When the fox finished the story of the monkey, she said to Hatim, “In like manner, it is natural for me to suppose that you will involve me in greater misery”— “Fear me not,” said Hatim, “all men are not so treacherous as those you have mentioned.” At length the fox led the way in the dark, while Hatim followed to the huntsman’s house where they arrived about the third watch* of the night. He there reposed beneath a tree till the approach of day, while the fox concealed herself in the adjacent forest. When the sun arose from the east, Hatim went to the hunts­man’s door, and having knocked, requested to be admitted. The huntsman opened the door, and was surprised on seeing a handsome stranger of noble and ingenuous countenance standing before him. “Tell me,” said he, “sir, who, and whence are you? I see you are a stranger; pray what is your business with me?”— “Worthy sir,” replied Hatim, “I am by birth an Arab; and the cause of my troubling you so early is this: I am afflicted with a pain through all my joints; and the physician has advised me to wash my body all over with the warm blood of a fox, whereby my recovery will be complete. Now I have been informed that you have some live foxes, which you lately caught when hunting. I pray you, then, let me have them all, and I will pay you any price you may name for them.”— “Truly sir,” replied the huntsman, “I am glad that I can supply you with foxes; for here have I not fewer than seven of them, the old one and six cubs, all alive; take them, then, at your own price, and I wish you joy of your purchase.”

The huntsman produced the foxes, the male tied by the four feet, and the cubs enclosed in a basket; and Hatim having paid him a price beyond his expectation, returned to the desert. There he opened the basket, and let out the cubs; bul when he loosened the strings that tied the old fox, he found that the wretched animal had not the power of moving. In fact, it had been strongly fettered by the hunts­man, and confined all the time without food or drink, so that the spark of life had almost become extinct. Hatim was about to leave the fox to his fate, saying, “Thy life is at an end, God’s will be done;” when the female approached him, and said, “Generous Hatim there is yet one remedy that will restore him to life.”— “Name it,” replied Hatim, “and, if possiple, I will procure it.”— “A cup-full of human blood,” rejoined the fox, “warm and newly drawn, will be the means of his complete recovery.” On hearing this Hatim instantly opened a vein in his left arm; and having drawn a cup-full of his own blood, he administered the same to the perishing fox, whereby a perfect cure ensued. He then tied up his wound, while the animals prostrated themselves at his feet in gratitude for his benificence.

Hatim then resumed his southward journey, and a few days after, he arrived in a barren desert of burning sand. As he wandered in quest of water beneath the scorching rays of a vertical sun, his eve was refreshed with the sight of a verdant spot, which indicated the presence of a fountain. Thither he dragged his weary steps, till his eye could see the gushing, spring, when, lo! a huge serpent began to uncoil itself around the brink of the water. Hatim stood aghast, for he expected to be swallowed alive; but the serpent, far from assailing him, said in a soft voice, “Brave prince of Yemen, advance and drink; why do you hesitate?” Hatim was only the more astonished on hearing the words of the serpent, and for some time he stood still where he was. Again the serpent said to him, “Fear nothing from me; the water of this fountain is free for your use, drink and follow me.”

Hatim at length ventured to quench his thirst in the fountain, and resigning himself to his fate, he followed the path of the serpent across the desert. In a short time they came to a beautiful garden, in the centre of which was a shady grove lined with the most splendid couches and finest cushions. The serpent conducted Hatim to this cool and pleasant retreat, and said to him, “Noble Arab, sit down on this couch, and secure from danger rest awhile from your fatigue.” Having thus spoken, the serpent plunged into a pond of water that ornamented the garden.

Hatim, fatigued with his late journey, sat down on one of the couches, and much he marvelled at what took place before him. After he had remained here a short time admiring the beauty of the surrounding scene, a troop of fairies, beautiful as angels, each bearing a golden tray filled with emeralds, issued from the lake, and having made their obeisance, stood waiting his commands. “Who are you,” said Hatim, “and what is your business with me?”— “We are,” replied they, “the faithful subject of him who con­ducted you hither. He sends you these jewels as a present, and requests that you will do him the favour to accept them.”— “Convey my thanks to him who sent these jewels,” replied Hatim, “and say that I desire them not; and even if I did, I am alone, and cannot carry them away with me.”

