The prince and vizier’s son had advanced, in the manner above described, some distance, when they perceived from afar a person hastening on the wings of speed, as if striving to join them. When, after much endeavour, he came near, the vizier’s son said, “Who art thou, what is thy profession, and where goest thou in such haste?” He replied, “I am a fisherman, who frequently caught fish for the kitchen of the king, and now that our prince, chus­ing exile from his country, wanders on the banks of the river, former obligations urged, that, taking leave of my family, I should attend him. In my mind is a very wonderful property, for, if a traveller has passed either by land or water six months before, I can without hesitation or trouble mark his track, know who and where he is.”

The prince from this occurrence being enlivened with the wine of delight, regarded the arrival of the young fisher­man as an important blessing, and said, “Knowest thou whether lately any person has passed over these waters?” When the fisherman had for a short time cast the eye of attention over the river, he exclaimed, “My skill informs me, that a bark without the help of rowers has passed along with great swift­ness.” Upon this, the prince looking upon the young man’s company as an omen of success, already saw his cup overflowing with the wine of accom­plishment, and, in exerting the efforts of speed, became loose-reined as wind or lightning.

When they had advanced a little farther, they saw a middle aged person running so swiftly, that the breeze could not reach him, who slackened his pace as he approached, and at length joined company. They asked him, “Whence dost thou come, and what is thy object?” He replied, “I come from the city of Futtun, and intend to accompany your party. I am a carpen­ter, a master of my trade, and most exquisitely skilled in the art of joinery. My chisel executes the work of the pencil of Mani, and the strokes of my axe laugh to scorn the images of Azor.* From a block of wood I can carve so beautiful a statue, that the lovers of Khilje, like Ferhaad, shall to it sacrifice the jewel of life; and I can contrive such an elegant pavilion, that the dwellers in the palaces of Paradise would hasten to (towauf*) adore it. I can, by the smoothing of my plane, so give the polish of a mir­ror to a board, that sugar-eating parrots shall open their mouths in praise.

“But my excelling piece of work­manship, which the speculation of mathematicians cannot reach, is this: I can hew out a platform from a piece of wood, which without the aid of feathers or wings shall soar through the air like a bird, and in the twinkling of an eye convey any one who sits upon it to the place of his wish, though it be to the seventh heaven. At the period, when the prince like the resplendent sun, making his auspicious appearance from the horizon of birth, illuminated the regions of the world with the rays of his glory, and reclined on the bosom of his happy-starred nurse, as the globe-enlight­ening luminary on the breast of dawn, I made for him the royal cradle, and in reward, received such a great sum, that I became a man of opulence. At the present crisis I wish to return the obligations of my lord’s bounty, and that, sharing in this hazardous journey, I may perform a service equal to my gratitude.”

The prince, regarding the company of this skilful carpenter as most valuable, esteemed it as a mean of obtaining the felicitous interview with his beloved, and as a sure guide to the object of his desires. With the chisel of hope cutting off the inequalities of despondency, he advanced on his journey, though the dif­ficulties of the way and the intricacies of the paths were so great, that at every step they fell into the jaws of the alligator of distress: on each movement, the waves of danger passed over their necks, and at each breath the tempest of peril howled around them.

The fisherman, like Noah, (on whom be blessing) being their guide, directed the struggler in the whirlpool of grief and sorrow to the lost ark of safety, and his other two companions followed his foot­steps. For two days and nights had they trodden a burning desart, when they saw a venerable sage, with white locks, and of stature bending like the violet, sitting at the foot of a tree, employed in putting together the separated skeleton of a cow, on which he poured water.

Immediately on sprinkling the water, the various blood-vessels and members re-united, and the flesh and skin re-appeared on the decayed frame. The reality of the scriptural revelation (“See how I restored the carcase after it was sepa­rated!”*) appeared in the example of this cow to the astonished companions. By command of the almighty Lord of power, one of whose peculiar properties is to raise the dead, life revisited the ani­mal, and instantly standing up, she began to low. The truth of the sacred text (“All things live by water,”) was exemplified.

Astonishment overcame the facul­ties of the travellers at sight of this miracle, and, from awe and veneration, they stood for some minutes motionless as statues on the spot. At length the vizier’s son observed to the prince, Doubt­“less this enlightened sage is the prophet Khizzer, (on whom be blessings) who holds the water of life in his palm. Surely thy stars must be watchful, and the happy fortunes of Alexander await thee, since in this mortal-devour­ing desart and death-threatening wild he has met thee. Hasten, then, and ask relief from his liberality; pros­trate thyself at his feet, as possibly he may take thee by the hand. Make the dust of his steps a collyrium to thine eyes, that the eye of thy star may be enlightened. Lay the hand of entreaty upon his sacred skirts, that he may relieve thee from the dark abode of sorrow.” The prince con­sented, and with all humility having represented the wishes of his heart, besought him to confer the jewel of his desires.

The reverend sage replied, “O young man, from me, enfeebled by age, who from excessive debility can­not move without the aid of a staff, what can be afforded?” The prince exclaimed, “O thou seemingly weak, but inwardly strong, my object is not so faintly apparent to thy mind that I need explain it. If perchance thou art Jesus, I am certainly expiring in the path of search; or art thou Khizzer, I am bewildered in the road of suspense. For God’s sake, send me not disappointed away, nor with­hold from an humble suppliant the look of bounty.”

The sage replied, “I am neither Khizzer nor Jesus, but a frail mortal, who has closed his door against man­kind, who shuns the society of men like the wild animals, and has cut off all connection with the busy ones of the world. Near this spot resides a venerable and nobly-minded matron, proof against the allurements of the age, who having shaken her sleeve over the goods of unstable fortune, and seeking retirement from popula­tion, has fixed her abode in the wil­derness, with a view to obtain future salvation. With her she has a vir­tuous daughter, of sentiments like Rabieh.* Both these heroic females pass night and day in adoration of the pure divinity, and their dependance for support was upon this cow, which suddenly a tiger killed, so that famine sorely oppressed them, and in order to preserve life, they fed on the roots of trees and plants. The Almighty had bestowed on me this water which can reanimate the dead. When in this blood-devouring desart, the distress of the two recluses had reached its height, and the patience of these ardent explorers of the paths of truth and recliners on the pillow of resignation had been proved at the throne of the All-merciful, it was revealed to me, that I should sprinkle the decayed and separated bones of the cow, who would rise again into existence from the abyss of annihila­tion, and become, as heretofore, the means of their support. Except a few drops of this water, I can afford thee no relief, which if wanting, I will not withhold.”

The prince exclaimed, “Ah! gra­cious sage, compassionate my distress, and from thy bounty shed, like holy Khizzer, the water of thy kindness on the face of my condition. Bless me by thy accompaniment in this journey, and be my guardian and associate in difficulty and in ease; for my heart assures me of success by thy auspicious presence.” The venerable old man was moved by compassion, and having assented to his request, they pro­ceeded to explore the mazes of travel.