In the course of an hour the giant was so near as to be distinctly seen in shape like an immense dome. He had neither hands nor feet, but a tremendous mouth situated in the midst of his body. He advanced with a revolving motion, and from his jaws issued volumes of flame and clouds of smoke. When the people saw this terrific spectacle they trembled, and attempted to fly. “You have nothing to fear,” said Hatim, “stand quiet and look on; not the least harm will befall you.” Encouraged by Hatim’s address they stood silent as the dead, and trembling beheld the approach of the giant.
Hatim stood with his eye fixed on Halūka as he rolled towards him; and when the giant was within a few paces of the mirror, the curtain that covered it was suddenly pulled off. When Halūka beheld his own monstrous form in the glass, his breath was stopped from anger; he uttered a single yell, so loud as to make the desert and the mountains shake. Choking with rage, he remained for a short time, till at last his confined breath so inflated him that he burst with a noise like the crash of the thunderbolt, so that the hearers were struck senseless, and the echoes of the wilderness reverberated far and wide.
When the people were restored to their senses, what a spectacle they beheld! The desert was overspread with the entrails of Halūka, who now lay dead before them. The whole assembly, including the chief and his son, gathered around Hatim and prostrated themselves at his feet. They then addressed him: “Most learned Sir, tell us the reason why the monster has thus died as it were of his own accord.”—“You see,” replied Hatim, “the giant has come by his death, not from any weapon, but merely by the viewing of his own image, for he had never seen his own likeness in any other creature; rage stopped his breath so effectually that he burst.”
Next day the inhabitants of the village, each according to his means, produced all their valuables in gold, jewels, and diamonds, and offered them to Hatim, who would accept nothing, saying, “My good friends, these are not of the least use to me. In this affair I have merely discharged my duty towards God and my fellow-creatures.”—“May we ask,” said they, “what has been the cause of your coming into our village?” Hatim answered, “This is the eve of Jumat, when a voice will be heard in the desert, crying, ‘I have not done aught that will benefit me this night.’ In order to ascertain the meaning of this voice, I have journeyed hither, and to-night I intend to travel in pursuit of the mysterious being who utters the exclamation.”
The chief observed, “For some time now that voice has been heard by us also, but we do not know whence it proceeds.” Hatim remained in the village for the whole of that day, and at the usual time at night the voice reached his ear, and he instantly proceeded in the direction whence it came. For the whole of the night he continued to advance as he supposed towards the sound, and when daylight came he found himself still in the desert, where he again halted.
In short, Hatim thus journeyed onwards week after week for the space of two months, at the expiration of which period he at last came to a mound of sand of about five hundred feet in diameter. He ascended to the summit, and soon discovered that the voice issued from its interior. He halted and looked around him; and lo! a body of men consisting of about five hundred horsemen, and as many on foot, appeared drawn up in array before him. He approached them, but found that they were all statues of marble, being as he conjectured monuments of the illustrious dead. Among these tombs Hatim rested for a week, until the time of hearing the voice should again come round.
As the evening of Jumat closed its shades, Hatim ascended the sand-hill, and devoutly kneeling, poured out his soul in prayer before the Almighty Creator. When about a watch of the night had passed, the inmates of the tombs started into life, with countenances resembling angels. They arrayed the place with couches and thrones, on which they sat apparelled in robes of splendid description. But amidst these, one of the revived dead, with weeping eyes and mean apparel, his body sprinkled with dust and ashes, and his feet bare, came forth, and in humble posture sat upon the cold ground. Before each of those who sat on thrones and couches flowed streams of nectar, of which they freely drank, but none of them gave the least drop to the wretched man who sat upon the bare earth. The latter, after some time, fetched a deep sigh, and said, “Alas! I have not done that which might have benefited me this night.”
Hatim stood near and witnessed the whole scene, and rejoiced that his inquiries were now likely to prove successful. When the hour of midnight arrived, a table miraculously placed itself before each of them. On every table was laid a large vessel full of rice and milk, with a goblet full of pure water. But there stood a table apart from the rest furnished in like manner, and one of the company said, “Come, my friends, this traveller is our guest for the time, let him be introduced, and seated at this unoccupied table.” On hearing this, one of them arose, and advancing to Hatim, took him kindly by the hand, and conducting him to a couch, placed food before him.
Hatim’s attention was wholly occupied by the man who lay on the ground sighing and weeping, and at intervals exclaiming, “I have not done aught that can benefit me this night.” The latter, too, had a table, but instead of nectar and ambrosia his cup was filled with the juice of the zakkūm,[8] and the food of the condemned, and the most loathsome dregs mingled with blood. Hatim for some time held down his head in deep reflection, and at last began to taste of the fare before him. After he had refreshed himself with food and drink, the tables vanished from his view; but his thoughts ever reverted to the mysterious state of the wretched being who sat upon the ground before him.
Hatim, addressing the company, said, “Most worthy sirs, I have one request which, with your permission, I wish to state.” The whole assembly requested him to speak. Hatim then proceeded: “How comes it, worthy sirs, that you are seated on thrones, exalted in dignity, and regaled with such heavenly and delicious fare? And, on the other hand, tell me the reason why, instead of such food, the juice of the zakkūm with the most loathsome of dregs has been allotted as the portion of this miserable man who lies stretched on the bare earth?” To this they replied, “From us that mystery is utterly hidden; seek information from the sufferer himself.”