Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/87

65 anointed their feet with the juice of the magical herb, and walking over the water, fared on from sea to sea, beholding the wonders of the deep, till they had traversed the Seven Seas and came in sight of a mighty mountain, soaring high into the air, whereat they rejoiced and said to one another, “Verily we have attained our desire.” So they landed and found that the stones of the mountain were of emerald and its dust of musk, and in it was a stream of running water. They entered the passes of the mountain and walked on, till they saw a cavern afar off, surmounted by a great dome, and light shining therefrom. So they made for the dome and entering the cavern, beheld therein a throne of gold set with all manner jewels, and about it stools innumerable, none knoweth their number save God the Most High. On the throne they saw our lord Solomon lying, clad in robes of green silk, gold inwoven and broidered with all manner jewels and precious stones: his right hand was folded upon his breast and on the middle finger was the seal-ring, whose lustre outshone that of all the other jewels in the place.

Then Uffan taught Beloukiya charms and conjurations and said to him, “Repeat these conjurations and stint not therefrom till I take the ring.” Then he went up to the throne; but, as he drew near unto it, a mighty serpent issued from beneath it and cried out at him with so terrible a cry that the whole place trembled and sparks flew from its mouth, saying, “Begone, or thou art a dead man!” But Uffan paid no heed to it and busied himself with his incantations. Then the serpent blew such a fiery blast at him, that the place was like to be set on fire, and said to him, “Woe to thee! Except thou turn back, I will consume thee!” Yet was he not troubled at this, but put out his hand to the ring and touched it and strove to draw it off Solomon’s finger; whereupon the serpent blew on him [once more] and he became a heap of ashes.

When Beloukiya saw this, he fell down in a swoon, and VOL. V.