And when he had put me at mine ease he
questioned me of myself, and I told him all that had befallen me from
first to last. And as he wondered at my adventure, I said, "By Allah, O
my lord, excuse me; I have told thee the truth of my case and the
accident which betided me. And now I desire that thou tell me who thou
art, and why thou abidest here under the earth, and why thou hast
tethered yonder mare on the brink of the sea." Answered he, "Know that I
am one of the several who are stationed in different parts of this
island, and we are of the grooms of King Mihrjan, and under our hand are
all his horses.... And Inshallah! I will bear thee to King Mihrjan--"

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.

NOW WHEN IT WAS THE FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTIETH NIGHT,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Syce said
to Sindbad the Seaman, "I will bear thee to King Mihrjan and show thee
our country. And know that hadst thou not happened on us, thou hadst
perished miserably and none had known of thee; but I will be the means
of the saving of thy life and of thy return to thine own land." I called
down blessings on him and thanked him for his kindness and courtesy....
After this, we sat awhile, till the rest of the grooms came up, each
leading a mare, and seeing me with their fellow Syce questioned me of my
case, and I repeated my story to them. Thereupon they drew near me, and
spreading the table, ate and invited me to eat; so I ate with them,
after which they took horse, and mounting me on one of the mares, set
out with me and fared on without ceasing, till we came to the capital
city of King Mihrjan, and going in to him acquainted him with my story.
Then he sent for me, and when they set me before him and salams had been
exchanged, he gave me a cordial welcome and wishing me long life bade me
tell him my tale. So I related to him all that I had seen and all that
had befallen me from first to last, whereat he marveled and said to me,
"By Allah, O my son, thou hast indeed been miraculously preserved! Were
not the term of thy life a long one, thou hadst not escaped from these
straits; but praised be Allah for safety!" Then he spoke cheerily to me
and entreated me with kindness and consideration; moreover, he made me
his agent for the port and registrar of all ships that entered the
harbor. I attended him regularly, to receive his commandments, and he
favored me and did me al