The Prince of Tuman left Hatim on the sea-shore, and swiftly cleft the air with his pinions till he reached the country of the winged horses. As he was intimate with the prince of that province, he was speedily admitted to an interview, and after mutual salutation the fairy prince stated the object of his visit saying, “I require two of your swiftest steeds, in order to cross the sea to Barzakh: if you do me this favour, you will have a claim to my services for life.” On hearing his request, the prince gave him his choice of all his winged horses; and the prince of Tuman having selected the two he considered best, returned to his companion.

The two friends immediately mounted; and when Hatim saw the horses spread their wings and soar aloft like eagles among the clouds, his astonishment was beyond description; and so swift was their flight, that he could scarcely keep his seat. In a few days half the distance was run down; but Hatim was so overcome with hunger, thirst and sleep, that he found it impossible to proceed further. He mentioned his distress to the fairy prince, who handed a kind of small apple, saying, “Eat even a few grains of this rare fruit, and all your weariness will be dispelled.” Hatim immediately tasted of the apple, and the effect was miraculous; he felt his strength and vigour restored, nor did he during the rest of the passage feel the least fatigued.

A few days afterwords the horses descended upon the further shore of the sea of Kahrman. Hatim rejoiced to find himself safe on land and said to his companion, “My dear friend, surely we have passed the island of Barzakh, which, as I am informed, is in the midst of the sea.”— “Noble Arab,” replied the fairy, “this is part of the island where we have landed but it will take ten days more to reach the capital; and now that I think of it, I shall by your leave go and assemble my own troops, that they may accompany us thither.”— “Think better of it,” said Hatim, “are we forsooth going to wage war with Mahyar Sulaimanī?”— “No,” said the fairy prince, “but I know that we shall meet with many interruptions, and that soon, unless we use the precaution.”— “What time will be requisite for you,” asked Hatim, “to assemble your troops and return hither?”— “You may for certain expect me,” answered the fairy, “by the end of seven days.”

The fairy prince took leave of Hatim, who when left thus solitary began to explore the surrounding country. He soon came to a fragrant garden, the doors of which were all wide open. He entered; and his eyes were delighted with the sight of trees, which bore loads of fruit of every size and colour, and of finer quality than he had ever met with. This Hatim enjoyed himself for the week, walking undisturbed in the wide garden. The horses, too, were so tame and so attached to him, that during the day they grazed on the sea-shore, and at night they returned to the door of the garden.

Meanwhile the fairy prince reached his paternal dominions. When his subjects saw him, they quickly conveyed the glad tidings to his father and mother, who came out to meet their beloved son. After mutual greeting, the father thus spoke: “My dear son, it is long since you left us at the head of your troops on an expedition to the island of Barzakh. How did it happen that you absconded from your army? Thought you not of the distress and sorrow which we must have endured by your absence? But I will not upbraid you, my beloved son: tell me at once, have you attained the object of your wish?

The prince, with tears in his eyes, replied, “Forgive me, father, how could I expect success when I have acted so regardless of you? Since my departure, I have met with nothing but pain disappointment, till lately when my destinies have proved favorable. I have found a sincere friend in the noblest of the human race. Hatim Taï, the prince of Arabia, is now journeying from Shahabad for the pearl of the murghab, which is in the possession of Mahyar. He found me sad and solitary in the cavern of a mountain; he learned from me the cause of my sorrow, and said to me in the voice of benevolence, “Despair not, my friend, I am confident that I shall succeed; and as I desire only the pearl, I will bestow the lady upon you.” This,my father, is not a vain promise, for Hatim is pure in heart and sincere in speech.”

When the father and mother heard this statement, they laughed at the prince’s credulity, while the former said to him in reply, “Trutly, my son, you are more simple and inexperienced that I thought you. The most skilful of our own race have in vain endeavoured to procure that pearl; how then can a mere mortal of the race of Adam, who knows nothing of our secret arts, be expected to succeed in such an undertaking? Are you really so foolish as to build your hope on such a slender foundation?”— “Father,” replied the prince, “Hatim is a man of surpassing wisdom. He has travelled much, and has made himself acquainted with all the mystic sciences of the sublunary creation, With this intent he has accompanied me across the sea of Kharman, and is now waiting my return on the coast of Barzakh.”— “Well, my son,” said the king, “tell me your present purpose in parting with him, and in coming hither?” — “To obtain from you a convoy of your best troops,” replied the prince, “that we may proceed in safety to the court of Mahyar.”

The king, after brief consideration, summoned twelve thousand of his chosen troops, which he appointed as guards for his son, The prince took an affectionate leave of his parents, and at the head of his select army, departed for the island of Barzakh, while the king raised recruits to supply their place. In little more than the appointed time, the prince arrived in the island of Barzakh, and surrounded by his troops, passed the night in the garden where Hatim had resided, and next morning they commenced their march towards the capital. Meanwhile Mahyar Sulaimani received intelligence that a host of fairies numerous as the sand had landed in a remote corner of the island; whereupon he quickly led forth his own forces, so as to be ready to receive them, should their intention prove hostile.

