certain books that none, mortal or spirit, could pluck the seal-ring
from the lord Solomon’s finger; and that no navigator could sail his
ship upon the Seven Seas over which the coffin had been carried.
Moreover, he had found out by reading that there was a herb of herbs and
that if one express its juice and anoint therewith his feet, he should
walk upon the surface of any sea that Allah Almighty had created without
wetting his soles; but none could obtain this herb, without he had with
him the Serpent-queen. When Bulukiya arrived at the Holy City, he at
once sat down to do his devotions and worship the Lord; and, whilst he
was so doing, Affan came up and saluted him as a True Believer. Then
seeing him reading the Pentateuch and adoring the Almighty, he accosted
him saying, “What is thy name, O man; and whence comest thou and whither
goest thou?” He answered, “My name is Bulukiya; I am from the city of
Cairo and am come forth wandering in quest of Mohammed, whom Allah bless
and preserve!” Quoth Affan, “Come with me to my lodging that I may
entertain thee.” “To hear is to obey,” replied Bulukiya. So the devotee
took him by the hand and carried him to his house where he entreated him
with the utmost honour and presently said to him, “Tell me thy history,
O my brother, and how thou camest by the knowledge of Mohammed (whom
Allah assain and save!) that thy heart hath been taken with love of him
and compelled thee to fare forth and seek him; and lastly tell me who it
was directed thee in this road.” So he related to him his tale in its
entirety; whereupon Affan, who well-nigh lost his wits for wonder, said
to him, “Make tryst for me with the Queen of the Serpents and I will
bring thee in company with Mohammed, albeit the date of his mission is
yet far distant. We have only to prevail upon the Queen and carry her in
a cage to a certain mountain where the herbs grow; and, as long as she
is with us, the plants as we pass them will parley with human speech and
discover their virtues by the ordinance of Allah the Most High. For I
have found in my books that there is a certain herb and all who express
its juice and anoint therewith their feet shall walk upon whatsoever sea
Almighty Allah hath made, without wetting sole. When we have found the
magical herb, we will let her go her way; and then will we anoint our
feet with the juice and cross the Seven Seas, till we come to the
burial-place of our lord Solomon. Then we will take the ring off his
finger and rule even as he ruled and win all our wishes; we will enter
the Main of Murks[518] and drink of the Water of Life, and so the
Almighty will let us tarry till the End of Time and we shall foregather
with Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!” Hearing these words
Bulukiya replied, “O Affan, I will make tryst for thee with the
Serpent-queen and at once show thee her abiding place.” So Affan made
him a cage of iron; and, providing himself with two bowls, one full of
wine and the other of milk, took ship with Bulukiya and sailed till they
came to the island, where they landed and walked upon it. Then Affan set
up the cage, in which he laid a noose and withdrew after placing in it
the two bowls; when he and Bulukiya concealed themselves afar off.
