heard the prince’s history, he said to him, “Despair not, my friend, for I expect to succeed; and if I gain the prize, the daughter shall be yours and the pearl mine.”—“Your proposal is generous,” replied the fairy prince, “but excuse me if I say, that I doubt your success.”—“Listen,” said Hatim, “and I will tell you the nature of this pearl, which not only resembles, but is the egg of a murghab. The island of Barzakh was originally inhabited by the human species—but the tale is long, and it would be better that you once more approach the court of Mahyar along with me.” The fairy prince accordingly rose up; and having thanked Hatim for his good intentions, accompanied him to the litter. There they both sat; and Hatim said to his guides, “Will you be able to carry us two to the island of Barzakh?”—“Yea,” replied they, “we could carry four of you with the utmost ease.” Without further delay, the fairies lifted the chair and soared towards the clouds.

It happened that they had to pass over the territory of a demon prince, whose name was Muhaikal, who, having scented them from afar, said to his satellites, “I know that some of the fairy race are within my dominions; seize them instantly and bring them to my presence.” The demons immediately were on the wing; and after four days of close pursuit, they overtook the fairies with the golden litter on which were Hatim and his friend, and brought them all to the presence of their prince. “Tell me,” said he to the fairies, “who are you, and whence have you brought this man?”—“We are the subjects of Shams Shah,” replied the fairies. “Impossible,” rejoined the demon, “it is more than a thousand years since Shams Shah has been heard of, and the very place of his abode is overrun with serpents.”—“True,” replied the fairies, “we had been transformed into serpents; but by the prayers of this worthy man we have been restored to our original shape.”—“Well,” resumed the demon, “tell me where you intend to carry this man.”—“To the island of Barzakh,” they replied. “And who is the other companion?” asked the demon. The fairy prince himself replied, “I hope I am not unknown to Muhaikal, to whom my family is distantly related.”—“Truly, I am much surprised, young prince,” said the demon, “to find you associate with any of the race of Adam; but fear nothing from me, my business is with your companion.” The demon then seized Hatim, and lifted him from the couch; when the fairy prince interposed, and said, “Beware, Muhaikal: are you not bound by oath to Sulaiman himself, never to injure any of Adam’s race?” The demon, with a fiendish smile, said in return, “Where is Sulaiman now, that I should regard my oath to him? In truth, I mean to devour this son of Adam; therefore waste not your breath.” The fairy prince well knew the treacherous nature of the demon; he therefore resolved to meet him on his own ground, and said to him, “Mighty prince, it is beneath your dignity to stoop to the devouring of one man; leave him to me then, as the success of my present undertaking depends upon him, and I promise to send you ten men in his stead.”

To this proposal the demon readily agreed, and said, “Noble fairy, I am most willing to accommodate you, as we are in some degree related to each other. Let this man in the meantime be secured in my castle, while you go for the ten men you promise, and when you return with these, I will make him over to you.”—“Agreed,” said the fairy prince, “I ask only four days for my arrangement; but I will not suffer you to shut up this man in one of your dungeons.”—“Place him where you choose,” said the demon, “only let him be strictly guarded by my subjects.”

Near that spot there happened to be a pleasant garden; it was therefore agreed that Hatim should remain there under the guard of the demons, during the absence of the fairy prince. Meanwhile the prince, with the four fairies that had conducted Hatim thither, withdrew to a sequestered spot, and held a consultation as to further proceedings. “If,” said the prince, “we return to your king, and solicit his aid with that of his forces, the stipulated time will have expired long before we can return, and the demon will assuredly devour our friend. Let us, then, remain here in concealment, and watch a favorable moment when the demons are off their guard; then let us enter the garden, and having carried off the prince of Yemen, let us trust to the swiftness of our wings.”

The four fairies applauded the proposal; and at the hour of midnight, when the demons had fastened the door of the garden and betaken themselves to repose, the fairies took up the golden litter and flew softly over the wall. They looked warily around them, and found the demons all buried in sleep. Hatim, exhausted with sorrow and despair, had also sought refuge in slumber under the shade of a tree. They lifted him gently from the ground, laid him on the litter along with the fairy prince, and, swift as the wind, resumed their aerial voyage. For the remainder of the night they winged their way with the utmost speed, and at the dawn of day came to a place of safety where they halted for refreshment and repose.

