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
befell him what befell; 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 manifolds, 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.[FN#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.
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[FN#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 cost 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 Sharαhiyα and trees and island belong to King
Sakhr;[FN#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 horse men 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.
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
Jαnn.' 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 Shaddαd son of 'Αd: 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. More over, we have a ruler, King Sakhr highs, 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.
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 befell 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[FN#525] and appointed the
same for the punishment of the transgressors of the True-believers, who
die unrepentant; the second he named Lazα and appointed for
Unbelievers: the name of the third is Jahνm and is appointed for Gog
and Magog.[FN#526] The fourth is called Sa'νr 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 Hαwiyah 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 Khalνt and Malνt.
Now Khalνt 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 Malνt 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
there with 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 the 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[FN#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.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "'Iblis served God and became chief of Cherubim. When,
however, the Lord created Adam (with whom be peace!), He commanded
Iblis to prostrate himself to him, but he drew back; so Allah Almighty
expelled him from heaven and cursed him.[FN#528] This Iblis had issue
and of his lineage are the devils; and as for the other six males, who
were his elders, they are the ancestors of the true believing Jann, and
we are their descendants. Such, O Bulukiya is our provenance.[FN#529]'
Bulukiya marvelled at the King's words and said, 'O King, I pray thee
bid one of thy guards bear me back to my native land.' 'Naught of this
may we do,' answered Sakhr, 'save by commandment of Allah Almighty;
however, an thou desire to leave us and return home, I will mount thee
on one of my mares and cause her carry thee to the farthest frontiers
of my dominions, where thou wilt meet with the troops of another King,
Barαkhiyα highs, who will recognize the mare at sight and take thee off
her and send her back to us; and this is all we can do for thee, and no
more.' When Bulukiya heard these words he wept and said, 'Do whatso
thou wilt.' So King Sakhr caused bring the mare and, setting Bulukiya
on her back, said to him, 'Beware lest thou alight from her or strike
her or cry out in her face; for if thou do so she will slay thee; but
abide quietly riding on her back till she stop with thee; then dismount
and wend thy ways.' Quoth Bulukiya, 'I hear and I obey;' he then
mounted and setting out, rode on a long while between the rows of
tents; and stinted not riding till he came to the royal kitchens where
he saw the great cauldrons, each holding fifty camels, hung up over the
fires which blazed fiercely under them. So he stopped there and gazed
with a marvel ever increasing till King Sakhr thinking him to be
anhungered, bade bring him two roasted camels; and they carried them to
him and bound them behind him on the mare's crupper. Then he took leave
of them and fared on, till he came to the end of King Sakhr's
dominions, where the mare stood still and Bulukiya dismounted and began
to shake the dust of the journey from his raiment. And behold, there
accosted him a party of men who, recognising the mare, carried her and
Bulukiya before their King Barakhiya. So he saluted him, and the King
returned his greeting and seated him beside himself in a splendid
pavilion, in the midst of his troops and champions and vassal Princes
of the Jann ranged to right and left; after which he called for food
and they ate their fill and pronounced the Alhamdolillah. Then they set
on fruits, and when they had eaten thereof, King Barakhiya, whose
estate was like that of King Sakhr, asked his guest, 'When didst thou
leave King Sakhr?' And Bulukiya answered, 'Two days ago.' Quoth
Barakhiya, 'Dost thou know, how many days' journey thou hast come in
these two days?' Quoth he, 'No,' and the King rejoined, 'Thou hast come
a journey of threescore and ten months.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "Barakhiya said to Bulukiya, 'In two days thou hast come a
journey of threescore and ten months; moreover when thou mountedst the
mare, she was affrighted at thee, knowing thee for a son of Adam, and
