Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/220

198 the sheikh said, ‘Draw near to me.’ So Dehnesh drew near to him and he put his mouth to his ear and said somewhat to him, whereat the Afrit shook his head and answered, ‘I accept, O sheikh of sheikhs.’

Then said Abourruweish to Hassan, ‘Arise, O my son, mount the shoulders of this Afrit, Dehnesh the Flyer; but, when he soareth with thee to heaven and thou hearest the angels glorifying God in the air, have a care lest thou do the like; else wilt thou perish and he also.’ ‘I will not say a word,’ replied he, and the old man continued: ‘O Hassan, to-morrow at peep of day he will set thee down in a land of pure white, like unto camphor, whereupon do thou fare on ten days by thyself, till thou come to the gate of a city. Enter and enquire for the king of the city; and when thou comest to his presence, salute him and kiss his hand: then give him this letter and heed well that which he shall counsel thee.’ ‘I hear and obey,’ replied Hassan and mounted the Afrit’s shoulders, whilst the elders rose and offered up prayers for him and commended him to Dehnesh’s care.

Then the Afrit soared with him to the very confines of the sky, till he heard the angels glorifying God in heaven, and flew on with him a day and a night, till he set him down, at dawn of the next day, in a land, white as camphor, and went his way, leaving him there. When Hassan found himself alone in the land aforesaid, he fared on day and night for ten days, till he came to the gate of the city in question and entering, enquired for the king. They directed him to him and told him that his name was Hessoun, King of the Land of Camphor, and that he had troops and soldiers, enough to fill the earth, in its length and breadth. So he sought an audience of him and being admitted to his presence, found him a mighty king and kissed the earth before him. Quoth the king, ‘What is thine occasion?’ Whereupon Hassan kissed the letter and