To return to the demons. When daylight shone, and when they saw the gates firmly fixed, as on the preceding evening, they concluded that their prisoner was secure within, and thus they continued their watch for the appointed period of four days, while the fairies, on the other hand, were making the best use of their time. On the last day of the stipulated time, Muhaikal was anxiously waiting the return of the fairy prince; and when the hour of noon expired, he said to his satellites, “I see these fairies have not thought proper to keep their promise; they have gone and left the man to his fate. Let him be brought forth then immediately, that we may feast upon him.” The demons opened the strong gates, and on entering the garden, what was their disappointment on finding their charge carried off! They returned to their chief, and informed him of the fact. Muhaikal was highly enraged, and ordered the sentinels to be punished with stripes, and flung into a dungeon. In vain did they swear by Sulaiman, that they were not in the least privy to Hatim’s escape; the chief believed them not, and they were dragged to torture.

By the time the fairies had reached the boundaries of the desert of Kahrman, one of Muhaikal’s demons, who had left the court of his chief on the day when Hatim had been taken, happened to meet them. The demon at once recognized the fairies, and understood the case. He knew that his master had sharpened his teeth in order to feast on the man; he, therefore, endeavored to seize Hatim and carry him off by force; but the fairy prince quickly drew his sword, and severed the intruder’s right hand from his body. The demon, furious with pain and disappointment, said to the prince, “Well, you shall pay dearly for this; you have cut off my hand when doing my duty towards my chief. I will inform the whole of my race of your treachery and violence, and the fiercest revenge will be the consequence.”

Meanwhile the fairies addressed Hatim, saying, “Brave prince of Yemen, we are now arrived at the line of separation between the fairies and the demons, beyond which we dare not advance.”—“Farewell, then, good friends,” replied Hatim, “I have myself the means of succeeding in the remainder of my journey.” The fairies here left him, except the prince of Tuman, who had an equal share of interest in the adventure. As they were about to enter the great desert which limited the region of the demons, Hatim asked his companion if he thought it safe to advance. “Truly, prince of Yemen,” replied the other, “no creature except a demon can with safety approach these regions.”—“Cannot any of the fairy race visit them?” resumed Hatim. “The fairies,” replied the prince, “though not safe, have least to fear, as there is at present a truce between themselves and the demons, which was ratified after a bloody battle fought on these plains. The kings of both races took the field with the whole of their forces, and vast was the number of the slain, while victory inclined to neither side. At length peace was concluded, and the demons swore by Sulaiman of Iram never more to injure any of the fairy race; but they scruple not to violate their solemn oath to us, and to mankind they are inveterate foes.”—“Enough,” said Hatim; “suppose I had the power of transforming myself into the likeness of a demon, and thus pass in safety through their territory; would you venture to accompany me?”—“Not publicly,” replied the fairy, “but I could easily succeed; during the day I should soar among the clouds, and at night I should descend to your place of rest.”

Hatim immediately took a vessel full of water, and having burnt the colored feathers of the natika, he made the mixture as he had been directed. He then cast off his garment, and washed his whole body from head to foot, when, lo! his color was black, and his shape became that of a hideous demon. When the fairy prince saw this frightful transformation, he was greatly astonished, and said to Hatim, “Wonderful man, tell me to what bird belong these feathers, which possess such potent qualities?”—“I procured them,” replied Hatim, “from a talking bird called the natika, the eggs of which are pearls such as that in the possession of Mahyar of Barzakh.” Hatim then detailed the occurrence of the tree where he listened to the conversation of the birds; but the information respecting the history of the pearl in question he prudently withheld till they should arrive at the court of Mahyar.