Presently, up came the Queen of the Serpents (that is, myself) and
examined the cage. When she (that is I) smelt the savour of the milk,
she came down from the back of the snake which bore her tray and,
entering the cage, drank up the milk. Then she went to the bowl of wine
and drank of it, whereupon her head became giddy and she slept. When
Affan saw this, he ran up and locking the cage upon her, set it on his
head and made for the ship, he and Bulukiya. After awhile she awoke and
finding herself in a cage of iron on a man’s head and seeing Bulukiya
walking beside the bearer, said to him, “This is the reward of those who
do no hurt to the sons of Adam.” Answered he, “O Queen, have no fear of
us, for we will do thee no hurt at all. We wish thee only to show us the
herb which, when pounded and squeezed yieldeth a juice, and this rubbed
upon the feet conferreth the power of walking dryshod upon what sea
soever Almighty Allah hath created; and when we have found that we will
return thee to thy place and let thee wend thy way.” Then Affan and
Bulukiya fared on for the hills where grew the herbs; and, as they went
about with the Queen, each plant they passed began to speak and avouch
its virtues by permission of Allah the Most High. As they were thus
doing and the herbs speaking right and left behold, a plant spoke out
and said, “I am the herb ye seek, and all who gather and crush me and
anoint their feet with my juice, shall fare over what sea soever Allah
Almighty hath created and yet ne’er wet sole.” When Affan heard this, he
set down the cage from his head and, gathering what might suffice them
of the herb, crushed it and filling two vials with the juice kept them
for future use; and with what was left they anointed their feet. Then
they took up the Serpent-queen’s cage and journeyed days and nights,
till they reached the island, where they opened the cage and let out
her, that is me. When I found myself at liberty, I asked them what use
they would make of the juice; and they answered, “We design to anoint
our feet and to cross the Seven Seas to the burial-place of our lord
Solomon[519] and take the seal-ring from his finger.” Quoth I, “Far, far
is it from your power to possess yourselves of the ring!” They enquired,
“Wherefore?” and I replied, “Because Almighty Allah vouchsafed unto our
lord Solomon the gift of this ring and distinguished him thereby, for
that he said to Him:—O Lord, give me a kingdom which may not be obtained
after me; for Thou verily art the Giver of kingdoms.[520] So that ring
is not for you.” And I added, “Had ye twain taken the herb, whereof all
who eat shall not die until the First Blast,[521] it had better availed
you than this ye have gotten; for ye shall nowise come at your desire
thereby.” Now when they heard this, they repented them with exceeding
penitence and went their ways.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bulukiya and
Affan heard these words, they repented them with exceeding penitence and
went their ways. Such was their case; but as regards myself (continued
the Serpent-queen) I went in quest of my host and found it fallen in
piteous case, the stronger of them having grown weak in my absence and
the weaker having died. When they saw me, they rejoiced and flocking
about me, asked, “What hath befallen thee, and where hast thou been?” So
I told them what had passed, after which I gathered my forces together
and repaired with them to the mountain Kaf, where I wont to winter,
summer-freshing in the place where thou now seest me, O Hasib Karim
al-Din. This, then, is my story and what befel me. Thereupon Hasib
marvelled at her words and said to her, “I beseech thee, of thy favour,
bid one of thy guards bear me forth to the surface of the earth, that I
may go to my people.” She replied, “O Hasib, thou shalt not have leave
to depart from us till winter come, and needs must thou go with us to
the Mountain Kaf and solace thyself with the sight of the hills and
sands and trees and birds magnifying the One God, the Victorious; and
look upon Marids and Ifrits and Jinn, whose number none knoweth save
Almighty Allah.” When Hasib heard this, he was sore chafed and
chagrined: then he said to her, “Tell me of Affan and Bulukiya; when
they departed from thee and went their way, did they cross the Seven
Seas and reach the burial-place of our lord Solomon or not; and if they
did had they power to take the ring or not?” Answered she, “Know, that
when they left me, they anointed their feet with the juice; and, walking
over the water, fared on from sea to sea, diverting themselves with the
wonders of the deep, nor ceased they faring till they had traversed the
Seven Seas and came in sight of a mountain, soaring high in air, whose
stones were emeralds and whose dust was musk; and in it was a stream of
running water. When they made it they rejoiced, saying each to
other:—Verily we have won our wish; and they entered the passes of the
mountain and walked on, till they saw from afar a cavern surmounted by a
