For the following seven days Hatim’s vessel con­tinued to dart through the ocean; nor during that space did he taste any food, nor see ought but the heavens above and the roaring billows around. On the eighth day be beheld rising above the waters a lofty mountain whose cliffs seemed to pierce the moon. In three days more he landed at the foot of the mountain; and in his ascent, he was astonished on beholding streams of blood gushing from its rocks. He stood still for a while to view this strange phenomenon, and said in his heart, “How wonderful the works of the Creator! Each rock and stone of this mountain discharges drops of blood; but who can explain to me the cause of the circumstance?”

In these reflections Hatim at lenght reached the summit, and there he saw before him an extensive plain of blood-red hue, while the colour of all the animals that frequented it was green. So intent was Hatim in the contemplation of those wonderful regions, that he completly forgot the pangs of hunger, and advanced several farasangs into the plain. At last he came to the brink of a sea, whose waters were blood, and whose billows, chasing each other to land, moistened the stars with their purple spray. On the red beach were number of birds, the brilliancy of whose azure plumage was dazzling to the sight. Here Hatim wandered along the shores of the blood-red sea for the space of a month, and having caught some of the birds, he struck fire from a flint, and thus dressed food for himself. But as he had nothing wherewith to allay his thirst, he used to take into his mouth the muhra of the bear’s daughter, which had all the qualities of the purest water. At lenght he came to a narrow point of land, beyond which nothing was visible but the purple waves, and across this expanse none of the birds attempted its daring flight. Hatim began to despair of ever returning from these crimson shores; “thou hast wandered here for a whole month,” said he to himself, “but all of no avail; and wert thou to advance for years along this blood-stained coast, thou shouldst see no termination. Here art thou destined to linger out thy life-time, for to return hence is beyond thy power. And, alas! thy love-sick friend Munir is left to perish in expectation of thee.”

But again, Hatim devoutly considered that, “If God the Great and Glorious, hath willed that I should return, and that my friend should by my means attain the object of his wish most assuredly He will rescue me from this whirlpool of misery.” While occupied with these pious reflections, Hatim saw at a great distance a small black, speck, which occasionally shewed itself on the top of the billows. In a short time it approached nearer, and great was his delight when the object proved to be a large boat. It touched the shore at his feet; and Hatim having offered up his gratitude before the throne of the Supreme, leaped into the vessel and put out to sea.

In this boat he found, as previously, two barley loaves and a fried fish, which he ate without scruple, while the vessel flew swift as an arrow through the waves of the crimson sea. On the seventh day after, he saw land; and in going ashore he found every object dyed with the same crimson hue as on the other side; while every rock and stone poured forth torrents of blood. Hatim trusted in God, and fearlessly began to penetrate into this new region. At a great distance he observed a most brilliant spot in the horizon, to which he directed his course. The nearer he approached the more dazzling grew the light, till at length he could perceive that it was a lofty mountain of the purest silver. Forward he went, fatigued as he was; but by the time he thought himself within a few leagues of the silver mountain, he found that there intervened a wide ocean, whose waves were of the same brilliant hue. He stood upon the beach admiring the beauty of the prospect; and as his thirst was excessive, he dipped his right hand into the silver liquid, in order to taste of its contents, and instantly his hand was turned into silver.

Hatim with horror beheld his right hand converted into a mass of silver, and mourning over his hapless fate, he sat down upon the shore. Suddenly he saw a boat making towards him from the direction of the mountain. He raised his hands towards heaven, and gave praise to that Almighty Providence which had so frequently aided him in his distress. When the boat rached the shore, Hatim joyfully stepped into it, and found it supplied with a variety of the most delicious viands, also pure water wherewith to quench his thirst. Having refreshed his exhausted frame, he trimmed his sails, and steered his course towards the silver mountain. The vessel swiftly ploughed the waves without any aid from a pilot, while Hatim laid himself down and enjoyed a refreshing sleep.

When Hatim had first seen the silver mountain, he imagined that it was at no great distance from him; but this was owing to its extreme brilliancy and immense height, for it required eleven days and nights of swift sail­ing to reach its nearer shore. At length Hatim came to land, and began to explore the silver regions; but ever and anon he looked with sorrow at his right hand, now become a useless burden to him. Onwards he journeyed for four days more, when he reached the foot of what he conceived to be the silver mountain. He then commenced his ascent; but he no sooner reached the summit of one mountain than another still higher presented itself to his view. For three days Hatim thus toiled upwards: his food consisted of wild fowls, which he caught in the rocks and sometimes fish of the hue of silver from the mountain streams, together with such fruit as those airy regions produced. On the fourth day, he observed that the rocks and stones which lined his path emitted the most billiant rays of light, and were tinged with all the colours of the rainbow. He stood admiring this beautiful sight, and devoutly acknowledging the transcendant power and wisdom of Him who made the universe. On a more minute examination of these beautiful stones, he found that they were real jewels, such as diamonds emeralds, rubies; in short whatever was rare and costly.