The fairy prince had full reliance on Hatim’s skill and wisdom, and his heart rejoiced within him as the prospect of success brightened. The two friends commenced their journey; and when Hatim entered the land of the demons, he met with no interruption; for they all took him for one of their own race. After some days had thus passed, it happened that as Hatim and his fairy friend met to repose for the night, they were observed by one of the demon race. He went and informed his neighbors, that in a certain spot a demon had taken up his night’s rest, and that a fairy had descended from the sky at the same time, as if the meeting had been preconcerted. The demons very soon assembled round the two travellers; and said one to another, “These are strangers, and one of them is a fairy: we had better carry them before our king, that they may give an account of themselves.” To this proposal one of the demons would not assent; and said, “My dear friends, why should we on mere suspicion oppress these innocent strangers? One of them is of our own race, and with the fairies we have no enmity.”

The prince of Tuman happened to be awake, and was listening to this conference, which ended in favor of those who were for making the strangers prisoners. He awakened Hatim, who addressed the demons in their own language, saying, “Friends, we have travelled far, and being fatigued, we here sought repose. Why have you disturbed our slumbers, and what is your business with us?”—“We wish to know,” they replied, “who you are.”—“For me,” said Hatim, “I am a helpless stranger wandering I know not whither. Shams Shah, the king of the fairies, has exterminated the tribe of Mukarnas, and burnt their dwellings, which is the cause of my being here. This he has done for the sake of one of the race of Adam, who is now journeying to the island of Barzakh. Now if you wish to serve your prince effectually, go and search for the man on whose account such a havoc has been committed, and leave peaceful travellers like myself and my companion to go their own way.”—“If your tribe,” resumed the demons, “has thus suffered, how can you associate with a fairy? Tell us of what tribe is your friend.”—“He is prince of Tuman,” replied Hatim, “and one of your allies.”—“Enough,” returned the demons, “you may sleep secure, none of us shall disturb you, as we may find better occupation in capturing the man whom you mention.”

The demons departed; and Hatim, addressing the fairy prince, said, “Let us arise, and speed hence; the demon race is not to be trusted.” They accordingly set off, and Journeyed without intermission till the evening of the third day, when they arrived on the sea-shore. “This,” said the fairy prince, “is the sea of Kahrman, in which is situated the island of Barzakh.”—“How are we to cross?” said Hatim, “for so far as my eye can reach, I see not any vessel on that wide ocean.”—“I shall find means for crossing the sea,” replied the fairy, “for at a distance of nine farasangs, there is a province where winged horses are bred. These animals can fly to any distance across the ocean, nor can any storm interrupt their course. Do you, then, remain here during my absence, and I will go forthwith and procure two winged horses, by whose means success will crown our adventure.”

The prince of Tuman left Hatim on the sea-shore, and swiftly cleft the air with his pinions till he reached the country of the winged horses. As he was intimate with the prince of that province, he was speedily admitted to an interview, and stated the object of his visit, saying, “I require two of your swiftest steeds, in order to cross the sea to Barzakh: if you do me this favor, you will have a claim to my services for life.” On hearing his request, the prince gave him his choice of all his winged horses; and the prince of Tuman having selected the two he considered best, returned to his companion.

The friends immediately mounted; and when Hatim saw the horses spread their wings and soar aloft like eagles among the clouds, his astonishment was beyond description; and so swift was their flight, that he could scarcely keep his seat. In a few days half the distance was run down; but Hatim was so overcome with hunger, thirst, and drowsiness, that he found it impossible to proceed further. He mentioned his distress to the fairy prince, who handed him a small apple, saying, “Eat even a few grains of this rare fruit, and all your weariness will be dispelled.” Hatim tasted of the apple, and the effect was miraculous; he felt his strength and vigor restored, nor did he during the rest of the passage feel the least fatigued.

A few days afterwards the horses descended upon the further shore of the sea of Kahrman. Hatim rejoiced to find himself safe on land; and said to his companion, “My dear friend, surely we have passed the island of Barzakh, which, as I am informed, is in the midst of the sea.”—“Noble Arab,” replied the fairy, “this is part of the island where we have landed, but it will take ten days more to reach the capital; and now that I think of it, I shall by your leave go and assemble my own troops, that they may accompany us thither.”—“Think better of it,” said Hatim; “are we forsooth going to wage war with Mahyar Sulaimani?”—“No,” said the fairy prince, “but I know that we shall meet with many interruptions, and that soon, unless we use this precaution.”—“What time will be requisite for you,” asked Hatim, “to assemble your troops and return hither?”—“You may for certain expect me,” answered the fairy, “by the end of seven days.”

