The soldiers proceeded, with the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad before them
showing them the way, until all the first day had passed, and the
second, and the third. They then came to a high hill, at which they
looked, and lo, upon it was a horseman of brass, on the top of whose
spear was a wide and glistening head that almost deprived the beholder
of sight, and on it was inscribed, O thou who comest unto me, if thou
know not the way that leadeth to the City of Brass, rub the hand of the
horseman, and he will turn, and then will stop, and in whatsoever
direction he stoppeth, thither proceed, without fear and without
difficulty; for it will lead thee to the City of Brass.--And when the
Emeer Moosa had rubbed the hand of the horseman, it turned like the
blinding lightning, and faced a different direction from that in which
they were traveling.

The party therefore turned thither and journeyed on, and it was the
right way. They took that route, and continued their course the same day
and the next night until they had traversed a wide tract of country. And
as they were proceeding, one day, they came to a pillar of black stone,
wherein was a person sunk to his arm-pits, and he had two huge wings,
and four arms; two of them like those of the sons of Adam, and two like
the forelegs of lions, with claws. He had hair upon his head like the
tails of horses, and two eyes like two burning coals, and he had a third
eye, in his forehead, like the eye of the lynx, from which there
appeared sparks of fire. He was black and tall; and he was crying out,
Extolled be the perfection of my Lord, who hath appointed me this severe
affliction and painful torture until the day of resurrection! When the
party beheld him, their reason fled from them, and they were stupefied
at the sight of his form, and retreated in flight; and the Emeer Moosa
said to the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, What is this? He answered, I know not
what he is. And the Emeer said, Draw near to him, and investigate his
case: perhaps he will discover it, and perhaps thou wilt learn his
history. The sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad replied, May God amend the state of
the Emeer! Verily we fear him.--Fear ye not, rejoined the Emeer; for he
is withheld from injuring you and others by the state in which he is. So
the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad drew near to him, and said to him, O thou
person, what is thy name, and what is thy nature, and what hath placed
thee here in this manner? And he answered him, As to me, I am