Meanwhile serpents, scorpions, and beasts of prey without number, issued from the bosom of the earth, and completely surrounded the illumined flowers. The fairies stood aghast, and Hatim observing their terror, said to them, “Do you keep aloof here so as to be out of danger; I have placed my reliance upon God, and whatever may happen, I will not shrink from my enterprise.” Hatim having made this resolution, took in his hand the talisman of the bear’s daughter, and fearlessly advancing into the midst of the field, he plucked three of the largest and most brilliant flowers, and returned unhurt to his guides. The fairies were astonished at this daring feat, and looked on Hatim as a being far beyond their comprehension. Obedient to his sign, they raised him upon their shoulders, and swiftly winged their way through the air to that part of the desert where Hamir was imprisoned.
Hatim approached him, and said, “Be not sad, my friend, behold the flower which you say will restore your sight.” The blind man expressed his thanks to heaven, and said to Hatim, “Brave youth, be pleased to compress the stalk with your own hands, so that the juice of it may drop into my eyes.” Hatim untied the cage from the branch of the tree, and having released the inmate, he applied the liquid to his eyes as directed. Having repeated this process three times, the blind Hamir at length opened his eyes, and seeing Hatim, fell at his feet and offered him a profusion of thanks. Hatim kindly raising him up, said, “My good friend, why make so many acknowledgments? I have devoted myself to the service of my Creator, and I consider the performance of charitable deeds as the most lasting felicity.”
The man addressing Hatim in return, said, “Generous prince! my house abounds with gold and silver and all worldly wealth; accept, then, such portion of it as you may deem proper.”—“Truly, sir,” replied Hatim, “worldly wealth is of no use to me, for already I possess far more than is sufficient for me; I may advise you, however, to expend your treasures in such manner as may be acceptable to God, in the bestowing of food upon the hungry, and in clothing those who are naked.”
Here Hatim took his leave of the old man of the desert, and having mounted his howdah, the fairies carried him through the air with such swiftness that in a few days he arrived in Shahabad. He dismounted at the gates of the city, and the fairies, when about to return, requested of him to favor them with a letter to their queen, certifying his safe arrival. To this, Hatim readily agreed, whereupon his aerial guides took their leave and departed. He no sooner entered the city than Husn Banu’s people recognized him, and with the utmost promptness conducted him before their sovereign lady. Husn Banu received Hatim with the highest kindness, and asked him numerous questions respecting his adventure. Hatim detailed at length all that he had seen and performed in the course of his journey. Husn Banu then presented him with food and drink; but ere Hatim tasted of either, he requested that his friend the prince of Assyria should be invited to partake of his fare. Munir was immediately sent for, and after paying his warmest regard to Hatim, they both sat down and ate together. After they had finished their meal, Hatim, addressing Husn Banu, said, “Noble lady, tell me what is your next question?”—“There is a man,” replied Husn Banu, “who exclaims, ‘He who speaks the truth is always tranquil.’ Go, then, and find out that man; inform me wherein he has spoken the truth, and what degree of tranquillity he enjoys in consequence.”—“May I ask,” said Hatim, “in what quarter of the world this man dwells?”—“That,” said Husn Banu, “is unknown to me, but I have heard from my nurse that the city is called Karam.”—“Enough,” said Hatim, “I trust that God will direct me in this also”; and taking his leave of Husn Banu, he proceeded with his friend Munir to the caravanseraï.
BOOK IV.
Hatim’s perilous journey to the city of Karam—His attainment of the object of his desire, and safe return to Shahabad.
We are informed by the learned, that when Hatim left Shahabad, he prosecuted his journey for several stages, till at length he came to the foot of a lofty mountain. There he observed at some distance what he conceived to be a spring of water; but to his intense surprise, on a nearer approach, he found it streaming with blood. He stood bewildered, unable to account for a phenomenon such as he had never witnessed. Wearied and disappointed, he at length resumed his journey, and in the course of two days his attention was drawn to a tree of uncommon size, which towered far above the surrounding objects. He quickly bent his steps towards this stately tree; but when he reached it, met an appalling sight! To every branch of it was suspended a human head; and at the foot of it was a lake of a crimson hue from which a stream of blood issued in the direction of the desert.
Hatim sat down underneath the tree, and viewed with wonder and awe the spectacle before him; when all at once the deadly silence of the place was broken by a peal of laughter from the suspended heads. He started up in tenfold astonishment, for to him it seemed utterly unaccountable that human heads severed from the body should still preserve their risible faculties. With no less wonder he saw that the blood constantly flowed into the lake from the opened veins of those heads. In deep reflection, he was considering how to unfold this fearful mystery, when his eye was attracted by the head which stood highest on the tree. The moment he beheld the enchanting smile of that angelic countenance, he felt as if his soul would quit its frame, and he fell senseless upon the earth. After some time his recollection was restored, and he sat up wondering within himself what could have been the cause of so strange an occurrence, and why so many beautiful damsels had been doomed to so cruel a fate.
Hatim considered it unworthy of himself to pass on and take no further notice of what he had just seen, for in that case he would still remain in ignorance. He resolved, therefore, to stop for a few days in that place, in order, if possible, to discover the nature of the mystery. When the shades of night were about to fall, he withdrew into a sheltered spot on the banks of the lake, and betook himself to rest. But ere he closed his eyelids in sleep a change came over the scene before him, which still further increased his astonishment. When the last ray of twilight had vanished, he observed that on a sudden all the heads dropped from the tree into the lake, which in an instant was transformed into a palace splendidly adorned with gorgeous couches, and in the midst a throne of burnished gold. Shortly after entered a train of damsels of fairy form, and amongst them one of surpassing beauty, who occupied the throne while the rest sat down on the surrounding couches.
When this brilliant assembly was seated, Hatim took a thorough view of the queen upon the throne, and was convinced that her head was the same that he had seen highest upon the tree, and the countenance was that of which the beauty had ravished his heart. Amongst those who sat on the couches or stood in attendance on the queen, he could also perceive many faces already familiar to him. A select number of these heart-ravishing damsels had musical instruments, the melodious sounds of which charmed the ear, while the eye was delighted with the graceful movements of others who danced. Thus passed the first half of the night, while Hatim looked on with a feeling of wonder and delight, uncertain whether he was in a dream or enjoying a scene of reality.