and the twain ate and drank together. Then quoth
Habib to Al-Abbus, “Knowest thou not that which
befel me with Durrat al-Ghawwas of wondrous matters?”
and quoth the other, “And what may that have
been?” whereupon the youth rejoined, “O
my brother, Allah be satisfied with thee for that
He willed thou appear to me and direct me and guide
me aright to the dearling of my heart and the cooling
of mine eyes.” “Leave thou such foolish
talk,” replied Al-Abbus, “for where art
thou and where is Durrat al-Ghawwas? Indeed between
thee and her are horrors and perils and long tracts
of land and seas wondrous, and adventures marvellous,
which would amaze and amate the rending lions, and
spectacles which would turn grey the sucking child
or any one of man’s scions.” Hearing
these words Habib clasped his governor to his breast
and kissed him between the eyes, and the Jinni said,
“O my beloved, had I the might to unite thee
with her I would do on such wise, but first ’tis
my desire to make thee forgather with thy family in
a moment shorter than an eye-twinkling.”
“Had I longed for my own people,” rejoined
Habib, “I should never have left them, nor should
I have endangered my days nor wouldst thou have seen
me in this stead; but as it is I will never return
from my wayfaring till such time as my hope shall have
been fulfilled, even although my appointed life-term
should be brought to end, for I have no further need
of existence.” To these words the Jinni
made answer, “Learn thou, O Habib, that the cavern
wherein thou art containeth the hoards of our Lord
Solomon, David’s son (upon the twain be The
Peace!), and he placed them under my charge and he
forbade me abandon them until such time as he shall
permit me, and furthermore that I let and hinder both
mankind and Jinn-kind from entering the Hoard; and
know thou, O Habib, that in this cavern is a treasure-house
and in the Treasury forty closets offsetting to the
right and to the left. Now wouldst thou gaze upon
this wealth of pearls and rubies and precious stones,
do thou ere passing through the first door dig under
its threshold, where thou shalt find buried the keys
of all the magazines. Then take the first of
them in hand and unlock its door, after which thou
shalt be able to open all the others and look upon
the store of jewels therein. And when thou shalt
design to depart the Treasury thou shalt find a curtain
hung up in front of thee and fastened around it eighty
hooks of red gold;[FN#417] and do thou beware how thou
raise the hanging without quilting them all with cotton.”
So saying he gave him a bundle of tree-wool he had
by him, and pursued, “O Habib, when thou shalt
have raised the curtain thou wilt discover a door
with two leaves also of red gold, whereupon couplets
are inscribed, and as regards the first distich an
thou master the meaning of the names and the talismans,
thou shalt be saved from all terrors and horrors,
and if thou fail to comprehend them thou shalt perish
in that Hoard. But after opening the door close