Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/172

146 On his way thither, he raised his eyes and saw the seven heavens and all that therein is, even to the lote-tree, beyond which there is no passing and the manner of the revolution of the spheres. Moreover, God discovered to him the ordinance of the planets and the scheme of their movements and the fixed stars, and he saw the conformation of the sea and land and understood the causes and consequences of eclipses of the sun and moon, whereby he became informed with the knowledge of the arts of geometry and cosmography, as well as those of astrology and astronomy and mathematics and all that hangs thereby. Then he looked at the earth and saw all minerals and vegetables that are therein and knew their virtues and properties, so that he became in an instant versed in medicine and chemistry and natural magic and the art of making gold and silver.

When he came to the palace, he went in to the King and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘Thou hast outlived thy Vizier Shemhour.’ The King was sore troubled at the news of the Grand Vizier’s death and wept sore for him, whilst his grandees and officers wept also. Then said Kerezdan, ‘He was with me but now, in all health, and went away to fetch me the flesh of the Queen of the Serpents, if it should be cooked; what befell him, that he is now dead, and what calamity hath betided him?’ So Hasib told him how he had drunk the contents of the phial and had forthwith swelled out and died. The King mourned sore for his loss and said, ‘What shall I do without him?’ ‘Grieve not, O King of the age,’ rejoined Hasib; ‘for I will cure thee in three days and leave no whit of disease in thy body.’ At this the King’s breast dilated and he said, ‘I will well to be made whole of this affliction, though after years.’

So Hasib set the platter before the King and made him