The fairy prince took leave of Hatim, who, when left thus solitary, began to explore the surrounding country. He soon came to a fragrant garden, the doors of which were all wide open. He entered; and his eyes were delighted with the sight of trees, which bore loads of fruit of every size and color, and of finer quality than he had ever met with. Thus Hatim enjoyed himself for the week, walking undisturbed in the wide garden. The horses, too, were so tame and so attached to him, that during the day they grazed on the sea-shore, and at night they returned to the door of the garden.

Meanwhile the fairy prince reached his paternal dominions. When his subjects saw him, they quickly conveyed the tidings to his father and mother, who came out to meet their beloved son. After mutual greeting, the father thus spoke: “My dear son, it is long since you left us at the head of your troops on an expedition to the island of Barzakh. How did it happen that you absconded from your army? Thought you not of the distress and sorrow which we must have endured by your absence? But I will not upbraid you, my beloved son; tell me at once, have you attained the object of your wish?”

The prince, with tears in his eyes, replied, “Forgive me, father, how could I expect success when I have acted so regardless of you? Since my departure, I have met with nothing but pain and disappointment, till lately when my destinies have proved favorable. I have found a sincere friend in the noblest of the human race. Hatim Taï, the prince of Arabia, is now journeying from Shahabad for the pearl of the murghab, which is in the possession of Mahyar. He found me sad and solitary in the cavern of a mountain; he learned from me the cause of my sorrow, and said to me in the voice of benevolence, ‘Despair not, my friend, I am confident that I shall succeed; and as I desire only the pearl, I will bestow the lady upon you.’ This, my father, is not a vain promise, for Hatim is pure in heart and sincere in speech.”

When the father and mother heard this statement, they laughed at the prince’s credulity, while the former said to him in reply, “Truly, my son, you are more simple and inexperienced than I thought you. The most skilful of our own race have in vain endeavored to procure that pearl; how then can a mere mortal of the race of Adam, who knows nothing of our secret arts, be expected to succeed in such an undertaking? Are you really so foolish as to build your hope on such a slender foundation?”—“Father,” replied the prince, “Hatim is a man of surpassing wisdom. He has travelled much, and has made himself acquainted with all the mystic sciences of the sublunary creation. With this intent he has accompanied me across the sea of Kahrman, and is now waiting my return on the coast of Barzakh.”—“Well, my son,” said the king, “tell me your present purpose in parting with him, and in coming hither.”—“To obtain from you a convoy of your best troops,” replied the prince, “that we may proceed in safety to the court of Mahyar.”

The king, after brief consideration, summoned twelve thousand of his chosen troops, which he appointed as guards for his son. The prince took an affectionate leave of his parents, and at the head of his select army, departed for the island of Barzakh, while the king raised recruits to supply their place. In a little more than the appointed time, the prince arrived in the island of Barzakh, and surrounded by his troops, passed the night in the garden where Hatim had resided, and next morning they began their march towards the capital. Meanwhile Mahyar Sulaimani received intelligence that a host of fairies numerous as the sand had landed in a remote corner of the island; whereupon he quickly led forth his own forces, so as to be ready to receive them, should their intention prove hostile.

When Hatim and the fairy prince with their chosen band approached the capital of Barzakh, they were surprised at seeing an army vastly superior to their own, prepared to dispute their passage. They soon discovered that these were the troops of the watchful Mahyar, and that no time was to be lost in coming to a proper explanation. The fairy prince despatched a messenger to state that his object was peace and amity, not strife and bloodshed; and that he came solely to visit the prince of Barzakh. The noble Mahyar instantly commissioned in return the commander of his army with orders to state to the prince of Zuman, that if he came in peace, no one should molest him, and that his visit was every way welcome.

