Chapter III: Book I (2)

Hatim listened to the conversation of the jackals, but he was so exhausted that he had not strength to raise up. Meanwhile the male jackal, leaving the female, set out for Mazanderan; and on his arrival there, he saw the animal he was in quest of, sleeping underneath a tree. He approached it, and seizing its head in his mouth, he gave it such a pull that he severed it from the body, and returning with it he arrived agreeably to his promise. The female during his absence had rested neither night nor day, nor did she suffer any living creature to approach the tree. Hatim was conscious of all this, how the jackal having procured the head of the Părīrū, had now placed it before his female companion. The female jackal then with her mouth forced open the head, and having extracted the brain, applied it to Hatim’s wound. The instant it was applied, Hatim’s pain was removed; he rose up, and looking at the jackals, said, “You, though of the brute creation, have acted most humanely towards me; but you have without cause deprived another animal of life: in this you have not done well.” The male jackal said, “For that crime let me be answerable; and do you rest at ease. What, though I am of the brute creation, still I acknowledge a merciful God.” About an hour passed in such discourse, after which the flesh closed on Hatim’s wound, and he experienced a complete cure. He then addressed the jackals, saying, “You have acted most beneficently towards me; command me then in any way I can do you a favor, and whatever service you will require of me I will with all my heart and soul accomplish.” The jackals replied, “In this neighborhood there live a couple of ravenous hyenas, that every year devour our young ones, our strength being of no avail against them. If it is in your power, remove from us their depredations, and it will be doing us the highest favor.”

Hatim requested the jackal to shew him the haunt of the hyenas; which being done, he set out, but found that the place was empty. He there sat down till it was night, when both hyenas male and female arrived, and were surprised at seeing a man stationed in their abode. Growling, they said to him in their own language, “Oh, son of man! this is our dwelling place, not yours; how came you to sit here? Arise, and go your way, otherwise we shall tear you to pieces in this very spot.” Hatim replied, “Creatures of the Almighty, your own lives are dear to you, so ought you to consider the lives of others; and if you delight in destroying life, tremble for your own. On what account do you devour the young of the helpless jackals? Truly you have not the fear of God, and you have need to repent.” They said to him, “How come you to feel sympathy for the jackals? why do you not look after your own affairs?” Hatim replied, “I beseech you, by that God who hath created you and the whole universe, to abstain from eating their flesh; God is bountiful, and he will assuredly send you sustenance.” The hyenas, in answer to this, said, “We never will spare them.”

When Hatim found them thus callous and unmerciful, and disinclined to act honestly, he instantly sprung forward and suspended himself to the necks of the hyenas, by which means he threw them down, and fettered them. He then considered with himself, “If I kill them it will be contrary to my nature; for hitherto I have not inflicted pain on any living creature.” But on farther reflection it came into his mind, that it was highly proper to chastise ferocious animals. He therefore drew forth his knife, and having broken the teeth and cut off the claws of the hyenas he left them, and devoutly prayed to God to relieve the pain of the animals. The hearer of prayers attended to Hatim’s request, and removed the pain from the hyenas. Hatim then untied the fetters and set the animals at liberty; they fell at his feet, saying, “How can we henceforth obtain sustenance?” He replied, “God is bountiful.” Meanwhile the jackals presented themselves, and said, “Henceforth let the maintenance of the hyenas be left to our care, and while we live we shall provide for them.”

Hatim took leave of the jackals and proceeded on his way through the desert. After he had gone, the female jackal said to the male, “It would be very unkind that Hatim should wander alone to the desert of Hawaida, and you not to shew him the way.” Here the male jackal running, made up to him, and said, “Oh, Hatim! let me accompany you to Hawaida.” Hatim answered, “Already you have done me one kind deed, which I have not yet requited; why then do you lay me under further obligations?” To this the jackal said, “Servant of the Almighty, why should I allow you to wander astray from the country?” Hatim replied, “I will by no means take you away in my company; and if you have a desire to set me on the right way, it is quite sufficient that you shew me the proper path.” The jackal then said, “Oh, youth! there is one way which is near, but it has dangers innumerable; and there is another which is circuitous, and extremely rough; for this reason allow me to go with you.” In reply to this, Hatim said, “Do you shew me the nearest way, and God will render it smooth for me.” The jackal then directed him, saying, “Go straight forward to a place where the road divides into four branches, and then select that which leads right on: it is the shortest way, and if you can go safe it will take you to the desert of Hawaida.” Hatim bade adieu to the jackal and advanced; and after one month he arrived at the four divisions of the road, and keeping the direct path, advanced in the direction of the desert.