Hatim had scarcely done speaking, when another troop of fairies, bearing trays filled with still more costly jewels, ascended from the water. “Who are you,” said Hatim, “and what do you bring in these trays?”— “They are jewels,” replied they, “the most precious that can be procured, which our sovereign hath sent for your acceptance.” — “I am beholden to your sovereign,” said Hatim, “but gold and jewels are at present of no use to me.” Meanwhile another troop emerged from the lake, carrying trays of gold and silver filled with all sorts of food and fruits. As Hatim had fasted long, the sight of food made his heart rejoice; but he would not eat of it till he asked for the hospitable sovereign of the place, that he might have the pleasure of breaking his fast with him, and of thanking him in person. Ere he had done speaking, a young man of beautiful countenance, attended by a troop of fairies, ascended from the crystal lake. When Hatim saw his noble form, he wondered within himself who this could be, and by what strange mystery they all issued from the water. The fairy king approached Hatim; and after mutual salu­tation, they both sat down on the same couch. His majesty then addressed Hatim, saying, “Tell me, noble Hatim, do you recognize me, for this is not our first meeting?”— “Truly,” replied Hatim, “I cannot now recollect of having ever seen you before.”— “I am,” resumed the king, “the serpent that conducted you hither from the fountain in the desert.”— “How,” said Hatim, “have you so suddenly passed from a shape the most horrible to a form the most beautiful!”— “The tale is long,” replied the king, “and therefore I shall waive the telling of it till we have broken our fast.”

After they had taken food together, they washed their hands from waters of gold, and the attendants presented them with fragrant perfumes, which they applied to their hands. Hatim then addressing his royal host, said, “I long to hear, sir, sir, by what strange mystery have I lately seen you in the form of a serpent” and how do I behold you now in human shape? The fairy king, smiling, thus replied, “Noble Hatim, know that I am of the fairy race; and that my name was Shams Shah previous to my transformation into a serpent. In the reign of Sulaiman the prophet (on whom be peace) I was one day seated in my garden the fairy regions, when thoughts the most diabolical entered my mind. I viewed with impatience the submission of our race to the powerful Sulaiman; I therefore resolved to collect my troops from all parts of my dominions, and next day descend upon earth and slay the whole of Adam’s race. This done, it was my intention to occupy for myself and subjects the terrestrial globe, of which I should become sole monarch.

“Having formed this resolution, I despatched winged couriers to the utmost bounds of my realms, summoning the choicest of my warriors to prepare for a dangerous expedi­tion, and to be at the palace gate completely armed before the dawn of to-morrow. When evening came, I went to sleep as usual; and next morning, when I awaked, I went out to view my troops. They had indeed repaired to the place of rendezvous, armed as I had ordered; but to my astonishment, I beheld that their wings had been taken from them. Instantly I myself was transformed into a serpent, and since that period I have been doomed to creep the earth, the terror of every creature that beheld me. Days and nights I spent in prayer and supplication, but all of no avail; the voice of some invisible being used to sound in my ears, ‘Such shall ever be the fate of him who violates his promise.’ This awful voice made me tremble in the consciousness of my guilt; and I made vows and prayers to the Most High that I should never more let such thoughts enter my mind. The voice at length answered, ‘Thy doom is fixed; wait with patience in the desert till the arrival there of Hatim, prince of Yemen. When he comes, remember that thou administer to his wants, and serve him with thy whole heart and soul; then shalt thou be restored to thy original form, and whatsoever prayers he may offer up in thy behalf before the throne of the Supreme Creator, the same shall be answered.’

