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 Wak, and the first that shall arrive I will send thee aboard her, and give thee in charge to the sailors, who will bear thee thither. As soon as thou comest ashore, thou wilt see a multitude of wooden benches about the beach: choose thee one, and crouch under it and stir not. When night sets in, thou wilt see an army of women flocking about the goods landed from the ship, and one will sit down on the bench under which thou art hiding. Wherefore put forth thy hand and take hold of her and implore her protection. If she give thee protection, thou wilt regain thy wife and children; if not, mourn for thyself, and give up all hope of life."

And Hasan waited three whole months for the coming of the ship. And at the end of that time the King sent for him, and presenting him with costly gifts, summoned the captain, saying: "Take this youth with thee so that none may know of him save thee, and carry him to the Islands of Wak." So the captain laid him in a chest and bore him aboard, and none doubted but that the chest contained merchandise.

And at the end of ten days Hasan was set ashore, and as he walked up the beach he saw wooden benches without number, and hid under one till nightfall. Then there came many women armed with hauberks, coats of mail, and drawn swords, who busied themselves with the merchandise from the ships. And one seated herself on the bench under which Hasan crouched, whereupon he took hold of the hem of her garment and did as the Shaykh had bidden him. And her heart