After he had gone part of the way, several bears presented themselves to his sight; for there the king of the bears with a thousand of these uncouth animals held his court, and it happened on that particular day that they were out on an excursion. When Hatim was seen by the bears, they instantly sent intelligence to their king that they had that day beheld one of the human race. His Majesty commanded them to seize the man and bring him thither; and the bears having caught Hatim, carried him with them. When the king of the bears minutely observed Hatim, he gave orders that he should be taken care of, and conveyed to their abode, to which they all returned. After this, when Hatim was brought before the king, his Majesty said, “Descendant of Adam, be seated, and tell us whence you came, and what is your name; but that is unnecessary, for you are Hatim.” Hatim answered, “Yes, I am; and I have come hither in the service of my Creator.” His Majesty then said to him, “Truly you are most welcome, and I will give you my daughter in marriage, for as yet I have met with none so proper for a son-in-law that I could bestow her on him, as it would be unbecoming to espouse her to any of my subjects or servants.” On hearing this tempting proposal, Hatim held down his head. The king of the bears asked him, “What is the cause of your holding down your head? have you nothing to say in reply? am I forsooth unworthy of being your father-in-law?” Hatim at last said, “You are of the brute creation, I of the human race, what conformity is there between us?” The bear said, “Oh, Hatim! rest you content on that score, and let nothing disturb your mind, for my daughter is of your own species.”

His Majesty then ordered his daughter to be arrayed and presented, and said to Hatim, “Go and look at her for one instant.” Hatim rose up, and beheld a female in human shape, and beautiful as the moon in her fourteenth night. He was wrapt in wonder, and having returned to his Majesty, he said, “You are a king and I am a beggar; it would be disrespectful in me to presume to espouse your daughter.” The bear replied, “You shall accept of her, notwithstanding every objection which you can contrive. Pray are you not Prince of Yemen?” Hatim began to reflect, “What a scrape I have fallen into! I have come forth on a particular service; how then can I remain captive here?” The bear observed his thoughtfulness a second time, and said, “Oh, Hatim! if you accept not my daughter, I shall send you into a place of confinement, where you shall remain fast till the day of judgment.” Here Hatim attempted a reply, but the bear became angry, and ordered them to confine Hatim in a certain dungeon, and keep strict watch over him. Instantly the bears carried Hatim to the dungeon, and having removed a large stone of extreme hardness they made him fast, and replaced the stone as before on the mouth of the dungeon. In this hole, Hatim, hungry, thirsty, and bewildered, was left for the space of two weeks, at the expiration of which the king sent for him, and having made him sit beside him, said, “Oh, Hatim! will you now espouse my daughter?” Hatim still remained silent, and the king ordered fruits to be brought and presented to him. Hatim being hungry, ate of the fruit and quenched his thirst with pure water, after which the bear again insisted on his marrying his daughter. To this, Hatim at last replied, that there could be no relationship between mankind and other animals; on hearing which, the king of the bears ordered him to be again shut up in the dungeon.

After some days, Hatim, exhausted with hunger and thirst, fell into a slumber, and in a dream he saw an aged man, who thus addressed him: “Oh, Hatim! why art thou thus dilatory in the service which thou hast taken in hand; and why dost thou not comply with the bear’s request?” He answered, “If I accept his daughter, they will never permit me to leave them for the accomplishment of my task.” The aged man again replied, “On that alone your liberation depends, for otherwise you must soon perish in this dungeon; therefore accept as your wife the bear’s daughter, and for this compliance on your part, she will effectually assist in setting you at liberty.” Here Hatim awaked from his dream, and in about two weeks after he was again brought before the king of the bears. His Majesty seated Hatim beside him, and repeated his former proposal, which being agreed to, he took Hatim by the hand and placed him on his own throne, and issued orders for his grandees to be in attendance. Agreements were then entered into, according to the usages of that race, after which the bear conveyed Hatim to the apartment of his daughter. There, to his surprise, he found the halls decorated with the most splendid couches such as belong to royalty; and on a splendid throne was seated his bride arrayed in gold and all sorts of jewels. For a short time he stood bewildered, when the king took the hand of his daughter and resigned her to Hatim agreeably to established custom. Every day the king sent a variety of the most delicious fruits to Hatim, till at length the latter observed, that to live entirely on fruit did not agree with him, and that he would prefer more substantial food. On hearing this, the king ordered his emissaries to collect from places inhabited by men all sorts of flour, sugar, milk, and butter, also vessels of porcelain. The order was no sooner expressed than executed, and thus Hatim was enabled to fare sumptuously twice a day on food the most delicious, which he himself dressed.

