number was one million, or more. He made ready the
accoutrements and weapons, and mounted, with his forces, upon the magic
carpet, with the birds flying over his head, and the wild beasts beneath
the carpet marching, until he alighted upon his enemy's coast, and
surrounded his island, having filled the land with the forces. He then
sent to our king, saying to him: 'Behold, I have arrived: therefore
submit thyself to my authority, and acknowledge my mission, and break
thine idol, and worship the One, the Adored God, and marry to me thy
daughter according to law, and say thou, and those who are with thee, I
testify that there is no deity but God, and I testify that Solomon is
the Prophet of God. If thou say that, peace and safety shall be thy lot.
But if thou refuse, thy defending thyself from me in this island shall
not prevent thee: for God hath commanded the wind to obey me, and I will
order it to convey me unto thee on the carpet, and will make thee an
example to restrain others.' So the messenger came to him, and
communicated to him the message of the Prophet! But the king said to
him: 'There is no way for the accomplishment of this thing that he
requireth: therefore inform him that I am coming forth unto him.'
Accordingly the messenger returned to Solomon, and gave him the reply.
The king then sent to the people of his country, and collected for
himself, of the genies that were under his authority, a million; and to
these he added others, of the devils that were in the islands and on the
mountains; after which he made ready his forces, and opened the
armouries, and distributed to them the weapons. And as to the Prophet of
God, he disposed his troops, commanding the wild beasts to form
themselves into two divisions, on the right of the people and on their
left, and commanding the birds to be upon the islands. He ordered them
also when the assault should be made, to tear out the eyes of their
antagonists with their beaks, and to beat their faces with their wings;
and he ordered the wild beasts to tear in pieces their horses; and they
replied: 'We hear and obey God and thee, O Prophet of God!' Then Solomon
set for himself a couch of alabaster adorned with jewels, and plated
with plates of red gold, and he placed his vizier Asaf on the right
side, and his vizier, Ed-Dimiryat, on the left side, and the kings of
mankind on his right, and the kings of the genies on his left, and the
wild beasts and the vipers and serpents b