Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/275

251 thee on the elephant and the enchanted horse, traversed with thee, in ten days, three years’ journey for a diligent horseman, and the Afrit Dehnesh, to whom the Sheikh Abourruweish committed thee, carried thee a like distance in a day and a night; all which was of the blessing of God the Most High, for that the Sheikh Abourruweish is of the lineage of Asef ben Berkhiya and knoweth the Most Great name of God. Moreover, from Baghdad to the Palace of the Mountain of Clouds is a year’s journey, and this makes the seven years.’

When Hassan heard this, he marvelled exceedingly and said, ‘Glory be to God, who maketh the difficult easy and healeth the broken, who bringeth near the distant and humbleth every froward tyrant, who hath eased us of every stress and brought me hither and subjected these creatures to me and reunited me with my wife and children! I know not whether I sleep or wake or if I be sober or drunken!’ Then he turned to the Jinn and said, ‘In how many days will your horses bring us to Baghdad?’ ‘They will carry you thither in less than a year,’ answered they, ‘but not till after ye have endured terrible perils and hardships and traversed thirsty valleys and frightful wastes and terrors without number; and we cannot warrant thee, O our lord, from the people of these islands nor from the mischief of the Supreme King and his enchanters and warlocks. It may be they will force us and take you from us and we fall into affliction with them, and all to whom the news shall come after this will say to us, “Ye are evil-doers. How could ye affront the Supreme King and carry a mortal out of his dominions, and the king’s daughter with him?” Wert thou alone with