It is related that there was, in tide of old and in times and years long gone before, at Damascus of Syria, a Caliph known as Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, the fifth of the Ommiade house. As this Commander of the Faithful was seated one day in his palace, conversing with his Sultans and Kings and the Grandees of his empire, the talk turned upon the legends of past peoples and the traditions of our lord Solomon, David's son (on the twain be peace!), and on that which Allah Almighty had bestowed on him of lordship and dominion over men and Jinn and birds and beasts and reptiles and the wind and other created things; and the Caliph said, "Of a truth we hear from those who forewent us that the Lord (extolled and exalted be He!) vouchsafed unto none the like of that which He vouchsafed unto our lord Solomon and that he attained unto that whereto never attained other than he, in that he was wont to imprison Jinns and Marids and Satans in cucurbites of copper and to stop them with lead and seal them with his ring."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty seventh night

Then said Tálib bin Sahl (who was a seeker after treasures and had books that discovered to him hoards and wealth hidden under the earth), "O Commander of the Faithful, Allah make your dominion to endure and exalt your dignity here and hereafter! My father told me of my grandfather, that he once took ship with a company, intending for the island of Sikiliyah or Sicily, and sailed until there arose against them a contrary wind, which drove them from their course and brought them, after a month, to a great mountain in one of the lands of Allah the Most High, but where that land was they know not. my said,grandfather: 'This was in the darkness of the night and as soon as it was day, there came forth to us, from the caves of the mountain, folk black of colour and naked of body, as they were wild beasts, understanding not one word of what was addressed to them; nor was there any of them who knew Arabic, save their King who was of their own kind. When he saw the ship, he came down to it with a company of his followers and saluting us, bade us welcome and questioned us of our case and our faith. We told him all concerning ourselves and he said, 'Be of good cheer for no harm shall befall you.'

And when we, in turn, asked them of their faith, we found that each was of one of the many creeds prevailing before the preaching of Al-Islam and the mission of Mohammed, whom may Allah bless and keep! So my shipmates remarked, 'We know not what you say.' Then the King said, 'No son of Adam has ever come to our land before you: but fear not, and rejoice in the assurance of safety and of return to your own country.' Then he entertained us three days, feeding us on the flesh of birds and wild beasts and fishes, than which they had no other meat; and, on the fourth day, he carried us down to the beach, that we might divert ourselves by looking upon the fisher folk. There we saw a man casting his net to catch fish, and presently he pulled them up and behold, in them was a cucurbite of copper, stopped with lead and sealed with the signet of Solomon, son of David, on whom be peace! He brought the vessel to land and broke it open, when there came forth a smoke, which rose a twisting blue to the zenith, and we heard a horrible voice, saying, 'I repent! I repent! Pardon, O Prophet of Allah! I will never return to that which I did aforetime.'

Then the smoke became a terrible Giant frightful of form, whose head was level with the mountain tops, and he vanished from our sight, whilst our hearts were well near torn out for terror; but the blacks thought nothing of it. Then we returned to the King and questioned him of the matter; whereupon he said, 'Know that this was one of the Jinns whom Solomon, son of David, being wroth with them, shut up in these vessels and cast into the sea, after stopping the mouths with melted lead. Our fishermen ofttimes, in casting their nets, bring up such bottles, which being broken open, there come forth of them Jinnis who, deeming that Solomon is still alive and can pardon them, make their submission to him and say, I repent, O Prophet of Allah!'" The Caliph marvelled at Talib's story and said, "Glory be to God! Truly, to Solomon was given a mighty dominion." Now al-Nábighah al-Zubyani was present, and he said, "Talib has spoken truly as is proven by the saying of the All wise, the Primæval One,

'And Solomon, when Allah to him said, 'Rise, be you Caliph, rule with righteous sway: Honour obedience for obeying you; And who rebels imprison him for aye.

Why he used to put them in copper bottles and cast them into the sea." The poet's words seemed good to the Caliph, and he said, "By God, I long to look upon some of these Solomonic vessels, which must be a warning to whoever will be warned." "O Commander of the Faithful," replied Talib, "it is in your power to do so, without stirring abroad. Send to your brother Abd al-Azíz bin Marwán, so he may write to Músá bin Nusayr, governor of the Maghrib or Morocco, bidding him take horse thence to the mountains whereof I spoke and fetch you from it as many of such cucurbites as you have a mind to; for those mountains adjoin the frontiers of his province." The Caliph approved his counsel and said, "You have spoken truth, O Talib, and I desire that, touching this matter, you be my messenger to Musa bin Nusayr; So you will have the White Flag and all you have a mind to of monies and honour and so forth; and I will care for your family during yours absence." "With love and gladness, O Commander of the Faithful!" answered Talib. "Go, with the blessing of Allah and His aid," the Caliph, said, and bade write a letter to his brother, Abd al-Aziz, his viceroy in Egypt, and another to Musa bin Nusayr, his viceroy in North Western Africa, bidding him go himself in quest of the Solomonic bottles, leaving his son to govern in his stead. Moreover, he charged him to engage guides and to spare neither men nor money, nor to be remiss in the matter as he would take no excuse. Then he sealed the two letters and committed them to Talib bin Sahl, bidding him advance the royal ensigns before him and make his utmost speed and he gave him treasure and horsemen and footmen, to further him on his way, and made provision for the wants of his household during his absence. So Talib set out and arrived in due course at Cairo.—

When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty eighth night

Then he deemed it best to assemble his chief officers and when all were present he acquainted them with the contents of the Caliph's letter and sought counsel of them how he should act. "O Emir," answered they, "if you seek one who shall guide you to the place summon the Shaykh 'Abd al-Samad, ibn 'Abd al-Kuddús, al-Samúdi; for he is a man of varied knowledge, who has travelled much and knows by experience all the seas and wastes and wolds and countries of the world and the inhabitants and wonders of it; Why send you for him and he will surely guide you to your desire." So Musa sent for him, and behold, he was a very ancient man shot in years and broken down with lapse of days. The Emir saluted him and said, "O Shaykh Abd al-Samad, our lord the Commander of the Faithful, Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, has commanded me thus and thus. I have small knowledge of the land in which is that which the Caliph desires; but it is told me that you know it well and the ways there. Will you therefore, go with me and help me to accomplish the Caliph's need?

So it please Allah the Most High, your trouble and travail shall not go waste." Replied the Shaykh, "I hear and obey the bidding of the Commander of the Faithful; but know, O Emir, that the road there is long and difficult and the ways few." "How far is it?" asked Musa, and the Shaykh answered, "It is a journey of two years and some months going and the like returning; and the way is full of hardships and terrors and things wondrous and marvellous. Now you are a champion of the Faith and our country is close by that of the enemy; and perhaps the Nazarenes may come out upon us in yours absence; So it behoves you to leave one to rule your government in your stead." "It is well," answered the Emir, and appointed his son Hárún Governor during his absence, requiring the troops to take the oath of fealty to him and bidding them obey him in all he should command. And they heard his words and promised obedience. Now this Harun was a man of great prowess and a renowned warrior and a doughty knight, and the Shaykh Abd al-Samad feigned to him that the place they sought was distant but four months' journey along the shore of the sea, with camping places all the way, adjoining one another, and grass and springs, adding, "Allah will assuredly make the matter easy to us through your blessing, O Lieutenant of the Commander of the Faithful!"