In short, Hatim and his friend along with their convoy were allowed to enter the capital; and after they had been hospitably entertained, Mahyar sent them a message requesting to know the object of their visit. “Say to Mahyar,” replied the fairy prince to the messenger, “that the last time I visited him I was doomed to experience a painful disappointment; that at present I have accompanied hither the noblest of mankind, who has come from afar on a similar purpose.” Mahyar gave orders for their immediate admission to his presence, and addressing Hatim, said, “Tell me, prince of Yemen, what has been your object in visiting my dominions?” Hatim produced the silver model of the pearl of the murghab, and related his past history so far as it concerned Husn Banu and Munir. “The lady,” concluded Hatim, “has imposed upon me as her sixth task, to procure her a match to this pearl.”—“And where,” said Mahyar, “can you find a pearl similar to hers?”—“I have been informed,” replied Hatim, “that the only one equal to it in the world is in your possession; and my journey hither has been on that account.”—“Well,” resumed Mahyar, “I have such a pearl in my palace; and if you fulfil my conditions, you shall have both the pearl and my daughter.”

Hatim remained some time silent, and after mature reflection, said, “The pearl alone can be of service to me; but I have no intention to accept the daughter.”—“If you gain the pearl,” said the king of Barzakh, “you shall be free to accept my daughter or not, only she shall be entirely at your disposal, and you may bestow her on whom you please.” Hatim then, at the request of Mahyar, related the whole history of the pearl as he had heard from the natika in the desert. Mahyar listened attentively to his detail; and when Hatim concluded, he entered his secret apartment and brought forth the pearl, saying, “Brave Hatim, accept what you have fairly gained; and tell me, how do you wish my daughter to be disposed of?”

Hatim instantly ordered the youthful queen to be married to the fairy prince of Zuman, a measure to which her father assented.

After a month Hatim took leave of Mahyar, and accompanied by the fairy prince and his bride came to the sea of Kahrman. He then requested the prince to return to his own country, while he himself should make his way to Shahabad. “At least,” said the prince, “let me send with you a guard of my own subjects as far as the kingdom of Shams Shah.” To this Hatim agreed, and having mounted his winged steed, accompanied by a select guard, he recrossed the sea, and landed in the territory of the demons. Here they had not far advanced when the demons observed them, and prepared to dispute their passage. The fairies, so few in number, could offer little resistance: they therefore addressed their opponents, saying, “Good friends, we are both descended of one family; and we pass through your country bearing no enmity towards you. We have been delegated by our prince to convey his congratulations to Shams Shah, who, after a long period of misery, is now restored to happiness.”

The demons, on hearing this, gave them no further interruption; and in the course of time they arrived safe in the dominions of Shams Shah. This king having received intelligence that strangers were approaching, mounted his steed and came out to meet them in person, and great was his joy when he saw Hatim among them. He affectionately embraced him, and said to his guides, “May heaven reward your goodness, for you have done me the greatest service possible in restoring to me safe the generous prince of Yemen.” Having thus addressed them, he invited them to a splendid feast, which lasted forty days.

Hatim then took leave of the fairy king, who supplied him with everything requisite for his journey, and appointed four of his subjects to carry him on a golden litter to the city of Shahabad. Thither they swiftly conveyed him in the course of a few days. Outside the gates they descended from their aerial flight; and Hatim, at their request, gave them letters to their sovereign, with which they returned. He then entered the city, where the people immediately recognized him, and conveyed the tidings of his return to their lovely queen. Husn Banu threw her veil over her face, and gave orders for Hatim’s admission to her palace, where the counsellors of the city were then assembled. Hatim entered; and, after mutual salutation, produced the pearl of the murghab in presence of the assembly and stated the details of his marvellous adventure.

When Husn Banu saw the pearl she was highly delighted, and the court resounded with the praises of the noble Hatim, who withdrew to the Mihmanseraï. There he met the Assyrian prince Munir, and said to him, “Your happiness, my friend, is now almost at hand: only one question remains unanswered.” After a repose of a few days, he presented himself before Husn Banu, and said, “Fair lady, let me hear your seventh question, that I may lose no time in the completion of my task.”—“The seventh and last is,” replied she, “to bring me an account of the bath of Badgard.” Hatim took leave of Husn Banu and the prince Munir, and prepared for his departure.