Page:The Arabian Nights (1909).djvu/269

 “Perhaps the object will be accomplished by my means, through the will of God, whose name be exalted!” And thereupon all the people agreed to his ascending.

Then Abd-Es-Samad arose, and, having said: ‘‘In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful!’’—he ascended the ladder, repeating the praises of God, and reciting the Verses of Safety, until he reached the top of the wall; when he clapped his hands, and fixed his eyes. The people therefore all called out to him, and said: “O Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad, do not cast thyself down! If Abd-Es-Samad fall, we all perish!” Then Abd-EsSamad sat a long time repeating the praises of God, and reciting the Verses of Safety; after which he rose with energy, and called out with his loudest voice: ‘‘O Emeer, no harm shall befall you; for God hath averted from me the effect of the artifice of the Devil.” So the emeer said to him: ‘‘What hast thou seen, O Sheikh?” He answered: ‘‘When I reached the top of the wall I beheld ten damsels, like moons, who made a sign with their hands, as though they would say: ‘Come to us!’ And it seemed to me that beneath me was a sea of water; whereupon I desired to cast myself down, as our companions did: but I beheld them dead; so I withheld myself from them, and recited some words of the book of God, whereupon He averted from me the influence of those damsels, and they departed; therefore I cast not myself down. There is no doubt that this is an enchantment which the people of this city contrived in order to repel from it every one who should wish to obtain access to it.”

He then walked along the wall till he came to the two towers of brass, when he saw that they had gates of gold, without any sign of the means of opening them. Therefore the sheikh, looking attentively, saw in the middle of one of the gates a figure of a horseman of brass, having one hand extended, as though he