The Emir Musa said, "Know you if any of the Kings have trodden this land before us?"; and the Shaykh said, "Yes, it belonged aforetime to Darius the Greek, King of Alexandria." But he said to Musa privily, "O Emir, take with you a thousand camels laden with victual and store of gugglets." The Emir asked, "And what shall we do with these?"; and the Shaykh answered, "On our way is the desert of Kayrawan or Cyrene, the which is a vast wold four days' journey long, and lacks water; nor within it does sound of voice ever sound nor is soul at any time to be seen Moreover, there blows the Simoon and other hot winds called Al Juwayb, which dry up the water skins; but if the water be in gugglets, no harm can come to it." "Right," said Musa, and sending to Alexandria, let bring thence great plenty of gugglets. Then he took with him his Wazir and two thousand cavalry, clad in mail from head to foot and set out, without other to guide them but Abd al-Samad who forewent them, riding on his hackney. The party fared on diligently, now passing through inhabited lands, then ruins and soon traversing frightful wolds and thirsty wastes and then mountains which spired high in air; nor did they leave journeying a whole year's space till, one morning, when the day broke, after they had travelled all night, behold, the Shaykh found himself in a land he knew not and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"

The Emir said, "What is to do, O Shaykh?"; and he answered, saying, "By the Lord of the Ka'abah, we have wandered from our road!" "How comes that?" asked Musa, and Abd al-Samad replied, "The stars were overclouded and I could not guide myself by them." "Where on God's earth are we now?" asked the Emir, and the Shaykh answered, "I know not; for I never set eyes on this land till this moment." Musa said, "Guide us back to the place where we went astray"; but the other, "I know it no more." Then Musa said, "Let us push on; Perhaps Allah will guide us to it or direct us aright of His power." So they fared on till the hour of noon prayer, when they came to a fair champaign, and wide and level and smooth as it were the sea when calm, and presently there appeared to them, on the horizon some great thing, high and black, in whose midst was as it were smoke rising to the confines of the sky. They made for this, and stayed not in their course till they drew near thereto, when, lo! it was a high castle, firm of foundations and great and gruesome, as it were a towering mountain, builded all of black stone, with frowning crenelles and a door of gleaming China steel, that dazzled the eyes and dazed the wits. Round about it were a thousand steps and that which appeared afar off as it were smoke was a central dome of lead an hundred cubits high.

When the Emir saw this, he marvelled at that with exceeding marvel and how this place was void of inhabitants; and the Shaykh, after he had certified himself of it said, "There is no god but the God and Mohammed is the Apostle of God!" Musa said, "I hear you praise the Lord and hallow Him, and It seems to me you rejoicest." "O Emir," answered Abd al-Samad, "Rejoice, for Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) has delivered us from the frightful wolds and thirsty wastes." "How know you that?" said Musa, and the other, "I know it for that my father told me of my grandfather that he said, 'We were once journeying in this land and, straying from the road, we came to this palace and thence to the City of Brass; between which and the place you seek is two full months' travel; but you must take to the sea shore and leave it not, for there be watering places and wells and camping grounds established by King Zú al-Karnayn Iskandar who, when he went to the conquest of Mauritania, found by the way thirsty deserts and wastes and wilds and dug within it water pits and built cisterns.' " Musa said, "Allah rejoice you with good news!"

And the Shaykh said, "Come, let us go look upon that palace and its marvels, for it is an admonition to whoever will be admonished. So the Emir went up to the palace, with the Shaykh and his officers, and coming to the gate, found it open. Now this gate was builded with lofty columns and porticoes whose walls and ceilings were inlaid with gold and silver and precious stones; and there led up to it flights of steps, among which were two wide stairs of coloured marble, never was seen their like; and over the doorway was a tablet on which were graven letters of gold in the old ancient Ionian character. "O Emir," asked the Shaykh, "Shall I read?"; and Musa answered, "Read and God bless you!; for all that betids us in this journey depends upon your blessing." So the Shaykh, who was a very learned man and versed in all tongues and characters, went up to the tablet and read whatever was thereon and it was verse like this,

"The signs that here their mighty works portray Warn us that all must tread the self same way: O you who stand in this stead to hear Tidings of folk, whose power has passed for aye, Enter this palace gate and ask the news Of greatness fallen into dust and clay: Death has destroyed them and dispersed their might And in the dust they lost their rich display; As had they only set their burdens down To rest awhile, and then had rode away."

When the Emir Musa heard these couplets, he wept till he lost his senses and said, "There is no god but the God, the Living, the Eternal, who ceases not!" Then he entered the palace and was confounded at its beauty and the goodliness of its construction. He diverted himself awhile by viewing the pictures and images within it, till he came to another door, over which also were written verses, and said to the Shaykh, "Come read me these!" So he advanced and read as follows,

"Under these domes how many a company Halted of old and fared with outen stay See you what might displays on other people Time with his shifts which could such lords waylay: They shared together what they gathered And left their joys and fared to Death decay: What joys they joyed! what food they ate! and now In dust they're eaten, for the worm a prey."

At this the Emir Musa wept bitter tears; and the world grew yellow before his eyes and he said, "truly, we were created for a mighty matter!" Then they proceeded to explore the palace and found it desert and void of living thing, its courts desolate and dwelling places waste laid. In the midst stood a lofty pavilion with a dome rising high in air, and about it were four hundred tombs, builded of yellow marble. The Emir drew near unto these and behold, amongst them was a great tomb, wide and long; and at its head stood a tablet of white marble, on which were graven these couplets,

"How oft have I fought! and how many have slain! How much have I witnessed of blessing and bane! How much have I eaten! how much have I drunk! How oft have I hearkened to singing girl's strain! How much have I bidden! how oft have forbid! How many a castle and castellain I have sieged and have searched, and the cloistered maids In the depths of its walls for my captives were ta'en! But of ignorance sinned I to win me the meeds Which won proved nothing and brought nothing of gain: Then reckon your reck'ning, O man, and be wise before the goblet of death and of doom you will drain For yet but a little the dust on your head They shall strew, and your life shall go down to the dead."

The Emir and his companions wept; then, drawing near unto the pavilion, they saw that it had eight doors of sandal wood, studded with nails of gold and stars of silver and inlaid with all manner precious stones. On the first door were written these verses, for worship and to prepare for futurity.

