So Zein ul Asnam abode with Mubarek four days and every day the chief men of Cairo came to salute him, whenas it reached them that this was Mubarek’s lord, the Sultan of Bassora; then, after he was rested, he said to his host, “O Mubarek, indeed the time is long upon me;” [FN#71] and Mubarek said to him, ``Thou must know, O my lord, that this whereof thou art come in quest is a hard [FN#72] matter, nay, even unto danger of death, and I know not if thy fortitude may suffice thee for the achievement thereof.” [FN#73] “Know, O Mubarek,” rejoined Zein ul Asnam, “that wealth [is gotten] by blood [FN#74] and there betideth a man nought except by the will and foreordinance of the Creator (to whom belong might and majesty ); so do thou take heart and concern not thyself on my account.”  Accordingly Mubarek forthright commended his slaves equip them for travel; so they made all ready and taking horse, journeyed days and nights in the foulest of deserts, [FN#75] witnessing daily things and matters which confounded their wits,—­things such as never in their time had they seen,—­until they drew near the place [of their destination]; whereupon they lighted down from their steeds and Mubarek bade the slaves and servants abide there, saying to them, “Keep watch over the beasts of burden and the horses till we return to you.”

Then the twain set out together afoot and Mubarek said to Zein ul Asnam, “O my lord, now behoveth fortitude, for that thou art in the land of the image whereof thou comest in quest.”  And they gave not over walking till they drew near a great lake and a wide, whereupon quoth Mubarek to Zein ul Asnam, “Know, O my lord, that there will presently come to us a little boat, bearing a blue flag and builded all with planks of sandal and Comorin aloes-wood of price; and [thereanent] I have a charge to give thee, which it behoveth thee observe.”  “What is this charge?” asked the prince and Mubarek said to him, “In this boat thou wilt see a boatman, [FN#76] but his make is monstrous; [FN#77] wherefore be thou ware and again, I say, beware lest thou speak aught, for that he will incontinent drown us; and know that this place appertaineth to the King of the Jinn and that all thou seest is their handiwork.”  Then [FN#78] they came to the lake and behold, a little boat with planks of sandal and Comorin aloes-wood and in it a boatman, whose head was [as] the head of an elephant and the rest of his body [as that of] a wild beast. [FN#79] When he drew near them, he wrapped his trunk about them both and taking them with him into the boat, rowed out with them to the midst of the lake, then fared on with them [FN#80] till he brought them to the other shore, where they landed and walking on, saw there trees of ambergris [FN#81] and aloes and sandal-wood and cloves and jessamine, [FN#82] full-grown and laden with ripe fruits and flowers [FN#83] whose fragrance dilated the breast and cheered the spright; and there [they heard] the voices of the birds twittering their various notes and ravishing the wit with their warblings.  So Mubarek turned to Zein ul Asnam and said to him, “How deemest thou of this place, O my lord?” And the prince answered him, saying, “Methinketh, O Mubarek, this is the paradise which the Prophet (whom God bless and keep) promised us withal.”