Page:Swahili tales.djvu/363

Rh had died, and I went and opened a chest, and found a bag and opened it, and a small brass box was in it, and I opened it, and inside it was tied up in woollen cloth, and I opened the cloth, and found a book, and I read it, and found many praises of the prophet. And I was taken with a longing to see that man. And I asked people, and they told me, he is not yet born. And I said, I will wander till I see him. And I left my town and my property, and I am wandering; I have not yet seen the man.'

"And I too said to him, 'Where will you find him, he is not yet born? Perhaps, if you had the serpent's water, you might be able to live without dying, till you meet him, but now it is of no use, for the serpent's water is far off.'

"And he said to me, 'Farewell again, I shall wander on.' And I said, 'Farewell.' And he went his way.

"And so he reached Egypt, and met a man, and he asked him, 'Who are you?' And he said, 'I am Bolukia.' And he asked him, 'And who are you?' And he said, 'My name is Alfán.' And he said to him, 'Where are you going.' And he said, 'I have left my town, and my kingdom, and my property; I am seeking the prophet.'

"And he said, 'Where will you find him, when he is not yet born? But let us go and look for the king of the snakes, if we find him, he will give us a medicine, and we will go to where the prophet Solomon is; and we will get his rings, and govern all the genii, they will be under us, we will order them whatever we wish.'

"And he said, 'I have seen the king of the snakes at the mountain of Al Kaf.' And he said, 'Let us go then.' And that Alfan in his heart wanted the ring of Solomon that he might govern, that he might be the king of the genii and of the birds. Bolukia wanted to see the prophet, that was his longing.