"What I left, I left it not for nobility of soul, But through sentence and decree that to every man are dressed. What while I lived happy, with a temper haught and high, My hoarding place defending like a lion in the fight, I took no rest, and greed of gain forbad me give a grain Of mustard seed to save from the fires of Hell my sprite, Until stricken on a day, as with arrow, by decree Of the Maker, the Fashioner, the Lord of Might and Right. When my death was appointed, my life I could not keep By the many of my stratagems, my cunning and my sleight: My troops I had collected availed me not, and none Of my friends and of my neighbours had power to mend my plight: Through my life I was weaned in journeying to death In stress or in solace in joyance or despight: So when money bags are bloated, and dinar unto dinar You addest, all may leave you with fleeting of the night: And the driver of a camel and the digger of a gravel Are what yours heirs shall bring before the morning dawns bright: And on Judgment Day alone will you stand before your Lord, Overladen with your sins and your crimes and yours affright: Let the world not seduce you with lurings, but behold What measure to your family and neighbours it has doled."

When Musa heard these verses, he wept with such weeping that he swooned away; then, coming to himself, he entered the pavilion and saw within it a long tomb, awesome to look upon, on which was a tablet of China steel and Shaykh Abd al-Samad drew near it and read this inscription: "In the name of Ever lasting Allah, the Never beginning, the Never ending; in the name of Allah who begetts not nor is He begot and unto whom the like is not; in the name of Allah the Lord of Majesty and Might; in the name of the Living One who to death is never dressed!"—

When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty ninth night

And upon the tablets were engraved these lines,

"If you would know my name, whose day is done With shifts of time and changes 'neath the sun Know I am Shaddád's son, who ruled mankind And over all earth upheld dominion! All stubborn peoples abject were to me; And Sham to Cairo and to Adnanwone I reigned in glory conquering many kings; And peoples feared my mischief every one. Yea, tribes and armies in my hand I saw; The world all dreaded me, both friends and fone. When I took horse, I viewed my numbered troops, Bridles on neighing steeds a million. And I had wealth that none could tell or count, Against misfortune treasuring all I won:

glad had I bought my life with all my wealth, And for a moment's space my death to shun But God would nothing save what His purpose willed; So from my brethren cut I 'bode alone And Death, that sunders man, exchanged my lot To pauper hut from grandeur's mansion, When found I all my actions gone and past Wherefor I'm pledged and by my sin undone. Then fear, O man, who by a brink do range, The turns of Fortune and the chance of Change."

The Emir Musa was hurt to his heart and loathed his life for what he saw of the slaughtering places of the folk; and, as they went about the highways and byeways of the palace, viewing its sitting chambers and pleasaunces, behold they came upon a table of yellow onyx, upborne on four feet of juniper wood, and there on these words graven, "At this table have eaten a thousand kings blind of the right eye and a thousand blind of the left and yet other thousand sound of both eyes, all of whom have departed the world and have taken up their sojourn in the tombs and the catacombs." All this the Emir wrote down and left the palace, carrying off with him nothing save the table aforesaid. Then he fared on with his host three days' space, under the guidance of the Shaykh Abd al-Samad, till they came to a high hill, on which stood a horseman of brass. In his hand he held a lance with a broad head, in brightness like blinding leven, on which was graven, "O you that come unto me, if you know not the way to the City of Brass, rub the hand of this rider and he will turn round and presently stop. Then take the direction whereto he faces and fare fearless, for it will bring you, without hardship, to the city aforesaid."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventies night

When the folk saw him, they lost their reason for affright and turned to flee; so the Emir Musa asked the Shaykh Abd al-Samad, "What is this?"; and he answered." I know not." Whereupon Musa said, "Draw near and question him of his condition; Perhaps he will discover to you his case." "Allah assain you, Emir! Indeed, I am afraid of him;" replied the Shaykh; but the Emir rejoined, saying, "Fear not; he is hindered from you and from all others by that in which he is." So Abd al-Samad drew near to the pillar and said to him which was within it, "O creature, what is your name and what are you and how came you here in this fashion?" "I am an Ifrit of the Jinn," he replied, "by name Dáhish, son of Al-A'amash, and am confined here by the Allmight, prisoned here by the Providence and punished by the judgement of Allah, till it pleases Him, to whom belong Might and Majesty, to release me." Then said Musa, " Ask him why he is in durance of this column?" So the Shaykh asked him of this, and the Ifrit replied, saying, "truly my tale is wondrous and my case marvellous, and it is this.

One of the sons of Iblis had an idol of red carnelian, whereof I was guardian, and there served it a King of the Kings of the sea, a Prince of powerful power and prow of prowess, over ruling a thousand thousand warriors of the Jann who smote with swords before him and answered his summons in time of need. All these were under my commandment and obeyed my behest, being each and every rebels against Solomon, son of David, on whom be peace! And I used to enter the belly of the idol and thence bid and forbid them. Now this King's daughter loved the idol and was frequent in prostration to it and assiduous in its service; and she was the fairest woman of her day, accomplished in beauty and loveliness, elegance and grace. She was described unto Solomon and he sent to her father, saying, 'Give me your daughter to wife and break yours idol of carnelian and testify saying, There is no god but the God and Solomon is the Prophet of Allah!' If you do this, our due shall be your due and your debt shall be our debt, but, if you refuse, make ready to answer the summons of the Lord and don your grave gear, for I will come upon you with an irresistible host, which shall fill the waste places of earth and make you as yesterday that is passed away and has no return for aye.'

When this message reached the King, he grew insolent and rebellious, pride full and contumacious and he cried to his Wazirs, 'What say you of this? Know you that Solomon son of David has sent requiring me to give him my daughter to wife, and break my idol of carnelian and enter his faith!' And they replied, 'O mighty King, how shall Solomon do thus with you? Even could he come at you in the midst of this vast ocean, he could not prevail against you, for the Marids of the Jann will fight on your side and you will ask succour of yours idol whom you servest, and he will help you and give you victory over him. So you would do well to consult on this matter your Lord,' (meaning the idol aforesaid) 'and hear what he says. If he say, Fight him, fight him, and if not, not.' So the King went in without delay to his idol and offered up sacrifices and slaughtered victims after which he fell down before him, prostrate and weeping, and repeated these verses,

'O my Lord, well I weet your powerful hand: Sulayman would break you and see you bann'd. O my Lord, to crave succour here I stand Command and I bow to your high command!'

Then I" (continued the Ifrit addressing the Shaykh and those about him), "of my ignorance and want of wit and recklessness of the commandment of Solomon and lack of knowledge anent his power, entered the belly of the idol and made answer as follows,

'As for me, of him I feel nothing affright; For my lore and my wisdom are infinite: If he wish for warfare I'll show him fight And out of his body I'll tear his sprite!'