In this manner six months elapsed, when one day Hatim, addressing the bear’s daughter, said, “I have left home on a special service, and your father has forcibly detained me here; if you will permit my absence for some time, and make your father assent to this measure, when I have accomplished my undertaking I will return and live with you.” The bear’s daughter instantly went to her father, and acquainted him with Hatim’s request; to which the king replied, “Daughter, he is your husband; if you are yourself satisfied you have my consent.” The daughter observed, “Hatim appears to be a man of sincerity; he will assuredly return according to his promise.” In short, the king gave his permission, and ordered some of his subjects to conduct Hatim beyond the boundaries of his dominions. Hatim having taken leave of his wife, departed, and after some time arrived at a sandy desert which contained not a single human dwelling. Hatim placed his reliance upon God and proceeded; meanwhile a mysterious man with tattered garment presented him every evening with a loaf of bread and a jug full of water. Of these, after offering his thanks to the Creator, he partook, and thus continued to advance. Suddenly he espied before him a dragon, the head of which was reared up to the height of a mountain. At first sight he was dreadfully alarmed, but gradually began to suppose that it must be a mass of sand. When he drew nearer, the dragon observing him, inhaled his breath, and Hatim was irresistibly drawn from the earth notwithstanding his utmost efforts to keep himself firm, and in an instant he was swallowed alive by the monster.

When Hatim found himself inside of the dragon, he remembered his Creator, and with pious resignation to his will, said, “This I have merited, polluted as I am with sins; it has been my wish to become one of the servants of God, but ah, helpless me! what avail my frail efforts?” Thus Hatim constantly kept in mind the beneficence of the Almighty: for whosoever puts his trust in God, and sincerely devotes his life and fortune to the accomplishing of what is acceptable unto the Almighty, him the Creator will never forsake when in calamity. Sometimes he trieth his servants even as he tried Job the prophet of Iram, who bore his sufferings with patience and resignation. In like manner it behoveth the true servants of the Almighty that in every calamity they remain patient and resigned.

For three days and nights Hatim thus continued in the loathsome abdomen of the dragon, where he would have speedily died were it not for a talismanic pearl which his wife, the bear’s daughter, had fixed in his turban previous to his departure. This pearl had a charm in it by which its possessor became secured against the bad effects of fire and poison, and hence the venom of the dragon had no effect on Hatim. In truth the bounteous Creator had in time provided him with an antidote, as it was his will that Hatim should live. Meanwhile the dragon, heartily wishing to be rid of Hatim, said to himself, “What troublesome stuff have I swallowed here? I can never digest it, for it still lives and moves about within me.” It may be conceived that Hatim found little rest within the dragon’s abdomen; and he was constantly endeavoring to stand up and walk about, the trampling of his feet upon the stomach of the monster so annoyed the latter that he coiled and reared in all directions.

At length, when he found that his food was really destructive and caused him such pain, he bore it no longer, and making a strong effort he vomited, and Hatim was once more thrown into the open air, where the dragon left him and fled into the wilderness. Hatim remained on the spot for some time till his clothes were dried by the sun, and then proceeded on his way till, after traversing the sandy desert, he arrived exhausted with hunger and thirst on the banks of a river. Here he began to wash both himself and his clothes, when he observed a large fish playing near him. Hatim was congratulating himself on this providential supply of food, when the fish, of which the half was a human form of extreme beauty, being in fact the mermaid, approached, and seizing him by the hand, instantly drew him into the river. Hatim struggled hard to keep his ground, but his strength was of no avail; the fish hurried him through the deep, and thus conveyed him into her place of residence. Here he found himself in a splendid apartment seated on a superb couch, and the mermaid endeavoring by every sort of contrivance to reconcile him to his captivity.

