Hatim spent the remainder of the night there as formerly, and when the morning dawned he departed. After traversing for several days the mountains and deserts, he came to a spot where he beheld a decrepit old woman sitting by the wayside. When the old woman observed him, she made a piteous appeal to his charity; and Hatim having pulled off a diamond ring from his finger, gave it to her and walked onwards. The old woman then cried out, “May heaven send one or two to aid me”; and in an instant seven young fellows rushed from the desert. Now these seven men were the sons of the old woman, and were notorious robbers in those quarters. The mother shewed them the diamond ring, and assured them that the traveller who gave it must be a man of wealth. The robbers overtook Hatim, and walked peaceably along with him for some space, conversing on various subjects. At last they said to him, “Noble Sir, we are here out of employment, and if you will permit us, it is our wish to accompany you to some city where we may earn our livelihood by service.”
To this request Hatim readily assented; and when the robbers found that he was duped by their false assertions, one of them came behind him, and casting a net over his head, they all seized him and conveyed him to the mouth of a pit which was close by. They stripped him of his clothing, and took possession of all the money and jewels that he had with him; after which they wounded him in several parts of his body with their daggers, and threw him into the pit. For a long time Hatim lay senseless; but as soon as his recollection was restored he searched for his talisman, which the robbers had fortunately left with his turban. The instant he brought it out the pit became quite dry; he then applied it to his wounds, which were speedily healed.
Hatim thus restored to perfect health could not, mild as he was, avoid making the following reflections: “What a trick those cowardly villains have played me! Well, if we should meet again I may give them something which will set their avarice forever at rest.” Occupied with these thoughts he fell into a profound sleep, and in a dream he beheld an aged man, who thus accosted him: “O, Hatim, let not thy heart be cast down. Thinkest thou that Divine Providence has sent thee hither without some wise and unerring design? Listen, and I will tell thee the cause of thy falling into this apparent calamity. In this pit the Creator, bountiful and gracious, hath kept hidden a treasure that is destined for thee. Arise and take possession of it; for thou art capable of employing it in that way which is most acceptable to the bountiful Giver. Let sadness no longer dwell in thy heart; he who is discontent is unfit for the service of God.”
To this mysterious man Hatim replied, “In every state that may befall me, I am always satisfied with the decrees of Providence; and though these may exceed my comprehension, I submit with resignation. Should the sacrifice of my life tend to promote the service of God, I am ready to yield it.”—“I am convinced,” continued the old man, “that thy words are sincere; meanwhile take away this treasure, which is thine.”—“I am alone,” said Hatim; “I cannot even liberate myself from this dungeon; of what use is it then to offer me so vast a treasure?”—“To-morrow,” replied the man, “two persons will pass this way who will set you at liberty; and by their aid you can bring out the treasure and carry it away.”—“It will be impossible for two persons,” said Hatim, “to release me from this prison; and as for the treasure, it is out of the question.”—“The two persons to whom I allude,” replied the man, “are able to accomplish both the one and the other”; and having thus spoken, he vanished, leaving Hatim to the enjoyment of a pleasant dream.
As soon as the morning rays dawned, the two persons arrived at the mouth of the pit, and called out, “Ah! Hatim, are you still alive?” To this he replied, “He who at first created me, hath preserved me.” The two strange beings that addressed him thrust each of them a hand into the pit, which was of immense depth, and to Hatim’s astonishment, their hands reached the bottom where he lay. They called aloud to him to hold fast by their hands, which he did, and in an instant he was set at liberty. Hatim thanked his deliverers, and said to them, “In this pit there are vast treasures of gold and jewels; if you can bring them to light, I will distribute the same in the service of God by relieving the wants of the poor and needy.” On hearing this, one of them threw himself into the pit, and handed up the treasure to the other, who remained outside. In the course of an hour all the hidden stores of the pit were brought up and packed together so as to be easily carried; after which the two took leave of Hatim and departed.