When the King heard my boastful reply, he hardened his heart and resolved to wage war upon the Prophet and to offer him battle; Why he beat the messenger with a grievous beating and returned a foul answer to Solomon, threatening him and saying, 'Of a truth, your soul has suggested to you a vain thing; do you menace me with mendacious words? But gird yourself for battle; for, If you come not to me, I will assuredly come to you.' So the messenger returned to Solomon and told him all that had passed and whatever had befallen him, which when the Prophet heard, he raged like Doomsday and addressed himself to the fray and levied armies of men and Jann and birds and reptiles. He commanded his Wazir Al-Dimiryát, King of the Jann, to gather together the Marids of the Jinn from all parts, and he collected for him six hundred thousand thousand of devils. Moreover, by his order, his Wazir Asaf bin Barkhiyá levied him an army of men, to the number of a thousand thousand or more. These all he furnished with arms and armour and mounting, with his host, upon his carpet, took flight through air, while the beasts fared under him and the birds flew overhead, till he lighted down on the island of the refractory King and encompassed it about, filling earth with his hosts."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy first night

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy second night

Then said the Shaykh Abd Al-Samad to the Jinni, "Ho there! Would glad ask you of a thing, whereof do you inform us." "Ask what you will," answered the Ifrit Dahish and the Shaykh said, "Are there hereabouts any of the Ifrits imprisoned in bottles of brass from the time of Solomon (on whom be peace!)?" "Yes," replied the Jinni; "there be such in the sea of Al-Karkar on the shores whereof dwell a people of the lineage of Noah (on whom be peace!); for their country was not reached by the Deluge and they are cut off there from the other sons of Adam." Abd Al-Samad said, "And which is the way to the City of Brass and the place in which are the cucurbites of Solomon, and what distance lies between us and it?" the Ifrit said, "It is near at hand," and directed them in the way there. So they left him and fared forward till there appeared to them afar off a great blackness and within it two fires facing each other, and the Emir Musa asked the Shaykh, "What is that vast blackness and its twin fires?", and the guide answered, "Rejoice O Emir, for this is the City of Brass, as it is described in the Book of Hidden Treasures which I have by me. Its walls are of black stone and it has two towers of Andalusian brass, which appear to the beholder in the distance as they were twin fires, and hence is it named the City of Brass."

Then they fared on without ceasing till they drew near the city and behold, it was as it were a piece of a mountain or a mass of iron cast in a mould and impenetrable for the height of its walls and bulwarks; while nothing could be more beautiful than its buildings and its ordinance. So they dismounted down and sought for an entrance, but saw none neither found any trace of opening in the walls, albeit there were five and twenty portals to the city, but none of them was visible from without. Then the Emir said, "O Shaykh, I see to this city no sign of any gate;" and he said, "O Emir, thus is it described in my Book of Hidden Treasures; it has five and twenty portals; but none of it may be opened save from within the city." Asked Musa, " And how shall we do to enter the city and view its wonders?" and Talib son of Sahl, his Wazir, answered, "Allah assain the Emir! Let us rest here two or three days and, God willing, we will make shift to come within the walls." Then said Musa to one of his men, "Mount your camel and ride round about the city, so Perhaps you may light upon a gate or a place somewhat lower than this fronting us, or God willing! A breach by which we can enter."

Accordingly he mounted his beast, taking water and victuals with him, and rode round the city two days and two nights, without drawing rein to rest, but found the wall of it as it were one block, without breach or way of ingress; and on the third day, he came again in sight of his companions, dazed and amazed at what he had seen of the extent and loftiness of the place, and said, "O Emir, the easiest place of access is this where you have alighted." Then Musa took Talib and Abd Al-Samad and ascended the highest hill which overlooked the city. When they reached the top, they beheld beneath them a city, never saw eyes a greater or a goodlier, with dwelling places and mansions of towering height, and palaces and pavilions and domes gleaming gloriously bright and sconces and bulwarks of strength infinite; and its streams were a flowing and flowers a blowing and fruits a glowing. It was a city with gates impregnable; but void and still, without a voice or a cheering inhabitant. The owl hooted in its quarters, the bird skimmed circling over its squares and the raven croaked in its great thoroughfares weeping and bewailing the dwellers who erst made it their dwelling. The Emir stood awhile, marvelling and sorrowing for the desolation of the city and saying, "Glory to Him whom nor ages nor changes nor times can blight, Him who created all things of His Might!"

Presently, he chanced to look aside and caught sight of seven tablets of white marble afar off. So he drew near them and finding inscriptions graven thereon, called the Shaykh and bade him read these. Accordingly he came forward and, examining the inscriptions, found that they contained matter of admonition and warning and instances and restraint to those of understanding. On the first tablet was inscribed, in the ancient Greek character: "O son of Adam, how heedless are you of that which is before you! Truly, your years and months and days have diverted you from it. Know you not that the cup of death is filled for your bane which in a little while to the dregs you will drain? Look to your doom before you enter your tomb. Where be the Kings who held dominion over the lands and abased Allah's servants and built these palaces and had armies under their commands? By God, the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies and the Devastator of dwelling places came down upon them and transported them from the spaciousness of their palaces to the staitness of their burial places." And at the foot of the tablet were written the following verses,

"Where are the Kings earth peopling, where are they? The built and peopled left they ever and aye! They're tombed yet pledged to actions past away And after death upon them came decay. Where are their troops? They failed to ward and guard! Where are the wealth and hoards in treasuries lay? Th' Empyrean's Lord surprised them with one word, Nor wealth nor refuge could their doom delay!"

When the Emir heard this, he cried out and the tears ran down his cheeks and he exclaimed, "By God, from the world abstaining is the wisest course and the sole assaining!" And he called for pen case and paper and wrote down what was graven on the first tablet. Then he drew near the second tablet and found these words graven thereon, "O son of Adam, what has seduced you from the service of the Ancient of Days and made you forget that one day you must defray the debt of death? Wottest you not that it is a transient dwelling in which for none there is abiding; and yet you takes thought unto the world and cleavest fast thereto? Where be the kings who Irak peopled and the four quarters of the globe possessed? Where be they who abode in Ispahan and the land of Khorasan? The voice of the Summomer of Death summoned them and they answered him, and the Herald of Destruction hailed them and they replied, Here are we! Truly, that which they builded and fortified profited them nothing; neither did what they had gathered and provided avail for their defence." And at the foot of the tablet were graven the following verses,

"Where be the men who built and fortified High places never man their like espied? In fear of Fate they levied troops and hosts, Availing nothing when came the time and tide, Where be the Kisras homed in strongest walls? As though they never had been from home they went!"

The Emir Musa wept and exclaimed, "By God, we are indeed created for a grave matter!" Then he copied the inscription and passed on to the third tablet,—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy third night

And at the foot were written these verses,

"Where is the people who peopled in the past Hind land and Sind and there the tyrant played? Who Zanj and Habash bound beneath his yoke, And Nubia curbed and low its puissance laid. Look not for news of what is in his grave. Ah, he is far who can your vision aid The stroke of death fell on him sharp and sure; Nor saved him palace, nor the lands he swayed."

