wed
[with sorrow], and I began to weep bitterly, and supplicate [304]
the Almighty [to end my woes]. At the last quarter [of the night],
what do I see! that, by the dispensation of God, a rope was hanging
down in the well, and I heard [some one] in a low voice saying, 'O,
unfortunate wretch! tie the end of the rope tightly to thy hands,
and escape from this place.' On hearing these words, I in my heart
imagined that my brothers had at last felt compassion for me, and,
from the ties of blood, had come in person to take me out. With much
joy I tied the rope tightly to my waist; some one pulled me up. The
night was so dark, that I could not recognise the person who had
hauled me up. When I was out, he said, 'Come, be quick; this is no
place to tarry.' I had no strength whatever left; but from fear I
rolled down the hill as well as I could. Then I saw at the bottom two
horses standing, ready saddled; that person mounted me one of them,
and he mounted the other himself, and took the lead. Proceeding on,
we reached the banks of a river.

"The morning appeared, and we had gone forth ten or twelve _kos_ from
the city. I then saw the young man [very clearly]; he was completely
armed, having on a coat of mail, together with back, front, and
sidepieces [of burnished steel], [305] and with iron armour on his
horse; he was looking at me with great rage, and biting his lips,
he drew his sword from the scabbard, and springing his horse towards
mine, he made a cut at me. I threw myself off my horse [on the ground],
and called out for mercy, and said, 'I am faultless; why are you about
to kill me? O, kind sir, from such a prison you have taken me out,
and now wherefore this unkindness?' He replied, 'Tell me the truth,
who art thou.' I answered, I am a traveller, and have been involved
in unmerited calamity; by your humane assistance, I have at last come
out alive. And I addressed to him many other flattering expressions.

"God inspired his heart with pity. He sheathed his sword, and said,
'Well, what God wills, he does; go, I spare thee thy life; remount
quickly; this is no place to delay.' We put our horses to their speed,
and went forward; on the road he continued to sigh and show signs of
regret. By the time of mid-day, [306] we reached an island. There the
young man got off his horse, and made me also dismount; he took off
the saddles and pads from the horses' backs, and let them loose to
graze; he also took off his arms from his