Hatim for some time viewed his treasure, and thus communed with himself: “How can I best dispose of this wealth? If the villains that lately maltreated me were here I should bestow it upon them, that they might for once be satisfied and cease from oppressing their fellow-creatures.” He then selected from the stores a suit of apparel, in which he dressed himself; and having filled a large bag with the most valuable jewels, he departed in quest of the old woman and her seven sons. He had not far advanced when he espied the object of his search, sitting, as formerly by the wayside. On seeing her Hatim was extremely glad, and walking up to her, he put his hand into his bundle and pulled out a handful of the finest jewels, which he scattered around her. The old woman, as formerly, gave the signal to her sons by exclaiming, “May heaven send one or two to aid me”; and forthwith the seven robbers presented themselves, and surrounding Hatim, asked him whither he was journeying. Hatim addressed them thus: “My good friends, I have one request to beg of you, which I hope you will allow me.”
The thieves desired him to speak, whereupon he thus continued: “You hunger and thirst for gold and worldly wealth; abandon your present iniquitous way of life, and withdraw your hands from oppressing your neighbors, and I will enrich you with gold and jewels to such a degree as will satisfy your utmost wishes.” To this exhortation the thieves replied, “Hunger and want have driven us to this avocation; and of course, if you give us all this wealth, we shall speedily abandon a line of life which is hateful to God and oppressive to man.”—“Well,” said Hatim, “repent of your past deeds, and give me your solemn and sincere promise never to transgress in future, and I shall satisfy your wants.”—“But ere we can conscientiously give you this promise,” replied the thieves, “shew us that immense treasure which you are to bestow upon us.” Hatim opened his bag and displayed the treasures which he possessed; on seeing which the thieves unanimously requested him to impose upon them whatever terms he chose. “Swear to me,” said Hatim, “a solemn oath in the following words: ‘Before God the wise and supreme, who observeth and knoweth all things, we promise never to lay our hands on the property of our fellow-creatures, nor henceforth to injure any one; otherwise may the wrath of heaven be upon us, and may our past deeds, of which we sincerely repent, never be forgiven.’”
Hereupon the thieves bound themselves by oath to follow his dictates, and expressed their penitence for their past sins; after which Hatim, having thus reclaimed them from the path of error, divided his treasure among them and departed. Having traversed part of the desert, he espied a dog lolling out his tongue, and exhausted with hunger and thirst. He at once supposed that some caravan, to which the dog belonged, must be at no great distance. When he approached, the poor animal in the most piteous manner seemed to implore his aid. Hatim felt for the misery of every living creature; he therefore lifted the dog in his arms, and carried it with him, in order to restore it with food and drink as soon as he could procure any. He had not long proceeded when he beheld a village at some distance before him, and thither he bent his steps. On his arrival the people presented him with a barley loaf and some curdled milk, the whole of which he gave to the dog. The exhausted animal, thus satisfied with food and drink, fawned on Hatim, as if expressing its sense of his kindness, and then lay down at his feet.
Hatim began to stroke the animal with his hands, and was meditating on the power and wisdom of the Almighty, who created the countless myriads of creatures that fill the universe, each with some characteristic in form and color peculiar to itself, when his hand passing over the head of the dog, he felt some hard substance resembling a horn. He wondered in his own mind what this could mean, “for,” said he, “I never heard of dogs having horns.” He examined it further, and found that an iron nail had been driven into the head of the dog. He drew it out, and instantly the animal assumed the shape of a young man.
Hatim sat for some time in silent abstraction, wondering at the miraculous occurrence which he had just witnessed. At last he addressed the young man, saying, “Tell me, Sir, who are you, and how have you been transformed into the likeness of an irrational animal? From what mysterious cause have you now recovered your proper shape on my removing the nail from your head?” The young man, struck with Hatim’s humane and amiable disposition, and full of gratitude for the service he had just rendered him, bowed his head to the dust as he replied, “Benevolent Sir, suffice it to say that I am of the human race; that by the foulest practice, which I am loth to detail, I was transformed into that shape wherein you lately saw me; and from which, through the Divine favor and your humane attention, I am now delivered.”—“I should like to know,” said Hatim, “if agreeable to you, the cause of your having assumed the shape of a dog.”