At this Musa wept with sore weeping and, going on to the fourth tablet, he read inscribed thereon, "O son of Adam, how long shall your Lord bear with you and you every day sunken in the sea of your folly? Has it then been stablished unto you that some day you will not die? O son of Adam, let not the deceits of your days and nights and times and hours delude you with their delights; but remember that death lies ready for you ambushing, glad on your shoulders to spring, nor does a day pass but he morns with you in the morning and nights with you by night. Beware, then, of his onslaught and make provision there against. As was with me, so it is with you; you wastest your whole life and squanderest the joys in which your days are rife. Hearken, therefore, to my words and put your trust in the Lord of Lords; for in the world there is no stability; it is but as a spider's web to you." And at the foot of the tablet were written these couplets,

"Where is the man who did those labours ply And based and built and reared these walls on high? Where be the castles' lords? Who within it dwelt Fared forth and left them in decay to lie. All are entombed, in pledge against the day When every sin shall show to every eye. None but the Lord Most High endurance has, Whose Might and Majesty shall never die."

When the Emir read this, he swooned away and presently coming to himself marvelled exceedingly and wrote it down. Then he drew near the fifth tablet and behold, thereon was graven, "O son of Adam, what is it that distracts you from obedience of your Creator and the Author of your being, Him who reared you whenas you were a little one, and fed you whenas you were full grown? You are ungrateful for His bounty, albeit He watches over you with His favours, letting down the curtain of His protection over you. Needs must there be for you an hour bitterer than aloes and hotter than live coals. Provide you, therefore, against it; for who shall sweeten its gall or quench its fires? Bethink you who forewent you of peoples and heroes and take warning by them, before you perish." And at the foot of the tablet were graven these couplets,

"Where be the Earth kings who from where they 'bode, Sped and to grave yards with their hoardings yode:

Erst on their mounting days there had beheld Hosts that concealed the ground on which they rode: How many a king they humbled in their day! How many a host they led and laid on load! But from th' Empyrean's Lord in haste there came One word, and joy grew grif before morning glowed."

The Emir marvelled at this and wrote it down; after which he passed on to the sixth tablet and behold, was inscribed theron, "O son of Adam, think not that safety will endure for ever and aye, seeing that death is sealed to your head alway. Where be your fathers, where be your brethren, where your friends and dear ones? They have all gone to the dust of the tombs and presented themselves before the Glorious, the Forgiving, as if they had never eaten nor drunken, and they are a pledge for that which they have earned. So look to yourself, before your tomb come upon you." And at the foot of the tablet were these couplets,

"Where be the Kings who ruled the Franks of old? Where be the King who peopled Tingis wold? Their works are written in a book which He, The One, th' All father.shall as witness hold."

At this the Emir Musa marvelled and wrote it down, saying "There is no god but the God! Indeed, how goodly were these folk!" Then he went up to the seventh tablet and behold thereon was written, "Glory to Him who fore ordains death to all He creats, the Living One, who dies not! O son of Adam let not your days and their delights delude you, neither yours hours and the delices of their time, and know that death to you comes and upon your shoulder sits. Beware, then, of his assault and make ready for his onslaught. As it was with me, so it is with you; you wastest the sweet of your life and the joyance of yours hours. Give ear, then, to my advice and put your trust in the Lord of Lords and know that in the world is no stability, but it is as it were a spider's web to you and all that is within it shall die and cease to be. Where is he who laid the foundation of Amid and builded it and builded Fárikin and exalted it? Where be the peoples of the strong places? Whenas them they had inhabited, after their might into the tombs they descended. They have been carried off by death and we shall in like manner be afflicted by doom. None abides save Allah the Most High, for He is Allah the Forgiving One."

The Emir Musa wept and copied all this, and indeed the world was belittled in his eyes. Then he descended the hill and rejoined his host, with whom he passed the rest of the day, casting about for a means of access to the city. And he said to his Wazir Talib bin Sahl and to the chief officers about him, "How shall we contrive to enter this city and view its marvels?: Perhaps we shall find within it wherewithal to win the favour of the Commander of the Faithful." "Allah prolong the Emir's fortune!" replied Talib, "let us make a ladder and mount the wall therewith, so perhaps we may come at the gate from within." the Emir said, "This is what occurred to my thought also, and admirable is the advice!" Then he called for carpenters and blacksmiths and bade them fashion wood and build a ladder plated and banded with iron. So they made a strong ladder and many men wrought at it a whole month. Then all the company laid hold of it and set it up against the wall, and it reached the top as truly as if it had been built for it before that time. The Emir marvelled and said, "The blessing of Allah be upon you. It seems as though you had taken the measure of the mure, so excellent is your work."

Then he said to his men, "Which of you will mount the ladder and walk along the wall and cast about for a way of descending into the city, so to see how the case stands and let us know how we may open the gate?" Whereupon one of them said, "I will go up, O Emir, and descend and open to you"; and Musa answered, saying, "Go and the blessing of Allah go with you!" So the man mounted the ladder; but, when he came to the top of the wall, he stood up and gazed fixedly down into the city, then clapped his hands and crying out, at the top of his voice, "By God, you are fair!" Cast himself down into the place, and Musa cried, "By God' he is a dead man!" But another came up to him and said, "O Emir, this was a madman and doubtless his madness got the better of him and destroyed him. I will go up and open the gate to you, if it be the will of Allah the Most High." "Go up," replied Musa, "and Allah be with you! But beware lest you lose your head, even as did your comrade."

Then the man mounted the ladder, but no sooner had he reached the top of the wall than he laughed aloud, saying, "Well done! Well done!"; and clapping palms cast himself down into the city and died directly. When the Emir saw this, he said, "An such be the action of a reasonable man, what is that of the madman? If all our men do in this way, we shall have none left and shall fail of our errand and that of the Commander of the Faithful. Get you ready for the march: truly we have no concern with this city." But a third one of the company said, "Perhaps another may be steadier than they." So a third mounted the wall and a fourth and a fifth and all cried out and cast themselves down, even as did the first; nor did they leave to do thus, till a dozen had perished in like fashion. Then the Shaykh Abd al-Samad came forward and heartened himself and said, "This affair is reserved to none other than myself; for the experienced is not like the inexperienced." the Emir said, "Indeed you will not do that nor will I have you go up: If you perish, we shall all be cut off to the last man since you are our guide."

