After some days spent in a fruitless search, he arrived in a plain of prodigious extent, in the midst whereof was a palace all of black marble. He drew near, and at one of the windows spied a most beautiful lady, but set off with no other ornament than her own beauty; for her hair was dishevelled, her garments ragged, and on her countenance appeared all the tokens of the greatest affliction. As soon as she saw Codadad, and judged he might hear her, she directed her discourse to him, saying, Alas! young man, get away from this fatal place, or else you will soon fall into the hands of the monster that inhabits it. A black who feeds only on human blood, resides in this palace. He seizes all persons whom their ill fate conducts to this plain, and shuts them up in his dark dungeons, whence they are never released but to be devoured by him.
Madam, answered Codadad, tell me who you are, and be not concerned for any more. I am a maid of quality, of Grand Cairo, replied the lady: I was passing by this castle yesterday, in my way to Bagdad, and met with the black, who killed all my servants, and brought me hither. I wish I had nothing but death to fear; but, to add to my calamity, this monster would persuade me to love him; and, in case I do not yield to-morrow to his brutality, I must expect the utmost violence. I tell you once more, added she, make your escape: the black will soon return: he is gone out to pursue some travellers he spied at a distance on the plain. Lose no time; nay, I know not whether a speedy flight will deliver you from him.
She had scarce done speaking these words before the black appeared. He was a man of a monstrous bulk, and of a dreadful aspect, mounted on a mighty Tartar horse, and wore such a large and heavy scimitar, that none but he could make use of it. The prince, seeing him, was amazed at his monstrous mien, directed his prayers to Heaven to assist him, then drew his scimitar, and stood still to expect the black; who, despising so inconsiderable an enemy, called to him to yield himself with engaging words; but Codadad, by his behaviour, gave him to understand that he was resolved to defend his life; for he drew near, and gave him a great cut on the knee. The black, feeling himself wounded, gave such a dreadful shriek as made all the plain resound. He grew enraged, foamed at the mouth, and raising himself on his stirrups, made at Codadad with his dreadful scimitar. The stroke was so violent, that no more would have been required to put an end to the prince, had not he, by a sudden spring he made his horse take, avoided it. The scimitar made a mighty hissing in the air; but, before the black could have leisure to second the blow, Codadad let fall one on his right arm with such fury, that he cut it off. The dreadful scimitar fell, with the hand that held it; and the black, yielding under the violence of the stroke, lost his stirrups, and made the earth quake with his mighty fall. The prince alighted at the same time, and chopped off his enemy’s head. Just then the lady, who had been a spectator of the combat, and was still offering up her vows to Heaven for that young hero whom she admired, gave a shriek for joy, and said to Codadad, Prince, (for the mighty victory you have obtained convinces me that you are of no ordinary extraction,) finish the work you have begun: the black has the keys of this castle: take them, and deliver me out of prison. The prince searched the wretch’s pockets, as he lay stretched out on the ground, and found several keys.
He opened the first door, and went into a court, where he met the lady coming to meet him. She would have cast herself at his feet, in token of her gratitude; but he would not permit her. She commended his valour, and extolled him above all the heroes in the world. He returned her compliments; and she appearing still more lovely to him near at hand than at a distance, I know not whether she was more joyful to be delivered from the desperate danger she had been in, than he for having done so considerable a service to so beautiful a person.
Their discourse was interrupted by dismal cries and groans. What is this I hear? said Codadad: whence come those miserable cries which pierce our ears? Sir, said the lady to him, pointing to a little door there was in the court, they come from thence. There are I know not how many wretched persons, whom fate has made to fall into the hands of the black. They are all chained; and that monster drew out one every day to be devoured.
It is an addition to my joy, answered the young prince, to understand that my victory will save the lives of those unfortunate persons. Come along with me, madam, to partake in the satisfaction of giving them their liberty. You may guess by yourself how welcome we shall be to them. Having so said, they advanced towards the door of the dungeon; and the nearer they drew, the more distinctly they heard the complaints of the prisoners. Codadad pitying them, and impatient to put an end to their sufferings, put one of the keys into the key-hole, which proved not to be the right one at first, and therefore he took another; at which noise all those unfortunate creatures, concluding it was the black, who came, according to custom, to bring them some meat, and at the same time to seize one of them to eat himself, redoubled their cries and groans. Lamentable voices were heard, which sounded as if they had come from the centre of the earth.
In the mean time, the prince had opened the door, and went down a very steep stair-case into a large and deep vault, which received some small light from a little window, and in which there were above a hundred persons bound to stakes, and their hands tied. Unfortunate travellers, said he to them, wretched victims, who only expected the moment of an approaching cruel death, give thanks to Heaven, which has this day delivered you by my means. I have slain the black by whom you were to be devoured, and am come to knock off your irons. The prisoners hearing these words, all together gave a shout, occasioned by joy and surprise. Codadad and the lady began to unbind them; and, as soon as any of them were loose, they helped to take off the fetters from the rest; so that in a short time they were all at liberty.
They then kneeled down, and, having returned thanks to Codadad for what he had done for them, went out of the dungeon; and when they were come into the court, how surprising it was for the prince to see among the prisoners those he was in search of, and almost out of hopes to find! Princes, cried he, am I not deceived? is it not you I behold? May I flatter myself that it will be in my power to restore you to the king your father, who is inconsolable for the loss of you? But will he not have some one to lament? Are you all here alive? Alas! the death of one of you will suffice to damp all the joy I conceive for having delivered you.
The forty-nine princes all made themselves known to Codadad, who embraced them one after another, and told them how uneasy their father was on account of their absence. They gave their deliverer all the commendations he deserved, as did the other prisoners, who could not find words expressive enough to declare the gratitude they were sensible of. Next, Codadad, with them, took a view of the whole castle, where there was immense wealth; curious silks, gold brocades, Persian carpets, China satins, and an infinite quantity of other goods, which the black had taken from the caravans he had plundered, a considerable part whereof belonged to the prisoners Codadad had then set free. Every man knew and reclaimed what belonged to him. The prince restored them their own, and divided the rest of the merchandise among them. Then he said to them, How will you do to carry away your goods? we are here in a desert place, and there is no likelihood of getting your horses. Sir, answered one of the prisoners, the black robbed us of our camels as well as our goods, and perhaps they may be in the stables of this castle. That is not unlikely, replied Codadad; let us see after it. Accordingly they went to the stables, where they not only found the camels, but also the horses belonging to the king of Harran’s sons. There were some black slaves in the stables; who, seeing all the prisoners released, and guessing thereby that their master had been killed, fled through by-ways well known to them. Nobody minded to pursue them. All the merchants, overjoyed that they had recovered their goods and camels, together with their liberty, thought of nothing but prosecuting their journey; but first repeated their thanks to their deliverer.
When they were gone, Codadad, directing his discourse to the lady, said, To what place, madam, do you desire to go? whither did you design when you were seized by the black? I intend to bear you company to the place you shall appoint, and I do not question but that all these princes will do the same. The king of Harran’s sons protested to the lady they would not leave her till she was restored to her friends.