complied with this direction; "thou hast no time to spare: refresh
thyself, as though for a long journey, with meat and drink, and then
set out."

They then conducted him into an adjoining room, and waited upon him
themselves; after his repast they handed to him a crystal goblet
filled with a liquor most agreeable to his palate, superior to any
drink he had formerly tasted.

"Now proceed onward," said they: "this is the first step towards your
happiness."

One of them then traced a small cross with his forefinger upon the
wall, and immediately there opened a small vaulted chamber.

"What!" said Jalaladdeen, "am I to enter that gloomy hole?" shuddering
and involuntarily drawing back, in consequence of the cold damp vapour
that issued from it.

"Hand him another goblet to refresh himself," said one of the
brothers, and at the same time filling one for him.

Then the third brother presented to him the eagle's wing and the tip
of the lion's tail, which had been reserved from the cauldron, and the
arrow and lance, too, with which he had killed them.

"Forward! On, in the name of the Prophet!" was the next command.

"I obey," answered Jalaladdeen; "but suffer me before my departure to
ask, Who are ye?"

"We are three genii," said they, "sent here by the King of Spirits, as
keepers of the mysteries of the holy Mount Massis. But proceed, in
order that thou mayest arrive in due time at thy destination." They
led him to the opening, and as he was stooping down to enter it,
"See," said they, "if thou shouldst return by this way, throw upon the
ground this wing of the eagle and the tail of the lion, and call out
in a loud voice our names, Arjeh, Neschar, and Mana-Guma. We shall
then know what thou requirest."

With these words the passage closed upon him, and he found himself in
such dense darkness that there was not a single glimmer of light
through the whole space. The ground as he advanced was even, and for
the first few steps he could walk upright, so that it did not seem
inconvenient. Suddenly, however, he came to a gradual declivity, and
after a few steps he felt the bottom sinking beneath his feet. He
could no longer remain upright, but sank upon his knees, and
eventually sat himself down; for it gave way more and more, and the
more he struggled the lower he sank. At last he bent forward with his
head laid upon his knee, as he was completely exhausted, in
consequence of the rapid though gradual fall of earth. H