But he answered, saying, "perhaps, that which we seek may be accomplished at my hands by the grace of God Most High!" So the folk all agreed to let him mount the ladder, and he arose and heartening himself said, "In the name of Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate!" And mounted the ladder, calling on the name of the Lord and reciting the Verses of Safety. When he reached the top of the wall, he clapped his hands and gazed fixedly down into the city whereupon the folk below cried out to him with one accord, saying "O Shaykh Abd Al-Samad, for the Lord's sake, cast not yourself down!"; and they added, "truly we are Allah's and unto Him we are returning! If the Shaykh fall, we are dead men one and all. ' Then he laughed beyond all measure and sat a long hour reciting the names of Allah Almighty and repeating the Verses of Safety; then he rose and cried out at the top of his voice saying, "O Emir, have no fear; no hurt shall happen you, for Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) has averted from me the wiles and malice of Satan, by the blessing of the words, 'In the name of Allah the Compassionating the Compassionate!'" Asked Musa, "What did you see, O Shaykh?"; and Abd al-Samad answered, "I saw ten maidens, as they were Houris of Heaven calling to me with their hands"—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy fourth night

Then he walked on along the wall, till he came to the two towers of brass aforesaid and saw within it two gates of gold, without pad locks or visible means of opening. at this he paused as long as Allah pleased and gazed about him awhile, till he espied in the middle of one of the gates, a horseman of brass with hand out stretched as if pointing, and in his palm was somewhat written. So he went up to it and read these words, "O you who come to this place, If you would enter turn the pin in my navel twelve times and the gate will open." Accordingly, he examined the horseman and finding in his navel a pin of gold, firmset and fast fixed, he turned it twelve times, whereupon the horseman revolved like the blinding lightning and the gate swung open with a noise like thunder.

He entered and found himself in a long passage, which brought him down some steps into a guard room furnished with goodly wooden benches, on which sat men dead, over whose heads hung fine shields and keen blades and bent bows and shafts ready notched Thence, he came to the main gate of the city; and, finding it secured with iron bars and curiously wrought locks and bolts and chains and other fastenings of wood and metal, said to himself, "Perhaps the keys are with that dead folk." So he turned back to the guardroom and seeing amongst the dead an old man seated upon a high wooden bench, who seemed the chiefest of them, said in his mind, "Who knows but they are with this Shaykh? Doubtless he was the warder of the city and these others were under his hand." So he went up to him and lifting his gown, behold, the keys were hanging to his girdle; at which he joyed with exceeding joy and was like to fly for gladness. Then he took them and going up to the portal, undid the padlocks and drew back the bolts and bars, whereupon the great leaves flew open with a crash like the pealing thunder by reason of its greatness and terribleness. At this he cried out, saying, "Allaho Akbar God is most great!"

And the folk with out answered him with the same words, rejoicing and thanking him for his deed. The Emir Musa also was delighted at the Shaykh's safety and the opening of the city gate, and the troops all pressed forward to enter; but Musa cried out to them, saying, "O folk, if we all go in at once we shall not be safe from some ill chance which may happen us. Let half enter and other half tarry without." So he pushed forwards with half his men, bearing their weapons of war, and finding their comrades lying dead, they buried them; and they saw the doorkeepers and eunuchs and chamberlains and officers reclining on couches of silk and all were corpses. Then they fared on till they came to the chief market place, full of lofty buildings whereof none overpassed the others, and found all its shops open, with the scales hung out and the brazen vessels ordered and the caravanserais full of all kinds goods;

and they beheld the merchants sitting on the shop boards dead, with shrivelled skin and rotted bones, a warning to those who can take warning; and here they saw four separate markets all replete with wealth. Then they left the great bazar and went on till they came to the silk market, where they found silks and brocades, orfrayed with red gold and diapered with white silver upon all manner of colours, and the owners lying dead upon mats of scented goats' leather, and looking as if they would speak; after which they traversed the market street of pearls and rubies and other jewels and came to that of the schroffs and money changers, whom they saw sitting dead upon carpets of raw silk and dyed stuffs in shops full of gold and silver. Thence they passed to the perfumers' bazar where they found the shops filled with drugs of all kinds and bladders of musk and ambergris and Nadd scent and camphor and other perfumes, in vessels of ivory and ebony and Khalanj wood and Andalusian copper, the which is equal in value to gold; and various kinds of rattan and Indian cane; but the shopkeepers all lay dead nor was there with them anything of food. And close by this drug market they came upon a palace, imposingly edified and magnificently decorated; so they entered and found within it banners displayed and drawn sword blades and strung bows and bucklers hanging by chains of gold and silver and helmets gilded with red gold. In the vestibules stood benches of ivory, plated with glittering gold and covered with silken stuffs, on which lay men, whose skin had dried up on their bones; the fool had deemed them sleeping; but, for lack of food, they had perished and tasted the cup of death. Now when the Emir Musa saw this, he stood still, glorifying Allah the Most High and hallowing Him and contemplating the beauty of the palace and the massiveness of its masonry and fair perfection of its ordinance, for it was builded after the goodliest and stablest fashion and the most part of its adornment was of green lapis lazuli; and on the inner door, which stood open, were written characters of gold and ultramarine, these couplets,

"Consider you, O man, what these places to you showed And be upon your guard before you travel the same road: And prepare you good provision some day may serve your turn For each dweller in the house needs must yede wi' those who yode Consider how this people their palaces adorned And in dust have been pledged for the seed of acts they sowed: They built but their building availed them not, and hoards Nor saved their lives nor day of Destiny forslowed: How often did they hope for what things were undecreed. And passed unto their tombs before Hope the bounty showed: And from high and awful state all a sudden they were sent To the straitness of the grave and oh! base is their abode: Then came to them a Crier after burial and cried, What booted thrones or crowns or the gold to you bestowed: Where now are gone the faces hid by curtain and by veil, Whose charms were told in proverbs, those beauties a la mode? The tombs aloud reply to the questioners and cry, 'Death's canker and decay those rosy cheeks corrode!' Long time they ate and drank, but their joyaunce had a term; And the eater eke was eaten, and was eaten by the worm."

When the Emir read this, he wept, till he was like to swoon away,—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy fifth night

