thereto possible to thee." Rejoined Zayn al-Asnam, "Know, O
Mubarak, that opulence is gained only by blood; nor cometh aught
upon mankind save by determination and predestination of the
Creator (be He glorified and magnified!); so look to thine own
stoutness of heart and take thou no thought of me." Thereupon
Mubarak forthright bade his slaves get them ready for wayfare; so
they obeyed his bidding in all things and mounted horse and
travelled by light and dark over the wildest of wolds, every day
seeing matters and marvels which bewildered their wits, sights
they had never seen in all their years, until they drew near unto
a certain place. There the party dismounted and Mubarak bade the
negro slaves and eunuchs abide on the spot saying to them, "Do ye
keep watch and ward over the beasts of burthen and the horses
until what time we return to you." After this the twain set out
together afoot and quoth the Freedman to the Prince, "O my lord,
here valiancy besitteth, for that now thou art in the land of the
Image[FN#30] thou camest to seek." And they ceased not walking
till they reached a lake, a long water and a wide, where quoth
Mubarak to his companion, "Know, O my lord, that anon will come
to us a little craft bearing a banner of azure tinct and all its
planks are of chaunders and lign-aloes of Comorin, the most
precious of woods. And now I would charge thee with a charge the
which must thou most diligently observe." Asked the other, "Thou
wilt see in that boat a boatman[FN#31] whose fashion is the
reverse of man's; but beware, and again I say beware, lest thou
utter a word, otherwise he will at once drown us.[FN#32] Learn
also that this stead belongeth to the King of the Jinns and that
everything thou beholdest is the work of the Jann."--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.