Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/292

258 down to Him who seeth and is not seen and say, “‘ [sic]There is no god but God and Mohammed is His apostle!”’” [sic] And he added, “I am Aboulabbas el Khizr.” Before this, we used to worship one another, but he called us to the service of the Lord of all creatures. Moreover, he taught us to repeat these words, “There is no god save God alone, who hath no partner, and His are the kingdom and the praise. He giveth life and death and He can do all things.” Nor do we draw near unto God (to whom belong might and majesty) but with these words, for we know none other; but every Friday eve we see a light upon the face of the earth and hear a voice saying, “Holy and glorious, Lord of the Spirit and the Angels! What He willeth, is, and what He willeth not, is not. Every blessing is of the grace of God and there is neither power nor virtue save in Him the Most High, the Supreme!”

But ye,’ said the black king, ‘who and what are ye and what brings you to this land?’ Quoth Mousa, ‘We are officers of the sovereign of Islam, the Commander of the Faithful Abdulmelik ben Merwan, who hath heard tell of the lord Solomon, son of David (on whom be peace), and of that which God the Most High bestowed upon him of supreme dominion, how he held sway over Jinn and beasts and birds and was wont, whenas he was wroth with one of the Marids, to shut him in a vessel of brass and stopping its mouth on him with lead, whereon he impressed his seal, to cast him into the sea of Kerker. Now we have heard tell that this sea is in your country; so the Commander of the Faithful hath sent us hither, to fetch him some of these vessels, that he may look thereon and divert himself with their sight. This, then, is our case and what we seek of thee, O King, and we desire that thou further us in the accomplishment of our errand for the Commander of the Faithful.’ ‘With all my heart,’ replied the black king and carrying them to the guest-house, entreated them