and to fight against all the nations, and to march and capture
Jerusalem. He showed signs by pretended miracles to the Jews, and
said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, sent me to capture Jerusalem and
to free you from the yoke of the Gentiles." And the Jews believed in
him and called him their Messiah. When the king of Persia heard of it
he sent for him to come and speak with him. Alroy went to him without
fear, and when he had audience of the king, the latter asked him, "Art
thou the king of the Jews?" He answered, "I am." Then the king was
wrath, and commanded that he should be seized and placed in the prison
of the king, the place where the king's prisoners were bound unto the
day of their death, in the city of Tabaristan which is on the large
river Gozan. At the end of three days, whilst the king was sitting
deliberating with his princes concerning the Jews who had rebelled,
David suddenly stood before them. He had escaped from the prison
without the knowledge of any man.

[p.79]

And when the king saw him, he said to him, "Who brought thee hither,
and who has released thee?" "My own wisdom and skill," answered the
other; "for I am not afraid of thee, nor of any of thy servants." The
king forthwith loudly bade his servants to seize him, but they
answered, "We cannot see any man, although our ears hear him." Then
the king and all his princes marvelled at his subtlety; but he said to
the king "I will go my way"; so he went forth. And the king went after
him; and the princes and servants followed their king until they came
to the river-side. Then Alroy took off his mantle and spread it on the
face of the water to cross thereon. When the servants of the king saw
that he crossed the water on his mantle, they pursued him in small
boats, wishing to bring him back, but they were unable, and they said,