Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/100

78 of this fish, and he said, ‘O Lord, show me the fish, that I may look upon it.’ So God commanded an angel to take Jesus and show him the fish. Accordingly, he carried the prophet to the sea, wherein the fish dwelt, and bade him look upon it. He looked, but [at first] saw nothing, when, suddenly, the monster darted past like lightning. At this sight, Jesus swooned away, and when he came to himself, God spoke to him, saying, ‘O Jesus, hast thou seen the fish and noted its length and breadth?’ ‘By Thy splendour and majesty, O Lord,’ replied Jesus, ‘I saw no fish; but there passed me by a great bull, whose length was three days’ journey, and I know not what manner of thing this is.’ ‘O Jesus,’ rejoined the Almighty, ‘this that thou sawest and which was three days in passing by thee, was [but] the head of the fish; and know that every day I create forty fish like unto this.’ And Jesus marvelled at the power of God the Most High.”

Quoth Beloukiya, “What hath God made beneath this nether sea?” “Under the sea,” replied the angel, “God created a vast [abyss of] air, under the air the fire and under the fire a mighty serpent, by name Felec; and were it not for the fear of God the Most High, this serpent would swallow up all that is above it, without feeling it. When God created this serpent, He said to it, ‘Open thy mouth and I will give thee somewhat to keep for me.’ So it opened its mouth and God put Hell into its maw, saying, ‘Keep it until the Day of Resurrection.’ When that day comes, God will send His angels to bring Hell and chain it up until the Day of Judgment, when, at His commandment, it will open its gates and there will issue therefrom sparks bigger than mountains.”

When Beloukiya heard these things, he wept sore and taking leave of the angel, fared on westward, till he came in sight of a great shut gate, before which sat two creatures. When he drew near, he saw that one of the gate-keepers