great dome, shining with light. So they made for the cavern, and
entering it beheld therein a throne of gold studded with all manner
jewels, and about it stools whose number none knoweth save Allah
Almighty. And they saw lying at full length upon the throne our lord
Solomon, clad in robes of green silk inwoven with gold and broidered
with jewels and precious minerals: his right hand was passed over his
breast and on the middle finger was the seal-ring whose lustre outshone
that of all other gems in the place. Then Affan taught Bulukiya
adjurations and conjurations galore and said to him:—Repeat these
conjurations and cease not repeating until I take the ring. Then he went
up to the throne; but, as he drew near unto it lo! a mighty serpent came
forth from beneath it and cried out at him with so terrible a cry that
the whole place trembled and sparks flew from its mouth, saying, Begone,
or thou art a dead man! But Affan busied himself with his incantations
and suffered himself not to be startled thereby. Then the serpent blew
such a fiery blast at him, that the place was like to be set on fire,
and said to him, Woe to thee! Except thou turn back, I will consume
thee! Hearing these words Bulukiya left the cave, but Affan, who
suffered himself not to be troubled, went up to the Prophet: then he put
out his hand to the ring and touched it and strove to draw it off the
lord Solomon’s finger; and behold, the serpent blew on him once more and
he became a heap of ashes. Such was his case; but as regards Bulukiya he
fell down in a swoon.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued:—When Bulukiya saw Affan burnt up by the fire and become a
heap of ashes, he fell down in a swoon. Thereupon the Lord (magnified be
His Majesty!) bade Gabriel descend earthwards and save him ere the
serpent should blow on him. So Gabriel descended without delay and,
finding Affan reduced to ashes and Bulukiya in a fit, aroused him from
his trance and saluting him, asked, “How camest thou hither?” Bulukiya
related to him his history from first to last, adding, “Know that I came
not hither but for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!),
of whom Affan informed me that his mission would take place at the End
of Time; moreover that none should foregather with him but those who
endured to the latter days by drinking of the Water of Life through
means of Solomon’s seal. So I companied him hither and there befel him
what befel; but I escaped the fire and now it is my desire that thou
inform me where Mohammed is to be found.” Quoth Gabriel, “O Bulukiya, go
thy ways, for the time of Mohammed’s coming is yet far distant.” Then he
ascended up to heaven forthright, and Bulukiya wept with sore weeping
and repented of that which he had done, calling to mind my words, whenas
I said to them, “Far is it from man’s power to possess himself of the
ring.” Then he descended from the mountain and returned in exceeding
confusion to the sea-shore and passed the night there, marvelling at the
mountains and seas and islands around him. When morning dawned, he
anointed his feet with the herb-juice and descending to the water, set
out and fared on over the surface of the seas days and nights, astonied
at the terrors of the main and the marvels and wonders of the deep, till
he came to an island as it were the Garden of Eden. So he landed and,
finding himself in a great and pleasant island, paced about it and saw
with admiration that its dust was saffron and its gravel carnelian and
precious minerals; its hedges were of jessamine, its vegetation was of
the goodliest of trees and of the brightest of odoriferous shrubs; its
brushwood was of Comorin and Sumatran aloes-wood and its reeds were
sugar-canes. Round about it were roses and narcissus and amaranths and
gilly-flowers and chamomiles and white lilies and violets, and other
flowers of all kinds and colours. Of a truth the island was the
goodliest place, abounding in space, rich in grace, a compendium of
beauty material and spiritual. The birds warbled on the boughs with
tones far sweeter than chaunt of Koran and their notes would console a
lover whom longings unman. And therein the gazelle frisked free and fain
and wild cattle roamed about the plain. Its trees were of tallest
height; its streams flowed bright; its springs welled with waters sweet
and light; and all therein was a delight to sight and sprite. Bulukiya
marvelled at the charms of the island but knew that he had strayed from
the way he had first taken in company with Affan. He wandered about the
place and solaced him with various spectacles until nightfall, when he
climbed into a tree to sleep; but as he sat there, musing over the
beauty of the site, behold, the sea became troubled and there rose up to
the surface a great beast, which cried out with a cry so terrible that
every living thing upon the isle trembled. As Bulukiya gazed upon him
from the tree and marvelled at the bigness of his bulk, he was presently
followed unexpectedly by a multitude of other sea-beasts in kind