would have thrown thee; so they bound on her back these two camels by
way of weight to steady her.' When Bulukiya heard this, he marvelled
and thanked Allah Almighty for safety. Then said the King, 'Tell me thy
adventures and what brought thee to this our land.' So he told him his
story from first to last, and the King marvelled at his words, and kept
Bulukiya with him two months." Upon this Hasib Karim al-Din after he
had marvelled at her story, again besought the Serpent-queen saying, "I
pray thee of thy goodness and graciousness command one of thy subjects
conduct me to the surface of the earth, that I may return to my
family;" but she answered, "O Hasib, I know that the first thing thou
wilt do, after seeing the face of the earth will be to greet thy family
and then repair to the Hammam bath and bathe; and the moment thou
endest thine ablutions will see the last of me, for it will be the
cause of my death." Quoth Hasib, "I swear that I will never again enter
the Hammam bath so long as I live, but when washing is incumbent on me,
I will wash at home." Rejoined the Queen, "I would not trust thee
though thou shouldst swear to me an hundred oaths; for such abstaining
is not possible, and I know thee to be a son of Adam for whom no oath
is sacred. Thy father Adam made a covenant with Allah the most High,
who kneaded the clay whereof He fashioned him forty mornings and made
His angels prostrate themselves to him; yet after all his promise did
he forget and his oath violate, disobeying the commandment of his
Lord." When Hasib heard this, he held his peace and burst into tears;
nor did he leave weeping for the space of ten days, at the end of which
time he said to the Queen, "Prithee acquaint me with the rest of
Bulukiya's adventures." Accordingly, she began again as follows: "Know,
O Hasib, that Bulukiya, after abiding two months with King Barakhiya,
farewelled him and fared on over wastes and deserts nights and days'
till he came to a high mountain which he ascended. On the summit he
beheld seated a great Angel glorifying the names of God and invoking
blessings on Mohammed. Before him lay a tablet covered with characters,
these white and those black,[FN#530] whereon his eyes were fixed, and
his two wings were outspread to the full, one to the western and the
other to the eastern horizon. Bulukiya approached and saluted the
Angel, who returned his salam adding, 'Who art thou and whence comest
thou and whither wendest thou and what is thy story?' Accordingly, he
repeated to him his history, from first to last, and the Angel
marvelled mightily thereat, whereupon Bulukiya said to him, 'I pray
thee in return acquaint me with the meaning of this tablet and what is
writ thereon; and what may be thine occupation and thy name.' Replied
the Angel, 'My name is Michael, and I am charged with the shifts of
night and day; and this is my occupation till the Day of Doom.'
Bulukiya wondered at his words and at his aspect and the vastness of
his stature and, taking leave of him, fared onwards, night and day,
till he came to a vast meadow over which he walked observing that it
was traversed by seven streams and abounded in trees. He was struck by
its beauty and in one corner thereof he saw a great tree and under it
four Angels. So he drew near to them and found the first in the
likeness of a man, the second in the likeness of a wild beast, the
third in the likeness of a bird and the fourth in the likeness of a
bull, engaged in glorifying Almighty Allah, and saying, 'O my God and
my Master and my Lord, I conjure Thee, by Thy truth and by the decree
of Thy Prophet Mohammed (on whom be blessings and peace!) to vouchsafe
Thy mercy and grant Thy forgiveness to all things created in my
likeness; for Thou over all things art Almighty!' Bulukiya marvelled at
what he heard but continued his journey till he came to another
mountain and ascending it, found there a great Angel seated on the
summit, glorifying God and hallowing Him and invoking blessings on
Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!), and he saw that Angel
continually opening and shutting his hands and bending and extending
his fingers. He accosted him and saluted him; whereupon the Angel
returned his salam and enquired who he was and how he came thither. So
Bulukiya acquainted him with his adventures including his having lost
the way; and besought him to tell him, in turn, who he was and what was
his function and what mountain was that. Quoth the Angel, 'Know, O
Bulukiya, that this is the mountain Kaf, which encompasseth the world;
and all the countries the Creator hath made are in my grasp. When the
Almighty is minded to visit any land with earthquake or famine or
plenty or slaughter or prosperity, He biddeth me carry out His commands
and I carry them out without stirring from my place; for know thou that
my hands lay hold upon the roots of the earth,' "—And Shahrazed
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,