Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/101

79 had a lion’s favour and the other that of a bull; So he saluted them and they returned his greeting and enquired who and whence he was and whither he was bound. Quoth he, “I am of the sons of Adam, a wanderer for the love of Mohammed, whom God bless and preserve; and I have strayed from my road.” Then he asked them what they were and what was the gate before which they sat. “We are the guardians of this gate,” answered they, “and we have no other business than the praise and glorification of God and the invocation of blessings on Mohammed (whom may He bless and keep).” “What is within the gate?” asked Beloukiya; and they answered, “We know not.” Then said he, “I conjure you, by the virtue of your glorious Lord, open to me the gate, that I may see that which is therein.” “None may open this gate, of all created beings,” replied they, “save Gabriel, the Faithful One, on whom be peace.” Then Beloukiya lifted up his voice in supplication to God and besought Him to send down His messenger Gabriel, to open for him the gate; and God gave ear unto his prayer and commanded the angel to descend and open to him the gate of the confluence of the Two Seas. So Gabriel descended and saluting the prince, opened the gate to him, saying, “Enter, for God commandeth me to open to thee.” So he entered and Gabriel locked the gate behind him and flew back to heaven.

When Beloukiya found himself within the gate, he looked and beheld a vast ocean, whose water was half salt and half fresh, bounded on either side by ranges of mountains of red cornelian, whereon he saw angels singing the praises of God and hallowing Him. So he went up to these latter and exchanging salutations with them, questioned them of the sea and the mountains. “This place is situate under the empyreal heaven,” replied they, “and all the waters of the world fall into this ocean,