manifold, each holding in his fore-paw a jewel which shone like a lamp,
so that the whole island became as light as day for the lustre of the
gems. After awhile, there appeared, from the heart of the island, wild
beasts of the land, none knoweth their number save Allah the Most High;
amongst which Bulukiya noted lions and panthers and lynxes and other
ferals; and these land-beasts flocked down to the shore; and,
foregathering with the sea-beasts, conversed with them till daybreak,
when they separated and each went his own way. Thereupon Bulukiya,
terrified by what he had seen, came down from the tree and, making the
sea-shore, anointed his feet with the magical juice, and set out once
more upon the surface of the water. He fared on days and nights over the
Second Sea, till he came to a great mountain skirting which ran a Wady
without end, the stones whereof were magnetic iron and its beasts lions
and hares and panthers. He landed on the mountain-foot and wandered from
place to place till nightfall, when he sat down sheltered by one of the
base-hills on the sea-side, to eat of the dried fish thrown up by the
sea. Presently, he turned from his meal and behold, a huge panther was
creeping up to rend and ravin him; so he anointed his feet in haste with
the juice and, descending to the surface of the water, fled walking over
the Third Sea, in the darkness; for the night was black and the wind
blew stark. Nor did he stay his course till he reached another island,
whereon he landed and found there trees bearing fruits both fresh and
dry.[522] So he took of these fruits and ate and praised Allah Almighty;
after which he walked for solace about the island till eventide.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
[Illustration]
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bulukiya
(continued the Queen) walked for solace about the island till eventide,
when he lay down to sleep. As soon as day brake, he began to explore the
place and ceased not for ten days, after which he again made the shore
and anointed his feet and, setting out over the Fourth Sea, walked upon
it many nights and days, till he came to a third island of fine white
sand without sign of trees or grass. He walked about it awhile but,
finding its only inhabitants sakers which nested in the sand, he again
anointed his feet and trudged over the Fifth Sea, walking night and day
till he came to a little island, whose soil and hills were like crystal.
Therein were the veins wherefrom gold is worked; and therein also were
marvellous trees whose like he had never seen in his wanderings, for
their blossoms were in hue as gold. He landed and walked about for
diversion till it was nightfall, when the flowers began to shine through
the gloom like stars. Seeing this sight, he marvelled and said,
“Assuredly, the flowers of this island are of those which wither under
the sun and fall to the earth, where the winds smite them and they
gather under the rocks and become the Elixir,[523] which the folk
collect and thereof make gold.” He slept there all that night and at
sunrise he again anointed his feet and, descending to the shore, fared
on over the Sixth Sea nights and days, till he came to a fifth island.
Here he landed and found, after walking an hour or so, two mountains
covered with a multitude of trees, whose fruits were as men’s heads
hanging by the hair, and others whose fruits were green birds hanging by
the feet; also a third kind, whose fruits were like aloes, if a drop of
the juice fell on a man it burnt like fire; and others, whose fruits
wept and laughed, besides many other marvels which he saw there. Then he
returned to the sea-shore and, finding there a tall tree, sat down
beneath it till supper-time when he climbed up into the branches to
sleep. As he sat considering the wonderful works of Allah behold, the
waters became troubled, and there rose therefrom the daughters of the
sea, each mermaid holding in her hand a jewel which shone like the
morning. They came ashore and, foregathering under the trees, sat down
and danced and sported and made merry whilst Bulukiya amused himself
with watching and wondering at their gambols, which were prolonged till
the morning, when they returned to the sea and disappeared. Then he came
down and, anointing his feet, set out on the surface of the Seventh Sea,
over which he journeyed two whole months, without getting sight of
highland or island or broadland or lowland or shoreland, till he came to
the end thereof. And so doing he suffered exceeding hunger, so that he
was forced to snatch up fishes from the surface of the sea and devour
them raw, for stress of famine. In such case he pushed on till in early
forenoon he came to the sixth island, with trees a-growing and rills
a-flowing, where he landed and walked about, looking right and left,
till he came to an apple-tree and put forth his hand to pluck of the
fruit, when lo! one cried out to him from the tree, saying, “An thou
draw near to this tree and cut of it aught, I will cut thee in twain.”
