The king, with tears in his eyes, admired Hatim’s noble and generous conduct, and immediately ordered one of his subjects to conduct him safe to the road that led to the mountain of Nida. Hatim with his guide retraced their way back to the spot where the road separated, which they reached in a few days. The guide then pointed out to him the right-hand path, and said, “Brave prince of Yemen, follow this road and it will take you to the city of Nida.” Ten days after, Hatim came to a large and populous city. The moment he entered within the walls the people conducted him before the governor. His Highness received Hatim with due courtesy; and having requested him to be seated, said, “Tell me, sir, of what country are you, and how came you hither? It is certain that no stranger has visited this city since the time of Alexander the Great, who traversed the whole of the inhabitable globe. May I ask, then, what has been the cause of your visit?”
Hatim gave a full account of Husn Banu and the prince Munir, also what he had himself done up to that moment. When the ruler of the city heard this, he said to Hatim, “Noble stranger, rest yourself here for some days and you will learn enough of the mountain of Nida; for were I now to describe to you its mysteries, you could not comprehend them.” Hatim accordingly accepted the governor’s invitation, and had a house appointed for him to live in, and food, drink, and every requisite plentifully supplied. The principal men of the city visited him and were delighted with his society.
One day, while they were in conversation, Hatim asked one of them which was the mountain of Nida. The man pointed it out to him, and said, “That peak, whose summit penetrates the clouds, is the mountain of Nida.” Meanwhile a loud voice issued from the mountain, and at that moment one of the men in the company all of a sudden became silent and thoughtful. Soon after he rose up; and, regardless of the numerous entreaties of his friends, bent his course towards the mountain. His companions ran after him, but in vain; he spoke not a word, and with a pale countenance quickened his pace to the mountain. Hatim followed among the rest, and said to them, “My good friends, what has befallen the young man, that he thus runs like a maniac he knows not whither?”—“His hour is arrived,” they replied, “for the voice from the mountain exclaimed, ‘Come quickly.’”—“And whose voice is it,” said Hatim, “that he should thus blindly obey it?”—“That,” replied they, “is more than we know, you must ask himself.”
Hatim ran till he overtook the devoted young man, whom he seized by the hand, and thus addressed, “My dear friend, it is unkind to refuse the information I ask. Tell me, I beseech you, who is he that has called you to yonder mountain, and I will myself accompany you thither.” Hatim’s entreaties were of no avail; the young man gave no answer, but drew away his hand from him, and ran swift as the wind towards the mountain. Hatim followed close after; but, when he was about half way, the mountain before him vanished from his sight. He stood in the utmost amazement, and cast his eyes in every direction, but no trace of Nida nor of the young man could he discover; he only saw a large stone possessing all the hues of the rainbow.
In the utmost despair he returned towards the city, till he met the people who had come out with him. These were assembled on the road; and when he reached them, they were performing some ceremony known only to themselves. They thrice repeated a form of prayer with their faces turned towards the spot where the mountain had been; and this done, they returned to the city, as if nothing extraordinary had happened. On their return, the young man’s friends and relatives, far from giving way to sorrow, prepared a feast, and entertained all the poor of the city; and after some time spent in mirth and joy, resumed their usual occupations.
Hatim, however, could not conceal his grief for the unfortunate young man who had disappeared so mysteriously. The people laughed at his sorrow, and said to him, “Stranger, it is not our custom to give way to weeping and lamentation; we forgive you, however, this time; but if you are to reside among us, you must conform with our manners, otherwise we shall expel you.” Hatim accordingly restrained his grief, and resided among them for the space of six months, in which period ten or twelve people disappeared in a similar manner. In vain did he ask the inhabitants for an explanation of the mystery; either they could not, or would not, satisfy his curiosity.
Among the inhabitants of the city there was an intelligent man, named Jam, with whom Hatim formed the most sincere friendship and affection, so that they became inseparable companions. One day, as they were conversing together, the awful voice sounded loud from the summit of the mountain. When Hatim’s friend heard the sound, he became silent, and it was easy to see that his hour was come. He quickly rose up, and began to make for the mountain. When his relations received intelligence of this, they all prepared to follow him. Hatim with a heavy heart accompanied his beloved friend, for he knew that he was called thence no more to return. He resolved, however, not to part with him till death, and made up his mind to enter with him into the mysterious mountain, whatever might be the consequence. Hatim then girded up his loins; and placing his trust in God, he laid hold of his friend Jam by the hand, and marched along with him towards the foot of Nida. “My dearest friend,” said Hatim, “why this silence? Speak to me; for I am resolved to share your fate.” But Jam uttered not a word in reply; cold and senseless, he hurried onwards, endeavoring from time to time to free himself from the friendly grasp. At last he exerted his utmost strength, and so sudden was the movement, that ere Hatim was aware of his intention, he found himself stretched upon the ground, while his companion ran off at full speed. Hatim lost no time in pursuing, and having again overtaken Jam, he seized him by the skirt, and clung to him with all his might.
Thus they proceeded up the side of the mountain, Jam endeavoring in vain to cast off his companion. At length they arrived at a spot where the rock rent asunder, and both of them entered the chasm, which immediately closed behind them. Meanwhile, those who had followed them from a distance, seeing that Hatim and Jam had both entered the mountain, returned to their houses, regretting the loss of the noble stranger. They went to the ruler of the city, and informed him how the Arabian prince had accompanied Jam, and disappeared with him in the mountain. The governor was much grieved, and threatened the people with severe punishment for not detaining the generous stranger who had thus rashly incurred his own destruction.
To return to Hatim. After they had entered the fissure of the mountain, an extensive plain appeared before them, the verdure and beauty of which exceeded description. As far as the eye could reach, the same endless green presented itself. As Hatim and his friend advanced, they reached a black spot on the plain, the shape of a grave, on which no plant whatever grew, and there Jam fell lengthways while his soul left his body. Hatim felt the earth shake beneath and straightway the body of his companion sunk into the ground; and the spot that had been previously bare and barren became verdant as the rest of the plain.
Hatim, having witnessed this wonderful scene, raised his voice in prayer to the all-wise Creator, whose decrees are beyond our comprehension. He now knew the mysteries of Nida, that the people of the city thus closed their earthly career. He looked around him for a path to lead him to the city, but no trace could he find either of the mountain or the way by which he came there; the same verdant plain extended in every direction as far as he could see. For seven days and nights he wandered, without a morsel of food or a drop of water, nor did the sight of any living creature greet his eye. Hatim was about to sink upon the ground, and resign his soul to God; for seeing no way of escape, he concluded that his death was decreed in those silent realms.