Then they fared on till they came to a magnificent palace, builded all with stones of emerald and rubies, and its doors were of sheer gold.  Before it was a bridge, the length whereof was an hundred and fifty cubits and its breadth fifty cubits, and it was [wroughten] of the rib of a fish; whilst at the other end of the bridge were many warriors [FN#84] of the Jinn, gruesome and terrible of aspect, and all of them bore in their hands javelins of steel that flashed in the sun like winter lightning. [FN#85] Quoth Zein ul Asnam to Mubarek, “This is a thing that taketh the wits;” and Mubarek said to him, “It behoveth us abide in our place neither fare forward, lest a mischance betide us.  O God, [vouchsafe us] safety!” Therewith he brought out of his pocket four pieces of yellow silken stuff and girded himself with one thereof; the second he laid on his shoulders and gave Zein ul Asnam other two pieces, with which he girded himself [and covered his shoulders] on like wise.  Moreover, he spread before each of them a sash of white silk and bringing forth of his pocket precious stones and perfumes, such as ambergris and aloes-wood, [set them on the edges thereof ; [FN#86]] after which they sat down, each on his sash, and Mubarek taught Zein ul Asnam these words, which he should say to the King of the Jinn, to wit:  “O my lord King of the Jinn, we are in thy safeguard.”  And Zein ul Asnam said to him, “And I will instantly conjure him that he accept of us.”

Then said Mubarek, “O my lord, by Allah, I am exceeding fearful.  But now hearken; an he be minded to accept of us without hurt, he will come to us in the semblance of a man accomplished in grace and goodliness; but, an he have no mind to us, he will come to us in a gruesome and a frightful aspect.  An thou see him surpassing in beauty, arise forthright and salute him, but beware lest thou overpass thy sash.”  And Zein ul Asnam said to him, “Hearkening and obedience.”  “And be this thy salutation to him,” continued Mubarek; “thou shalt say, ’O King of the Jinn and lord of the earth, my father, the Sultan of Bassora, the angel of death hath removed, as indeed is not hidden from thee.  Now Thy Grace was still wont to take my father under thy protection, and I come to thee likewise to put myself under thy safeguard, even as did he.’  Moreover, [FN#87] O my lord Zein ul Asnam,” added he, “an the King of the Jinn receive us with a cheerful favour, he will without fail ask thee and say to thee, ’Seek of me that which thou wiliest and thou shalt forthright be given [it].’ [FN#88] So do thou seek of him and say to him, ’O my lord, I crave of Thy Grace the ninth image, than which there is not the world a more precious; and indeed Thy Grace promised my father that thou wouldst give it to me."’