So he looked and saw a giant forty cubits high, being the cubit of the
people of that day; whereat he feared with sore fear and refrained from
that tree. Then said he to the giant, “Why dost thou forbid me to eat of
this tree?” Replied the other, “Because thou art a son of Adam and thy
father Adam forgot the covenant of Allah and sinned against Him and ate
of the tree.” Quoth Bulukiya, “What thing art thou and to whom belongeth
this island, with its trees, and how art thou named?” Quoth the tall
one, “My name is Sharáhiyá and trees and island belong to King
Sakhr;[524] I am one of his guards and in charge of his dominion,”
presently adding, “But who art thou and whence comest thou hither?”
Bulukiya told him his story from beginning to end and Sharahiya said,
“Be of good cheer,” and brought him to eat. So he ate his fill and,
taking leave of the giant, set out again and ceased not faring on over
the mountains and sandy deserts for ten days; at the end of which time
he saw, in the distance, a dust-cloud hanging like a canopy in air; and,
making towards it, he heard a mighty clamour, cries and blows and sounds
of mellay. Presently he reached a great Wady, two months’ journey long;
and, looking whence the shouts came, he saw a multitude of horsemen
engaged in fierce fight and the blood running from them till it railed
like a river. Their voices were thunderous and they were armed with
lance and sword and iron mace and bow and arrow, and all fought with the
utmost fury. At this sight he felt sore affright——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued:—When Bulukiya saw the host in fight, he felt sore affright
and was perplexed about his case; but whilst he hesitated, behold, they
caught sight of him and held their hands one from other and left
fighting. Then a troop of them came up to him, wondering at his make,
and one of the horsemen said to him, “What art thou and whence camest
thou hither and whither art wending; and who showed thee the way that
thou hast come to our country?” Quoth he, “I am of the sons of Adam and
am come out, distracted for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and
preserve!); but I have wandered from my way.” Quoth the horseman, “Never
saw we a son of Adam till now, nor did any ever come to this land.” And
all marvelled at him and at his speech. “But what are ye, O creatures?”
asked Bulukiya; and the rider replied, “We are of the Jánn.” So he said,
“O Knight, what is the cause of the fighting amongst you and where is
your abiding-place and what is the name of this valley and this land?”
He replied, “Our abiding-place is the White Country; and, every year,
Allah Almighty commandeth us to come hither and wage war upon the
unbelieving Jann.” Asked Bulukiya, “And where is the White Country?” and
the horseman answered, “It is behind the mountain Kaf, and distant
seventy-five years journey from this place which is termed the Land of
Shaddád son of ‘Ád: we are here for Holy War; and we have no other
business, when we are not doing battle, than to glorify God and hallow
him. Moreover, we have a ruler, King Sakhr hight, and needs must thou go
with us to him, that he may look upon thee for his especial delight.”
