Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/255

223 where the Amir Mousa had his abiding-place; and when the latter heard of Talib’s coming, he went forth to meet him and rejoiced in him. Talib gave him the Khalif’s letter, and he read it and laying it on his head, said, ‘I hear and obey the Commander of the Faithful.’ Then he assembled his chief officers and acquainting them with the Khalif’s commandment, sought counsel of them how he should accomplish it. ‘O Amir,’ answered they, ‘if thou seek one who shall guide thee to the place in question, send for the Sheikh Abdussemed son of Abdulcuddous es Semoudi, for he is a man of experience, who has travelled much and knoweth all the seas and wastes and deserts and countries of the world and the inhabitants and wonders thereof; wherefore send thou for him and he will surely guide thee to thy desire.’

So Mousa sent for him, and behold, he was a very old man, broken down with lapse of years and days. The Amir saluted him and said, ‘O Sheikh Abdussemed, our lord the Commander of the Faithful, Abdulmelik ben Merwan, hath commanded me thus and thus. Now I have small knowledge of the land wherein is that which the Khalif desires; but it is told me that thou knowest it well and the way thither. Wilt thou, therefore, go thither with me and help me to accomplish the Khalif’s need? So it please God the Most High, thy pains and travail shall not be wasted.’ ‘I hear and obey the bidding of the Commander of the Faithful,’ replied the Sheikh; ‘but know, O our lord, that the road thither is long and difficult and the ways few.’ ‘How far is it?’ asked Mousa, and the Sheikh answered, ‘It is a journey of two years and some months thither and the like back, and the way is full of perils and terrors and toils and wonders. Now thou art a champion of the Faith and our country is hard