Hatim could not resist the temptation of carrying off some of the jewels; he therefore filled his skirt with such of them as were most valuable, and thus heavy laden, resumed his ascent. The higher he climbed the larger and more brilliant become the jewels scattered around him, so that he was constantly occupied in throwing away what he had previously gathered, and supplying their place with others more precious. At last he satisfied himself by filling his skirt with the largest jewels he had ever seen and resolved to carry these back with him to his own country. “The greatest princes on earth,” said he, “possess not such jewels, nor could they buy them with all the wealth of their kingdoms; nay, they cannot have any idea even of their existence.”

For several days longer he persevered in his ascent from peak to peak, without the least appearance of reaching the highest point. Meanwhile the weight of his load of jewels was so heavy that he was compelled to throw away more than the half, having kept only such as he judged most rare and costly. One day, as he was passing from one mountain to another, he came to a spring of cool water, beside which he sat down to quench his thirst. The moment he dipped his hands in this precious fountain, his right hand became whole and sound as the rest of his body. Hatim thus providentially cured, bowed his head to the dust in gratitude to the Bestower of Benefits; and having allayed his thirst, he laid himself down to sleep on the cool margin of the silver fountain.

When Hatim awoke from his sleep, he beheld standing by the spring two beings of formidable appearance. Their colour was black as the raven, their heads resembled that of man, and their hands and feet were like the paws of the lion. In an instant, Hatim started to his feet: he seized his bow and let fly his well-aimed arrow at one of these strange monsters. The shot took no effect, for the creature seized the arrow in its paw, and in a tone of reproach cried out, “O Hatim, does it become you to slay the innocent, from fear of your own life? Know that we also are servants of the Almighty, and have come hither with no intention of doing you harm.”

On hearing this, Hatim dropped the bow and arrow from his hands, and sat down in deep regret, for his own heart convinced him of having acted wrong. Some time thus passed while he waited their nearer approach, and much he wondered in his own mind what should be the result of an interview with such wonderful beings. At length they stood before him, and said, “To you Hatim, of all mankind, it is least becoming to set your heart on jewels and worldly wealth. Your name is already famous in the world for every thing noble and generous; and your history shall serve as an example to future ages. But if the love of gold and jewels take possession of your heart, farewell your present success and future fame!”— “May I ask,” said Hatim, “whose gold and jewels have I ever coveted?”— “O Hatim,” returned the demons, “see you those jewels which you have carried away from the lower mountain; can you say that they are your own?”— “If they be not mine,” replied Hatim, “they belong to no one else. The gifts of the Creator are without number, and his dominions boundless; if I have taken a few jewels from the mountain, I cannot have thereby wronged you or any living creature.”— “Those jewels,” said the demon, “belong to the race that inhabit these realms.”— “And is not man,” rejoined Hatim, “the noblest of created beings? Is he not sole master of the terrestrial globe and all that it contains? Tell me, then, the name of that race that can have a better right to these precious stones than I have. Besides, I have only carried with me a small number to present to my friends, which can no more be missed from the treasures of these mountains than a drop of water from the ocean.”— “It is not for the value of these baubles,” resumed the demons, “that we so strongly urge you to throw them away, it is solely on your own account; for if it is your wish to return in safety to your own country, you must covet nothing that you see here.”— Hatim at length, with great reluctance, threw down the precious stones, saying, “What you advise me, my friends, may be right; yet it is hard that I should have toiled so many days in carrying these treasures, which I must now resign; truly your advice is to me very unacceptable.”

When the demons perceived Hatim’s reluctance, they selected from the stone the largest ruby, the most brilliant diamond, and the finest emerald, and presented the same to him, saying, “Accept, brave Hatim, these three precious stones; they will suffice as a specimen to be shewn to your friends: to take more, or to use them in any other manner, would be unworthy of yourself.” Hatim joyfully received the three jewels and said, “Now, my good friends, I am a stranger here; you will therefore do me the greatest favour by pointing out to me the way to my own country.”

“Generous Hatim,” replied the demons, “you are aware of the immense distance you have travelled since you left Shahabad. God has preserved you in all your perils and hardships; yet, since the creation of the world, only three of your race have been enabled to visit these regions and return with life, whereas, numbers have perished in the attempt. Your days shall yet be many, for such is the will of God. Proceed, then, till you reach the ocean of gold, which you shall cross, as you have hitherto done. Next, you will come to the sea of fire; and should you be able to find your way its farther side, you will soon arrive in Yemen. But, above all, beware lest you covet ought of what you see, for it may cost you your life.”