n and with naked
bodies, like wild beasts, not understanding speech. They had a king of
their own race, and none of them knew Arabic save their king. So when
they saw the ship and those who were in her, he came forth to them
attended by a party of his companions, and saluted them and welcomed
them: They acquainted him with their state; and he said to them, "No
harm shall befall you; there hath not come to us any one of the sons of
Adam before you." And he entertained them with a banquet of the flesh of
birds and of wild beasts and of fish. And after this, the people of the
ship went down to divert themselves in the city, and they found one of
the fishermen who had cast his net in the sea to catch fish, and he drew
it up, and, lo, in it was a bottle of brass stopped with lead, which was
sealed with the signet of Solomon the son of David. And the fisherman
came forth and broke it; whereupon there proceeded from it a blue smoke,
which united with the clouds of heaven; and they heard a horrible voice,
saying: "Repentance! repentance! O Prophet of God!" Then, of that smoke
there was formed a person of terrible aspect, of terrific make, whose
head would reach as high as a mountain; and he disappeared from before
their eyes. As to the people of the ship, their hearts were almost
eradicated; but the blacks thought nothing of the event. And a man
returned to the king, and asked him respecting this; and the king
answered him: "Know that this is one of the genies whom Solomon, the son
of David, when he was incensed against them, imprisoned in these
bottles, and he poured lead over them, and threw them into the sea. When
the fisherman casteth his net, it generally bringeth up these bottles;
and when they are broken, there cometh forth from them a genie, who
imagineth that Solomon is still living; wherefore he repenteth, and
saith: 'Repentance! O Prophet of God!'"

And the Prince of the Faithful, Abd-El-Melik, wondered at these words,
and said: "By Allah, I desire to see some of these bottles!" So Talib
replied: "O Prince of the Faithful, thou art able to do so, and yet
remain in thy country. Send to thy brother Abd-El-Azeez, that he may
write orders to the Emeer Moosa to journey from the Western Country to
this mountain which we have mentioned, and to bring thee what thou
desirest of these bottles; for the furthest tract of his province is
adjacent to this mountain." And the Prince of the Faithful approved of
his advice, and said: