Agal, the son of Iran-Ovor--the swordmaker, was a great traveller, and
it is recorded of him that, once, journeying beyond Cathay, he came to
the Court of the great emperor, Ol-fin, and there stayed many months.
The emperor made much of Agal, and showed him all his marvellous
treasures and many of the wonderful sights of the empire, that the
traveller might spread the fame of Ol-fin.
One day, when Agal had announced his intention of returning to his own
country, the emperor said: ‘I have one other thing for you to see, and
it is the most wonderful of all. It was given to me by the great god
Aoh. Come, I will show you.’ And he led him through the palace, along
innumerable corridors, until they came to a narrow, steep flight of
stairs. These they mounted, until they came to a small apartment which
appeared to be at the top of a high tower.
It had but one window, which was closely shuttered. ‘O Agal,
much-travelled one,’ cried the emperor, ‘you shall see a sight you have
never seen before,’ and he flung back the shutters.
Agal looked through the window, and was amazed at what he saw. ‘The dust
of seven times seven kingdoms has been about my feet,’ he cried, ‘yet I
never saw such beauty before. Strange, that I know the sight, yet I have
never seen it before. It must have come in dreams!’
‘Ah!--It is a gift from the great god,’ said the emperor complacently;
‘it is the view that always lies just over the hill.’