Then they fared on (and he with them) till they came to their abiding
place; where he saw a multitude of magnificent tents of green silk, none
knoweth their number save Allah the Most High, and in their midst a
pavilion of red satin, some thousand cubits in compass, with cords of
blue silk and pegs of gold and silver. Bulukiya marvelled at the sight
and accompanied them as they fared on and behold, this was the royal
pavilion. So they carried him into the presence of King Sakhr, whom he
found seated upon a splendid throne of red gold, set with pearls and
studded with gems; the Kings and Princes of the Jann being on his right
hand, and on his left his Councillors and Emirs and Officers of state,
and a multitude of others. The King seeing him bade introduce him, which
they did; and Bulukiya went up to him and saluted him after kissing the
ground before him. The King returned his salute and said, “Draw near me,
O mortal!” and Bulukiya went close up to him. Hereupon the King,
commanding a chair to be set for him by his royal side, bade him sit
down and asked him “Who art thou?”; and Bulukiya answered, “I am a man,
and one of the Children of Israel.” “Tell me thy story,” cried King
Sakhr, “and acquaint me with all that hath befallen thee and how thou
camest to this my land.” So Bulukiya related to him all that had
occurred in his wanderings from beginning to end——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued:—When Bulukiya related to Sakhr what befel him in his
wanderings, he marvelled thereat. Then he bade the servants bring food
and they spread the tables and set on one thousand and five hundred
platters of red gold and silver and copper, some containing twenty and
some fifty boiled camels, and others some fifty head of sheep; at which
Bulukiya marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then they ate and he ate with
them, till he was satisfied and returned thanks to Allah Almighty; after
which they cleared the tables and set on fruits, and they ate thereof,
glorifying the name of God and invoking blessings on His prophet
Mohammed (whom Allah bless and preserve!) When Bulukiya heard them make
mention of Mohammed, he wondered and said to King Sakhr, “I am minded to
ask thee some questions.” Rejoined the King, “Ask what thou wilt,” and
Bulukiya said, “O King, what are ye and what is your origin and how came
ye to know of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) that ye draw near
to him and love him?” King Sakhr answered, “O Bulukiya, of very sooth
Allah created the fire in seven stages, one above the other, and each
distant a thousand years’ journey from its neighbour. The first stage he
named Jahannam[525] and appointed the same for the punishment of the
transgressors of the True-believers, who die unrepentant; the second he
named Lazá and appointed for Unbelievers: the name of the third is Jahím
and is appointed for Gog and Magog.[526] The fourth is called Sa’ír and
is appointed for the host of Iblis. The fifth is called Sakar and is
prepared for those who neglect prayer. The sixth is called Hatamah and
is appointed for Jews and Christians. The seventh is named Háwiyah and
is prepared for hypocrites. Such be the seven stages.” Quoth Bulukiya,
“Haply Jahannam hath least of torture for that it is the uppermost.”
“Yes,” quoth King Sakhr, “the most endurable of them all is Jahannam;
natheless in it are a thousand mountains of fire, in each mountain
seventy thousand cities of fire, in each city seventy thousand castles
of fire, in each castle seventy thousand houses of fire, in each house
seventy thousand couches of fire and in each couch seventy thousand
manners of torment. As for the other hells, O Bulukiya, none knoweth the
number of kinds of torment that be therein save Allah Most Highest.”
When Bulukiya heard this, he fell down in a fainting-fit, and when he
came to himself, he wept and said, “O King what will be my case?” Quoth
Sakhr, “Fear not, and know thou that whoso loveth Mohammed (whom Allah
bless and keep!) the fire shall not burn him, for he is made free
therefrom for his sake; and whoso belongeth to his Faith the fire shall
fly him. As for us, the Almighty Maker created us of the fire; for the
first that he made in Jahannam were two of His host, whom he called
Khalít and Malít. Now Khalít was fashioned in the likeness of a lion,
with a tail like a tortoise twenty years’ journey in length and ending
in a member masculine; while Malít was like a pied wolf whose tail was
furnished with a member feminine. Then Almighty Allah commanded the
tails to couple and copulate and do the deed of kind, and of them were
born serpents and scorpions, whose dwelling is in the fire, that Allah
may therewith torment those whom He casteth therein; and these increased
and multiplied. Then Allah commanded the tails of Khalit and Malit to
couple and copulate a second time, and the tail of Malit conceived by
the tail of Khalit and bore fourteen children, seven male and seven
female, who grew up and intermarried one with other. All were obedient
to their sire, save one who disobeyed him and was changed into a worm
which is Iblis (the curse of Allah be upon him!). Now Iblis was one of
the Cherubim, for he had served Allah till he was raised to the heavens
and cherished[527] by the especial favour of the Merciful One, who made
him chief of the Cherubim.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.