In short, Hatim took leave of the jackals and proceeded on his way through the desert. After he had gone, the female jackal said to the male, “It would be very unkind that Hatim should wander alone to the desert of Hāwaïda, and you not to shew him the way.” Here the male jackal running made up to him, and said, “Oh, Hatim! let me accompany you to Hāwaïda.” Hatim answered, “Already you have done me one kind deed, which I have not yet requited; why then do you lay me under further obliga­tions?” To this the jackal said, “Servant of the Almighty, why should I allow you to wander astray from the country?” Hatim replied, “I will by no means take you away in my company; and if you have a desire to set me on the right way, it is quite sufficient that you shew me the proper path.” The jackal then said, “Oh, youth! there is one way which is near, but it has dangers innumer­able; and there is another which is circuitous, and extremely rough; for this reason allow me to go with you.” In reply to this Hatim said, “Do you shew me the nearest way, and God will render it smooth for me.” The jackal then directed him, saying, “Go straight forward to a place where the road divides into four branches, and then hold on that which leads right on: it is the shortest way, and if you can go safe it will take you to the desert of Hāwaïda” Hatim bade adieu to the jackal and advanced; and after one month he arrived at the four divisions of the road, and keeping the direct path, advanced in the direction of the desert.

After he had gone part of the way, several bears pre­sented themselves to his sight, for there the king of the bears with a thousand of these uncouth animals held his court, and it happened on that particular day that they were out on an excursion. When Hatim was seen by the bears, they instantly sent intelligence to their king that they had that day beheld one of the human race. His Majesty commanded them to seize the man and bring him thither; and the bears having caught Hatim, carried him with them. When the king of the bears minutely observed Hatim, he gave orders that he should be taken care of, and conveyed to their abode, to which they all returned. After this, when Hatim was brought before the king, his Majesty said, “Descendant of Adam, be seated, and tell us whence you came, and what is your name; but that is unnecessary, for you are Hatim.” Hatim answered, “Yes, I am; and I have come hither in the service of my Creator.” His Majesty then said to him, “Truly you are most welcome and I will give you my daughter in marriage, for as yet I have met with none so proper for a son-in-law that I could bestow her on him, as it would be unbecoming to espouse her to any of my sub­jects or servants.” On hearing this tempting proposal, Hatim held down his head. The king of the bears asked him, “What is the cause of your holding down your head? Have you nothing to say in reply? Am I forsooth unworthy of being your father-in-law?” Hatim at last said, “You are of the brute creation, I of the human race, what con­formity is there between us?” The bear said, “Oh, Hatim! rest you content on that score, and let nothing disturb your mind, for my daughter is of your own species.”

His Majesty then ordered his daughter to be arrayed and presented, and said to Hatim, “Go and look at her for one instant.” Hatim rose up and beheld a female in human shape, and beautiful as the moon in her fourteenth night. He was wrapt in wonder, and having returned to his Majesty, he said, “You are a king and I am a beggar, it would be disrespectful in me to presume to espouse your daughter.” The bear replied, “You shall accept of her, notwithstanding every objection which you can contrive. Pray are you not Prince of Yemen?” Hatim began to reflect, “What a scrape I have fallen into! I have come forth on a particular service; how then can I remain captive here?” The bear observed his thoughtfulness a second time, and said, “Oh, Hatim! if you accept not my daughter, I shall send you into a place of confinement, where you shall remain fast till the day of judgment.” Here Hatim attempted a reply, but the bear became angry, and ordered them to confine Hatim in a certain dungeon, and keep strict watch over him. Instantly the bears carried Hatim to the dungeon, and having removed a large stone of extreme hardness they made him fast, and replaced the stone as before on the mouth of the dungeon. In this hole, Hatim, hungry, thirsty, and bewildered, was left for the space of two weeks, at the expiration of which the king sent for him, and having made him sit beside him, said, “Oh, Hatim! will you now espouse my daughter?” Hatim still remained silent, and the king ordered fruits to be brought and presented to him. Hatim being hungry, ate of the fruit and quenched his thirst with pure water, after which the bear again insisted on his marrying his daughter. To this, Hatim at last replied, that there could be no relationship between mankind and other animals; on hearing which, the king of the bears ordered him to be again shut up in the dungeon.

After some davs, Hatim, exhausted with hunger and thirst, fell into a slumber, and in a dream he saw an aged man, who thus addressed him: “Oh, Hatim! Why art thou thus dilatory in the service which thou hast taken in hand; and why dost thou not comply with the bear’s request?” He answered, “If I accept his daughter, they will never permit me to leave them for the accomplishment of my task.” The aged man again replied, “On that alone your liberation depends, for otherwise you must soon perish in this dungeon; therefore accept as your wife the bear’s daughter, and for this compliance on your part, she will effectually assist in setting you at liberty.” Here Hatim awaked from his dream, and in about two weeks after he was again brought before the king of the bears. His Majesty seated Hatim beside him, and repeated his former proposal, which being agreed to, he seized Hatim by the hand and placed him upon his own throne, and issued orders for his grandees to be in attendance. Agreements were then entered into, according to the usages of that race, after which the bear conveyed Hatim to the apart­ment of his daughter. There, to his surprise, he found the halls decorated with the most splendid couches such as belong to royalty; and on a splendid throne was seated his bride arrayed in gold and all sorts of jewels For a short time he stood bewildered, when the king took the hand of his daughter and resigned her to Hatim agreeably to established custom. Every day the king sent a variety of the most delicious fruits for Hatim, till at length the latter observed, that to live entirely on fruit did not agree with him, and that he would prefer more substancial food. On hearing this, the king ordered his emissaries to collect from places inhabited by men all sorts of flour, sugar, milk and butter, also vessels of porcelain. The order was no sooner expressed than executed, and thus Hatim was enabled to fare sumptuously twice a day on food the most delicious, which he himself dressed.

In this manner six months elapsed, when one day Hatim, addressing the bear’s daughter, said, “I have left home on a special service, and your father has forcibly detained me here; if you will permit my absence for some time, and make your father assent to this measure, when I have accomplished my undertaking, I will return and live with you.” The bear’s daughter instantly went to her father, and acquainted him with Hatim’s request; to which the king replied, “Daughter, he is your husband, if you are yourself satisfied you have my consent.” The daughter observed, “Hatim appears to be a man of sincerety, he will assuredly return according to his promise.” In short, the king gave his permission, and ordered some of his sub­jects to conduct Hatim beyond the boundaries of his dominions. Hatim having taken leave of his wife, departed, and after some time arrived at the sandy desert which con­tained not a single human dwelling. Hatim placed his reliance upon God and proceeded; meanwhile a mysterious man with tattered garment presented him every evening with a loaf of bread and a jug full of water, which after offering his thanks to the Creator, he ate, and thus continued to advance. Suddenly he espied before him a dragon, the head of which was reared up to the height of a moun­tain. At first sight he was dreadfully alarmed, but gradually began to suppose that it must be all a mass of sand. When he drew nearer, the dragon observing him, inhaled his breath, and Hatim was irresistibly drawn from the earth notwithstanding his utmost efforts to keep him­self firm, and in an instant he was swallowed alive by the monster.