saying in a terrible voice, "Fish, fish, are you doing your duty?"
To these words the fish lifting up their heads replied, "Yes, yes.
If you reckon, we reckon. If you pay your debts, we pay ours.
If you fly, we conquer, and are content."

The black slave overturned the pan in the middle of the room,
and the fish were turned to cinders. Then he stepped proudly back
into the wall, which closed round him.

"After having seen this," said the Sultan, "I cannot rest.
These fish signify some mystery I must clear up."

He sent for the fisherman. "Fisherman," he said, "the fish you
have brought us have caused me some anxiety. Where did you get
them from?"

"Sire," he answered, "I got them from a lake which lies in the
middle of four hills beyond yonder mountains."

"Do you know this lake?" asked the Sultan of the grand-vizir.

"No; though I have hunted many times round that mountain, I have
never heard of it," said the vizir.

As the fisherman said it was only three hours' journey away,
the sultan ordered his whole court to mount and ride thither,
and the fisherman led them.

They climbed the mountain, and then, on the other side, saw the
lake as the fisherman had described. The water was so clear