And I beheld the tribes and armies in my power, and saw the countries and
their inhabitants dread me.
When I mounted, I beheld my army comprising a million bridles upon
neighing steeds;
And I possessed wealth that could not be calculated, which I treasured up
against misfortunes,
Determining to devote the whole of my property for the purpose of
extending the term of my life.

But the Deity would nought save the execution of his purpose; and thus I
became separated from my brethren.
Death, the disuniter of mankind, came to me, and I was removed from
grandeur to the mansion of contempt;
And I found the recompense of all my past actions, for which I am
pledged: for I was sinful!
Then raise thyself, lest thou be upon a brink; and beware of calamities!
Mayest thou be led aright!

And again the Emeer Moosa wept, in considering the fates of the people;
after which, as they were going about through the different apartments
of the palace, and viewing attentively its chambers and its places of
diversion, they came to a table upon four legs of alabaster, whereon was
inscribed:

Upon this table have eaten a thousand one-eyed kings, and a thousand
kings each sound in both eyes. All of them have quitted the world, and
taken up their abode in the burial-grounds and the graves.

And the Emeer Moosa wrote down all this. Then he went forth, and took
not with him from the palace aught save the table.

The soldiers proceeded, with the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad before them shewing
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 travelling.

The party therefore turned thither and journeyed on, and it was the
right way. They took that route, and continued their course the s