When Hatim and the fairy prince with their chosen band approached the capital of Barzakh, they were sur­prised on seeing an army vastly superior to their own, prepared to dispute their passage. They soon discovered that these were the troops of the watchful Mahyar, and that no time was to be lost in coming to a proper explanation. The fairy prince despatched a messenger to state that his object was peace and amity, not strife and bloodshed; and that he came solely to visit the prince of Barzakh. The noble Mahyar instantly commissioned in return the commander of this army with order to state to the prince of Zuman, that if he came in peace, no one should molest him, and that his visit was extremely welcome.

In short, Hatim and his friend along with their convoy were allowed to enter the capital; and after they had been hospitably entertained, Mahyar sent them a message requesting to know the object of their visit. “Say to Mahyar,” replied the fairy prince to the messenger, “that the last time I visited him I was doomed to experience a painful disappointment; that at present I have accom­panied hither the noblest of mankind, who has come from afar on a similar purpose.” Mahyar gave orders for their immediate admission to his presence, and addressing Hatim said “Tell me, prince of Yemen, what has been your object in visiting my dominions? Hatim produced the silver model of the pearl of the murghab, and related his past history so far as it concerned Husn Banu and Munir. “The lady,” concluded Hatim, “has imposed upon me as her sixth task, to procure her a match to this pearl.”— “And where,” said Mahyar, “can you find a pearl similar to her’s?”— “I have been informed,” replied Hatim, “that the only one equal to it in the world is in your possession; and my journey hither has been on that account.”— “Well,” resumed Mahyar, “I have such a pearl in my palace; and if you fulfil my conditions, you shall have both the pearl and my daughter.”

Hatim remained some time silent, and after mature reflection, said, “The pearl alone can be of service to me; but I have no intention to accept the daughter.”— “If you gain the pearl,” said the king of Barzakh, “you shall be free to accept my daughter or not, only she shall be entirely at your disposal, and you may bestow her on whom you please.” Hatim then, at the request of Mahyar, related the whole history of the pearl as he had heard from the natika in the desert. Mahyar listened attentively to his detail; and when Hatim concluded, he entered his secret apartment and brought forth the pearl, saying, “Brave Hatim, accept what you have fairly gained; and tell me how do you wish my daughter to be disposed of?”

Hatim instantly ordered the youthful queen to be married to the fairy prince of Zuman, a measure to which her father assented. After a month or so, Hatim took leave of Mahyar, and accompanied by the fairy prince and his bride, he came to the sea of Kahrman. He then requested the prince to return to his own country, while he himself should make his way to Shahbad. “At least,” said the prince, “let me send with you a guard of my own subjects as far as the kingdom of Shams Shah.” To this Hatim agreed, and having mounted his winged-steed, accompanied by a select guard, he recrossed the sea, and landed in the territories of the demons. Here they had not far advanced when the demons observed them, and prepared to dispute their passage. The fairies, so few in number, could offer little resistence: they therefore addressed their opponents, saying, “Good friends, we are both descended of one family; and we pass through your country bearing no enmity towards you. We have been delegated by our prince to convey his congratulations to Shams Shah, who after a long period of misery, is now restored to happiness.”

The demons, on hearing this, gave them no further interruption; and in the course of time they arrived safe in the dominions of Shams Shah. This king having received intelligence that strangers were approaching, mounted his steed and came out to meet them in person and great was his joy when he saw Hatim among them. He affectionately embraced him, and said to his guides, “May heaven reward your goodness, for you have done me the greatest service possible in restoring to me safe the generous prince of Yemen.” Having thus addressed them, he invited to a splendid feast, which lasted forty days.

Hatim then took leave of the fairy king, who supplied him with every thing requisite for his journey, and appointed four of his subjects to carry him on a golden litter to the city of Shahabad. Thither they swiftly conveyed him in the coarse of a few days. Outside the gates they descended from their aerial flight; and Hatim, at their request, gave them letters to their sovereign, with which they returned. He then entered the city, where the people immediately recognised him, and conveyed the tidings of his return to their lovely queen. Husn Banu threw her veil over her face, and gave orders for Hatim’s admission to her palace, where the counsellors of the city were then assembled. Hatim entered; and after mutual salutation, produced the pearl of the murghab in presence of the assembly, and stated the details of his marvellous adventure.

When Husn Banu saw the pearl she was highly delighted, and the court resounded with the praises of the noble Hatim, who withdrew to the Mihmanserai. There he met the Assyrian prince Munir, and said to him, “Your happi­ness, my friend, is now almost at hand: only one question remains unanswered.” After a repose of a few days, he presented himself before Husn Banu, and said, “Fair lady, let me hear your seventh question, that I may lose no time in the completion of my task.”— “The seventh and last is,” replied she, “to bring me an account of the bath of Badgard.” Hatim took leave of Husn Banu and the prince Munir, and prepared for his departure.