So they entered the first and found it full of gold and silver and pearls and jacinths and other precious stones and metals, besides chests filled with brocades, red and yellow and white. Then they repaired to the second pavilion, and, opening a closet there, found it full of arms and armour, such as gilded helmets and Davidean hauberks and Hindi swords and Arabian spears and Chorasmian maces and other gear of fight and fray. Thence they passed to the third pavilion, in which they saw closets padlocked and covered with curtains wrought with all kinds of embroidery. They opened one of these and found it full of weapons curiously adorned with open work and with gold and silver damascene and jewels. Then they entered the fourth pavilion, and opening one of the closets there, beheld in it great store of eating and drinking vessels of gold and silver, with platters of crystal and goblets set with fine pearls and cups of carnelian and so forth. So they all fell to taking that which suited their tastes and each of the soldiers carried off what he could. When they left the pavilions, they saw in the midst of the palace a door of teak wood marquetried with ivory and ebony and plated with glittering gold, over which hung a silken curtain purfled with all kinds of embroideries, and on this door were locks of white silver, that opened by artifice without a key. The Shaykh Abd al-Samad went valiantly up thereto and by the aid of his knowledge and skill opened the locks, whereupon the door admitted them into a corridor paved with marble and hung with veil like tapestries em broidered with figures of all kinds beasts and birds, whose bodies were of red gold and white silver and their eyes of pearls and rubies, amazing all who looked upon them. Passing onwards they came to a saloon builded all of polished marble, inlaid with jewels, which seemed to the beholder as though the floor were flowing water and whoever walked thereon slipped. The Emir bade the Shaykh strew somewhat upon it, that they might walk over it; which being done, they made shift to fare forwards till they came to a great domed pavilion of stone, gilded with red gold and crowned with a cupola of alabaster, about which were set lattice windows carved and jewelled with rods of emerald, beyond the competence of any King. Under this dome was a canopy of brocade, reposing upon pillars of red gold and wrought with figures of birds whose feet were of smaragd, and beneath each bird was a network of fresh hued pearls. The canopy was spread above a jetting fountain of ivory and carnelian, plated with glittering gold and by that stood a couch set with pearls and rubies and other jewels and beside the couch a pillar of gold. On the capital of the column stood a bird fashioned of red rubies and holding in his bill a pearl which shone like a star; and on the couch lay a damsel, as she were the lucident sun, eyes never saw a fairer. She wore a tight fitting body robe of fine pearls, with a crown of red gold on her head, filleted with gems, and on her forehead were two great jewels, whose light was as the light of the sun. On her breast she wore a jewelled amulet, filled with musk and ambergris and worth the empire of the Caesars; and around her neck hung a collar of rubies and great pearls, hollowed and filled with odoriferous musk. And it seemed as if she gazed on them to the right and to the left.—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy sixth night

But Talib ibn Sahl said to him, "Allah preserve you, O Emir, truly this damsel is dead and there is no life in her; so how shall she return your salam?"; adding, "Indeed, she is but a corpse embalmed with exceeding art; her eyes were taken out after her death and quicksilver set under them, after which they were restored to their sockets. Why they glisten and when the air moves the lashes, she seems to wink and it appears to the beholder as though she looked at him, for all she is dead." At this the Emir marvelled beyond measure and said, "Glory be to God who subjugats His creatures to the dominion of Death!" Now the couch on which the damsel lay, had steps, and thereon stood two statues of Andalusian copper representing slaves, one white and the other black. The first held a mace of steel and the second a sword of watered steel which dazzled the eye; and between them, on one of the steps of the couch, lay a golden tablet, on which were written, in characters of white silver, the following words: "In the name of God, the Compassionating, the Compassionate! Praise be to Allah, the Creator of mankind; and He is the Lord of Lords, the Causer of Causes! In the name of Allah, the Never beginning, the Everlasting, the Ordainer of Fate and Fortune! O son of Adam! What has befooled you in this long esperance? What has unminded you of the Death day's mischance? Know you not that Death calls for you and hastens to seize upon the soul of you? Be ready, therefore, for the way and provide you for your departure from the world; for, assuredly, you will leave it without delay. Where is Adam, first of humanity? Where is Noah with his progeny? Where be the Kings of Hind and Irak plain and they who over earth's widest regions reign? Where do the Amalekites abide and the giants and tyrants of olden tide? Indeed, the dwelling places are void of them and they have departed from kindred and home. Where be the Kings of Arab and Ajam? They are dead, all of them, and gone and are become rotten bones. Where be the lords so high in stead? They are all done dead. Where are Kora and Haman? Where is Shaddad son of Ad? Where be Canaan and Zu'l Autád, Lord of the Stakes? By God, the Reaper of lives has reaped them and made void the lands of them.

Did they provide them against the Day of Resurrection or make ready to answer the Lord of men? O you, if you know me not, I will acquaint you with my name: I am Tadmurah, daughter of the Kings of the Amalekites, of those who held dominion over the lands in equity and brought low the necks of humanity. I possessed that which never King possessed and was righteous in my rule and did justice among my subjects; yea, I gave gifts and largesse and freed bondsmen and bondswomen. Thus lived I many years in all ease and delight of life, till Death knocked at my door and to me and to my folk befell calamities galore; and it was in this way. There happened us seven successive years of drought, in which no drop of rain fell on us from the skies and no green thing sprouted for us on the face of earth. So we ate what was with us of victual, then we fell upon the cattle and devoured them, until nothing was left. Thereupon I let bring my treasures and meted them with measures and sent out trusty men to buy food. They circuited all the lands in quest of it and left no city unsought, but found it not to be bought and returned to us with the treasure after a long absence; and gave us to know that they could not succeed in bartering fine pearls for poor wheat, bushel for bushel, weight for weight. So, when we despaired of succour, we displayed all our riches and things of price and, shutting the gates of the city and its strong places, resigned ourselves to the deme of our Lord and committed our case to our King. Then we all died, as you see us, and left what we had builded and all we had hoarded. This, then, is our story, and after the substance nothing abides but the trace." Then they looked at the foot of the tablet and read these couplets,

"O child of Adam, let not hope make mock and flyte at you, From all your hands have treasured, removed you will be; I see you covetest the world and fleeting worldly charms, And race past and gone have done the same as you I see. Lawful and lawless wealth they got but all their hoarded store, Their term accomplished, nothing delayed of Destiny's decree.

Armies they led and powerful men and gained them gold galore, Then left their wealth and palaces by head compelled to flee, To straitness of the grave yard and humble bed of dust from where, pledged for every word and deed, they never more win free As a company of travellers had unloaded in the night At house that lacks food nor is o'erfaln of company: Whose owner says, 'O folk, there be no lodging here for you;' So packed they who had erst unpacked and fared hurriedly: Misliking much the march, nor the journey nor the halt Had anything of pleasant chances or had anything of gladly. Then prepare you good provision for to morrow's journey stored, nothing but righteous honest life shall avail you with the Lord!"

And the Emir Musa wept as he read, "By God, the fear of the Lord is the best of all property, the pillar of certainty and the sole sure stay. truly, Death is the truth manifest and the sure behest, and within it, O you, is the goal and return place evident. Take warning, therefore, by those who to the dust did go and hastened on the way of the predestined end. See you not that hoary hairs summon you to the tomb and that the whiteness of your locks makes moan of your doom? Why be you on the wake ready for your departure and yours account to make. O son of Adam, what has hardened your heart in mode abhorred? What has seduced you from the service of your Lord? Where be the peoples of old time? They are a warning to whoever will be warned! Where be the Kings of Al-Sin and the lords of majestic mien? Where is Shaddad bin Ad and whatever he built and he stablished? Where is Nimrod who revolted against Allah and defied Him? Where is Pharaoh who rebelled against God and denied Him? Death followed hard upon the trail of them all, and laid them low sparing neither great nor small, male nor female; and the Reaper of Mankind cut them off, yea, by Him who makes night to return upon day!