“Since the time of Sulaiman I have been doomed to pass my life under the loathsome form of a serpent; and it is now thirty years since I removed to this desert, watching night and day for your arrival. To-day, the moment I saw you, I knew you to be the far-famed prince of Yemen; and now may I request your prayers in my behalf?”— “Most willingly,” replied Hatim, “but first tell me what was the nature of the promise which you have violated?”— “In the reign of Sulaiman,” replied the fairy king, “my grand­father entered into a solemn compact with that mighty monarch of the creation, that none of our race should ever injure any of the race of Adam, or on any pretext invade the dominions of the latter, on pain of having our forms changed to that of the brute species. From that day till my reign, when, as I have said, the evil spirit entered my heart, this agreement was strictly observed on our part. Now, brave Hatim, I am ready to do what penance you as the representative of your race may ordain; and I humbly supplicate your prayers in my behalf.”

On hearing this, Hatim devoutly rose up, and having performed his ablutions and changed his garment, he bowed down his head upon the Sujjada,* with his face turned to the sacred Kibla,* he prayed for the divine mercy upon him whom heaven had deemed proper to chastise. The gracious Creator was pleased to listen to the fervent pray­ers offered up by his servant Hatim, who, though of the religion of the Jews, yet acknowledged and adored only “the one living and true God.” Him alone he praised and worshipped, and served night and day. Hatim also com­posed a book of devotion, in which he disapproves of all the rites and ceremonies of the Pagans and idolaters.

We are informed, moreover, that when Hatim found the end of his life approach, he summoned arond him all the men and women among his near relations, and thus addressed to them his parting advice: “My dear friends, our fathers and grandfathers and all our progenitors, have lived in ignorance of the true God, and even we ourselves know little; but soon will arrive a prophet, the last and the greatest that this world is destined to behold. This I speak from my knowledge of futurity, and many of you shall live to see my prophecy fulfilled. He to whom I allude will confer on men the heavenly gift of the true faith. When he comes into the world, commend to him the departed Hatim, and ask his blessing in my behalf.”— “But is it certain,” said Hatim’s friends, “that any of us shall live to see that happy period, and convey to the Prophet thy dying request?”— “Life is uncertain,” said Hatim, “but do you make known my request to your children, and let them do the same to their children, it is the last favour I ask of you.”*

It happened in the days of the Prince of Prophets (on whom be the peace and the blessing of God), that the daughter of Hatim, together with her tribe, were taken prisoners and carried before his eminence, who said that, if the tribe of Tai should embrace the true faith, they should be all set at liberty. The tribe of Tai scornfully rejected the proposal, refusing to abandon the faith of their fathers: whereupon the prophet ordered them all for execution. When the true believers had led the tribe of Tai to the place of execution, Hatim’s daughter remembered the words of her father, and said to the followers of the prophet, “Delay your purpose for a brief space, ye true believers! Go to the Chief of created beings (may the blessing of God be on him and his race), and say that the daughter of Hatim humbly request to be heard in behalf of her tribe.” When the prophet heard the message, he instantly ordered her to be released, being the daughter of a man whose fame for generosity was immortal. The mes­senger returned, and said to her, “It is the pleasure of his eminence that you be instantly set free, and safely conveyed to your own country; but your refractory tribe must suffer death.” On hearing this sentence, the daughter of Hatim proudly addressed them, saying, “Think not that I have so little of my father’s generous spirit as to accept from you either freedom or a paltry existence, while I leave my friends to suffer under your cruelty. Whatever be the fate of my companions, let that fate be mine.” The execution­ers again informed the prophet that Hatim’s daughter would on no account part with her tribe. His eminence admired her noble conduct, and said to his attendants, “Release the whole of the tribe of Tai, for the sake both of the father and the daughter.”

When Hatim’s daughter and her tribe were released, the dying precept of her father again recurred to her memory. She requested to have an interview with his eminence, which was granted. She then stated what her father had foretold on his death-bed; and in short, she and her tribe on that same day embraced the true faith.*