mains upon the horse,
so long will every ship that approaches be destroyed, with every person
on board, and all the iron contained in it will cleave to the mountain:
no one will be safe until the horseman shall have fallen from the
horse." The captain then wept bitterly; and we felt assured that our
destruction was inevitable, and every one of us bade adieu to his
friend.

On the following morning we drew near to the mountain; the current
carried us toward it with violence, and when the ships were almost close
to it, they fell asunder, and all the nails, and everything else that
was of iron, flew from them toward the loadstone. It was near the close
of day when the ships fell in pieces. Some of us were drowned, and some
escaped; but the greater number were drowned, and of those who saved
their lives none know what became of the others, so stupefied were they
by the waves and the boisterous wind. As for myself, God, whose name be
exalted, spared me on account of the trouble and torment and affliction
that He had predestined to befall me. I placed myself upon a plank, and
the wind and waves cast it upon the mountain; and when I had landed, I
found a practicable way to the summit, resembling steps cut in the rock:
so I exclaimed: "In the name of God!" and offered up a prayer, and
attempted the ascent, holding fast by the notches; and presently God
stilled the wind, so that I arrived in safety at the summit. Rejoicing
greatly in my escape, I immediately entered the cupola, and performed
prayers in gratitude to God for my preservation; after which I slept
beneath the cupola, and heard a voice saying to me: "O son of Khasib,
when thou awakest, dig beneath thy feet, and thou wilt find a bow of
brass, and three arrows of lead, whereon are engraved talismans: then
take the bow and arrows and shoot at the horseman that is upon the top
of the cupola, and relieve mankind from this great affliction; for when
thou hast shot at the horseman he will fall into the sea; the bow will
also fall, and do thou bury it in its place; and as soon as thou hast
done this, the sea will swell and rise until it attains the summit of
the mountain; and there will appear upon it a boat bearing a man,
different from him whom thou shalt have cast down, and he will come to
thee, having an oar in his hand: then do thou embark with him; but utter
not the name of God; and he will convey thee in ten days to a safe sea,
where, on thy arrival, thou wilt find one