Page:Swahili tales.djvu/203

Rh one another. And they took me and went with me to their king. And their king knew how to speak Arabic, and the country itself was one of the Indian countries.

"So the king talked with me in the Arabic language, and asked my news, whence I came and how I was going, till I was picked up in the sea. So I gave him the news which I had. The king called his vizir, and took me and gave me to the vizir, and told him, 'Find him a place with you, and treat him well, till he recovers his health.' So I went and followed him. And I went on, and he gave me a good house, and good sleeping accommodation, and good food, and every good thing he did to me.

"And I remained the days I remained with him. And at the house where I lived there was a garden, and I sat one day and opened the window which was towards the garden, and I looked, and the garden pleased me exceedingly. And I saw a stream of water in it. And I longed to go and bathe in the stream. And I went down, and went and got into the water and bathed. And then I followed the stream, and it took me out of the town.

"And when I looked up I did not know whence I came, or whither I was going, and I was like a man struck with idiotcy. Then all at once I saw a man on horseback coming towards where I was. And he called me by my name. And he said to me, 'Your courtesy is not lost.' And he asked me, 'Do you know me?' And I said, 'I do not.' And he said, 'I am that white snake's brother; and now I am come to complete our business.' And he called me, and said to me, 'Come, let us mount the horse.' And we both got on the horse and went on.

"And he said to me, 'Now we are near the city of Nuhás.' And I knew not whence I came, and I knew not whither I was going. I knew not before and I knew not behind, I was a mere person. And we went, and arrived