For seven nights and days Hatim remained the dejected captive of this monster of the deep. At last becoming desperate, he said, “I have travelled thus far on business the most urgent, leaving my home and kindred; why then dost thou urge me to become an inmate of this thy abode? My sadness will never allow me to be an agreeable companion; I pray thee then to conduct me to that place whence I have been forcibly dragged.” To this the mermaid replied, “Oh, Hatim! stay with me three days longer, and I will consent to thy release.” When the three days had elapsed, Hatim reminded the mermaid of her promise, to which she replied, “Everything which tends to thy welfare shall be accomplished, yet remain a few days more.” Hatim said, “Remember thy promise, for to stay a moment longer is to me impossible.” The mermaid finding Hatim resolute, at last took him by the hand, and in an instant conveyed him to the spot from which she had taken him, and as a last effort said, “Oh, Hatim! is it really your intention to part with me?”--“My duty,” said Hatim, “is urgent, and nothing shall make me shrink from it.” When Hatim gave this decisive answer, the mermaid vanished. He then finished the washing of his clothes, in which he had been previously interrupted, and after drying them in the sun, he dressed himself, and once more set out.

After he had journeyed for some days he approached a mountain, the top of which was covered with trees in beautiful clusters. Having ascended, he entered these groves, which were lined with elegant couches, and through which flowed rivulets of pure water. The cool zephyr wafting its fragrance through the trees rendered the situation refreshing to the soul. Hatim reclined on one of the couches, and soon fell asleep. Meanwhile the proprietor of the place passing by, was surprised on beholding a youth of graceful mien there asleep. He sat down beside him, and shortly after, Hatim, refreshed by sleep, sat up, and seeing a stranger, respectfully saluted him. The other, in courteous terms, returned his salutation, and said, “Whence came you, and whither are you going? Pray tell me, what are your motives for traversing this dreary waste?” Hatim replied, “I am on my way to the desert of Hawaida.” The stranger, on hearing this, said, “How came you to adopt so mad a resolution? has none of your friends been kind enough to prevent your journey?”--“Such,” said Hatim, “is my sincere intention; and placing my reliance on God, I have undertaken this task, and have proceeded thus far on my way. A prince, named Munir Shami, has fallen desperately in love with Husn Banu, the daughter of Burzakh the merchant. The lady has asked of the prince seven questions, the solution of which is beyond his power. Weeping in the agonies of despair, he quitted the haunts of men and turned his face to the mountains and deserts, where I chanced to meet with him. I inquired into the cause of his distress, and learned from him his heart-melting tale. It came into my mind, that to _question the distressed as to his circumstances, and then not to make an effort to relieve him, would be a line of conduct unbecoming a man_. For this reason, Sir, I have endeavored to do my best in his cause.”

The stranger then said, “Assuredly you must be Hatim himself; for with the exception of Hatim, there is not a man alive who would have acted in such a manner. Generous Hatim! God is beneficent, and to you will render the task easy; but remember, that hitherto no one has returned in safety from the desert of Hawaida, and the few who have thence retraced their steps became distracted in mind and lost to the world; however, since you go, give ear to my advice. The instant you approach the desert of Hawaida, they will assail you with enchantment, against which your power and strength will be of no avail. Around you will gather damsels of surpassing beauty, and among these will be a nymph heart-ravishing, of graceful form, with waving tresses resplendent as the full moon; the moment you behold her your heart will be beyond your control, but you must remain firm of mind and not give way. Should you then resolve to advance, you have merely to take this fair damsel by the hand, and in an instant you will find yourself in the desert of Hawaida. Now, Hatim! if you do not follow my advice, you will have cause to repent of it till your dying hour.”

When he had done speaking, a man advanced to the couch on which they sat, with a table in his hands, and having fixed it before them, he covered it with cloth and presented them with water to wash their hands. He then laid upon the table a large bowl full of milk and rice, and two flagons full of pure water the most delicious that Hatim had ever tasted. Having rested there during the night, Hatim next morning took leave of his host and departed. After journeying for some days, he arrived on the shore of a lake surrounded with shady trees and brimful of clear water. When he was wrapt in admiration of this scene, a nymph of more than mortal beauty, perfect from head to foot, gracefully arose from the water. Hatim, dazzled with her splendor, covered his eyes, and the nymph seizing him by the hand hurried him into the deep. Hatim found himself for some time sinking rapidly, till at last his feet rested on firm ground. He then opened his eyes, and to his astonishment beheld around him a most beautiful and extensive garden. Here the nymph of the lake shortly after quitted her hold of his hand, and vanished from his sight. Hatim walked a considerable way through the garden, when, lo! thousands of beautiful women approached him from every quarter, each of whom tried to win him with her attractions, and endeavored to pierce his heart with the arrows of her loving glances.