Know, O you who come to this place, that she whom you see here was not deluded by the world and its frail delights, for it is faithless, perfidious, a house of ruin, vain and treacherous; and salutary to the creature is the remembrance of his sins; Why she feared her Lord and made fair her dealings and provided herself with provisions against the appointed marching day. whoever comes to our city and Allah vouchsafs him competence to enter it, let him take of the treasure all he can, but touch not anything that is on my body, for it is the covering of my shame and the outfit for the last journey; Why let him fear Allah and despoil nothing of it; else will he destroy his own self. This have I set forth to him for a warning from me and a solemn trust to be; wherewith, peace be with you and I pray Allah to keep you from sickness and calamity."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy seventh night

"O Emir," asked Talib, "shall we leave our damsel with what is upon her, things which have no equal and whose like is not to be found and more perfect than anything else you take; nor could you find a goodlier offering wherewithal to propitiate the favour of the Commander of the Faithful?" But Musa answered, "O man, heard you not what the Lady says on this tablet? More by token that she gives it in trust to us who are no traitors." "And shall we." rejoined the Wazir Talib, "because of these words, leave all these riches and jewels, seeing that she is dead? What should she do with these that are the adornments of the world and the ornament of the worldling, seeing that one garment of cotton would suffice for her covering? We have more right to them than she." So saying he mounted the steps of the couch between the pillars, but when he came within reach of the two slaves, lo! the mace bearer smote him on the back and the other struck him with the sword he held in his hand and lopped off his head, and he dropped down dead. the Emir said, "Allah have no mercy on your resting place! Indeed there was enough in these treasures; and greed of gain assuredly degrads a man."

Then he bade admit the troops; so they entered and loaded the camels with those treasures and precious ores; after which they went forth and the Emir commanded them to shut the gate as before. They fared on along the sea shore a whole month, till they came in sight of a high mountain overlooking the sea and full of caves, in which dwelt a tribe of blacks, clad in hides, with burnooses also of hide and speaking an unknown tongue. When they saw the troops they were startled like shying steeds and fled into the caverns, whilst their women and children stood at the cave doors, looking on the strangers. "O Shaykh Abd al-Samad," asked the Emir, "what are these folk?" and he answered, "They are those whom we seek for the Commander of the Faithful." So they dismounted and setting down their loads, pitched their tents; whereupon, almost before they had done, down came the King of the blacks from the mountain and drew near the camp. Now he understood the Arabic tongue, so, when he came to the Emir he saluted him with the salam and Musa returned his greeting and entreated him with honour. Then he said to the Emir, "Are you men or Jinn?" "Well, we are men," Said Musa; "but doubtless you are Jinn, to judge by your dwelling apart in this mountain which is cut off from mankind, and by your inordinate bulk." "Nay," rejoined the black, "we also are children of Adam, of the lineage of Ham, son of Noah (with whom be peace!), and this sea is known as Al-Karkar."

Asked Musa, "O King, what is your religion and what worship you?"; and he answered, saying, "We worship the God of the heavens and our religion is that of Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!" "And how came you by the knowledge of this," questioned the Emir, "seeing that no prophet was inspired to visit this country?" "Know, Emir," replied the King, "that there appeared to us whilere from out the sea a man, from whom issued a light that illumined the horizons and he cried out, in a voice which was heard of men far and near, saying, 'O children of Ham, reverence to Him who sees and is not seen and say you, 'There is no god but the God, and Mohammed is the messenger of God!' And he added, 'I am Abu al-Abbás Al-Khizr.' Before this we were wont to worship one another, but he summoned us to the service of the Lord of all creatures; and he taught us to repeat these words, 'There is no god save the God alone, who has for partner none, and His is the kingdom and His is the praise. He gives life and death and He over all things is Almighty.'

Nor do we draw near unto Allah (be He exalted and extolled!) except with these words, for we know none other; but every eve before Friday we see a light upon the face of earth and we hear a voice saying, 'Holy and glorious, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit! What He wills is, and what He wills not, is not. Every boon is of His grace and there is neither Majesty nor is there Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!' But you," the King said, "who and what are you and what brings you to this land?" Musa said, "We are officers of the Sovereign of Al-Islam, the Commander of the Faithful, Abd Al-Malik bin Marwan, who has heard tell of the lord Solomon, son of David (on whom be peace!) and of that which the Most High bestowed upon him of supreme dominion; how he held sway over Jinn and beast and bird and was wont when he was wroth with one of the Marids, to shut him in a cucurbite of brass and, stopping its mouth on him with lead, on which he impressed his seal ring, to cast him into the sea of Al-Karkar.

Now we have heard tell that this sea is near your land; so the Commander of the Faithful has sent us here, to bring him some of these cucurbites, that he may look thereon and solace himself with their sight. Such, then, is our case and what we seek of you, O King, and we desire that you further us in the accomplishment of our errand commanded by the Commander of the Faithful." "With love and gladness," replied the black King, and carrying them to the guest house, entreated them with the utmost honour and furnished them with all they needed, feeding them upon fish. They abode thus three days, when he bade his divers fetch from out the sea some of the vessels of Solomon. So they dived and brought up twelve cucurbites, at which the Emir and the Shaykh and all the company rejoiced in the accomplishment of the Caliph's need. Then Musa gave the King of the blacks many and great gifts; and he, in turn, made him a present of the wonders of the deep, being fishes in human form, saying "Your entertainment these three days has been of the meat of these fish." the Emir said, "Needs must we carry some of these to the Caliph, for the sight of them will please him more than the cucurbites of Solomon."

Then they took leave of the black King and, setting out on their homeward journey, travelled till they came to Damascus, where Musa went in to the Commander of the Faithful and told him all that he had sighted and heard of verses and legends and instances, together with the manner of the death of Talib bin Sahl; and the Caliph said, "Would I had been with you, that I might have seen what you saw!" Then he took the brazen vessels and opened them, cucurbite after cucurbite, whereupon the devils came forth of them, saying, "We repent, O Prophet of Allah! Never again will we return to the like of this thing; no never!" And the Caliph marvelled at this. As for the daughters of the deep presented to them by the black King, they made them cisterns of planks, full of water, and laid them within it; but they died of the great heat. Then the Caliph sent for the spoils of the Brazen City and divided them among the Faithful,—,

When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy eighth night

Thereupon the Emir Musa sought leave of him to appoint his son Governor of the Province in his stead, that he might betake himself to the Holy City of Jerusalem there to worship Allah. So the Commander of the Faithful invested his son Harun with the government and Musa repaired to the Glorious and Holy City, where he died. This, then, is all that has come down to us of the story of the City of Brass, and God is All knowing!

Now (continued Shahrazad) I have another tale to tell anent the