To all these, however, Hatim paid not the least regard, for he kept in mind the advice of the stranger who had lately entertained him, and said to himself, “This is all enchantment.” The damsels then laid hold of Hatim and conveyed him to a splendid palace, which was entirely formed of precious stones and all sorts of jewels and pearls, and also decorated with numberless paintings. When Hatim was inside the palace, standing near a throne which he viewed with admiration, he thought within himself, “Now that I am in this palace, why should I not for once sit upon that throne?” He therefore advanced. Placing his foot on the throne, he heard a tremendous crash; he started back, thinking that the throne had been broken under his weight. He once more examined it, and seeing no ground for what he had imagined, he mounted the throne and sat down. He was no sooner upon the throne than the noise was repeated, and the beautiful damsel whom the stranger on the mountain had mentioned to him as likely to take his heart captive, approached him with smiles the most alluring. She was arrayed in gold and jewels of the costliest sort: with a veil cast over her countenance, she advanced and stood at the foot of the throne. Hatim was completely bewildered, and felt the strongest inclination to remove the veil from her face; but then he remembered the advice he had received, and said in his own mind, “It is only by seizing the hand of this damsel that I am to be delivered from this enchantment; however, ere I depart I must see further into the delusions of this place.” For three nights and days Hatim remained seated on the throne. The darkness of the night was dispelled by magic lamps which to him were invisible, and his ears were delighted with melodious sounds. Fantastic groups in endless variety danced along the scene; but, all through, the damsel of surpassing beauty stood by the throne, sweetly smiling in his face. They presented him with food and fruits of every description in costly dishes; but although Hatim ate most heartily, his hunger was not in the least appeased. Wondering in his mind, he said to himself, “Though I am constantly eating I am never satiated, how is this to be accounted for?” In this manner three days had elapsed, and on the fourth he said to himself, “Oh, Hatim! were you to look for a hundred years at these delusive appearances, still you would not have tired of them. At the same time you have left behind you a helpless youth, whose expectations are fixed on your exertions; if you waste the time, what will you have to answer before God?”

Hatim then seized the hand of the fair damsel, which he had no sooner done than a female form issued from the foot of the throne, and struck him a blow which felled him to the ground. He opened his eyes, and on looking round him saw not a trace of the garden, the palace, the throne, or the damsels. A dreary and boundless wilderness presented itself to his view, which he knew to be the desert of Hawaida. He then commenced his search for the man in quest of whom he had travelled, and after he had wandered for some space, his ear was greeted by the welcome sound of “_What I once saw, I long for a second time_.” Hatim listened with attention, and three times did he distinctly hear this sound, after which all was silent. He proceeded in the direction in which the voice was heard, and for seven nights and days he thus advanced. On his way he often heard the words repeated as it were before him, but never could he discover the person by whom they were uttered.

Hatim, thus bewildered, still advanced; when, lo! on the evening of the ninth day he saw an old man resting himself on the bare earth. Hatim approached and saluted the old man, who courteously returning his salutation, said to him, “Young stranger, whence came you, and what is your business here?”--“Venerable Sir,” said Hatim, “my business here is to learn truly from you what is it that you have _seen once_, and _long to behold a second time_.”--“Sit down by me,” said the aged man, “and I will tell you all.” Hatim sat down, and in an instant two loaves and two flagons full of pure water miraculously appeared before them. The old man handed to Hatim one of the loaves and one of the pitchers full of water, and reserved an equal quantity for himself, and both of them silently ate and drank. After their refreshment, Hatim addressed the old man, saying, “Venerable Sir, pray tell me the meaning of these words which you have so often repeated.” To this, the aged man replied, “I once upon a time arrived at the border of a lake, from the waters of which arose a damsel of angelic appearance, who, seizing me by the hand, hurried me into the midst of the deep. When I opened my eyes, I beheld to my astonishment a beauteous garden, from every quarter of which damsels fairest of form came in troops around me. At last they carried me into a palace, and left me standing beside a gorgeous throne, which I mounted and then sat down, beholding with admiration the objects that presented themselves to my view. A beautiful damsel with a veil gracefully thrown over her face approached and stood before the throne. The instant I beheld her fairy form, I lost hold of the reins of my heart and became frantic. I removed the veil from her face; she smiled irresistibly, and my transport knew no bounds. I seized her hand in order to seat her upon the throne, when on a sudden another female form seemed to issue from the earth beneath us, and raising herself, she struck me a blow which hurled me into this desert. Here I wander restless and forlorn, and my thoughts are ever fixed on the image of that heart-ravishing angel.”

Thus spoke the aged man, and then sighing bitterly he shed a flood of tears, and like a maniac flew in every direction, crying aloud, “_What I once saw, I long for a second time_.” Hatim ran in pursuit of him, and seizing him by the arm, said to him, “Venerable Sir, will your mind be at ease if you should see that fairy form a second time?”--“Assuredly, young man,” said he, “but the case is impossible.”--“Follow me,” said Hatim, “and I will conduct you to her abode.” The old man joyfully accompanied Hatim; and after travelling for some days, they entered the shady groves on the banks of the lake already mentioned.

Hatim then addressed his aged companion, saying, “Now, venerable Sir, when you again arrive in the enchanted palace, if it be your wish to remain there admiring the angelic damsel, you must on no account seize her hand or remove her veil. If you lay hold of her hand, the same disaster from which you have now made your escape will again befall you, and your retracing your way back to that enchanted paradise will be impossible. That I have been enabled to do so, is owing to the kindness of a hermit of exemplary piety, who gave me proper directions when on my way hither. Do you now ascend into yonder tree on the border of the lake, and the beautiful nymph will arise out of the water as formerly.”

Here Hatim took leave of the old man, and the instant the latter ascended the tree that overhung the lake, the nymph gracefully arose out of the water, and seizing him by the hand hurried him into the midst of the deep. Hatim now began to retrace his steps towards Shahabad, and in a few days arrived at the abode of the hermit on the mountain, to whom he related his whole adventure. Having taken an affectionate leave of the hermit, he journeyed onwards till he arrived in the desert of the bears, where he spent a whole month enjoying the society of his beautiful wife, the bear’s daughter. That period having elapsed, he bade adieu to his wife and _new_ kindred, and his next stage was the residence of the jackals. After parting with the latter, nothing occurred worth notice till his safe arrival in Shahabad, where he was recognized and conducted to the caravanseraï by Husn Banu’s people. The Prince Munir Shami prostrated himself at Hatim’s feet, in order to give vent to his gratitude; but Hatim raised him to his bosom, and related to him all that he had seen.

Hatim, accompanied by the prince, waited upon Husn Banu, who, having veiled herself, most courteously received them, and addressing Hatim, she said, “Tell me, brave youth, what news have you brought?”--“An aged man,” replied Hatim, “in the desert of Hawaida once saw by the effect of magic a damsel of angelic form. She deprived him of his heart and of his senses, and since that time he has traversed the wilderness, crying aloud, ‘_What I once saw, I long for a second time_.’” Hatim then gave a full account to Husn Banu of the nature of the enchanted paradise, and how he had conveyed the old man to the banks of the lake through which he might reënter the magic scene. “In fine,” said Hatim, “those sounds shall be heard no more in the desert, for I have conducted the old man to the abode of that Houri who had robbed him of his heart.”

When Husn Banu heard the whole adventure, she expressed her admiration; and the nurse addressing her, said, “The youth speaks truly, for the case is really as he has related.” Food was then brought in, and Hatim was urged to take refreshment. This done, he said to Husn Banu, “The Supreme Creator has enabled me to explain one of your questions; let me now hear another, that I may endeavor to accomplish its solution.”--“Rest yourself,” said Husn Banu, “for some days till you are recovered from your present fatigue.” Husn Banu at the same time was deeply though secretly enamoured of the prince Munir, but respect for her own dignity compelled her to abide by her declaration, and there was no resource except the solution of the seven questions.

Hatim and the prince Munir rested for the night in the palace of Husn Banu, and next day waited upon her for the purpose of taking leave. Hatim requested to know her second question, which she told him, as follows: “I have heard,” said Husn Banu, “that a certain person has written above his door, ‘_Do good, and cast it upon the waters_.’ What means this motto, and where lives the writer of it? Having investigated this mystery, return and tell me the result; that is, the _good_ that he _has done, and cast upon the waters_.” Hatim then took leave of Husn Banu, and having soothed the anxiety of the prince Munir, departed on his second adventure.