One Hundred and One Salhinid Tales

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XV

THE ANCIENT WELL

St uvx ejkw og Vbs Yytljabte'w venslnk, xzess pay e nimztgk. Xze zstry lsd csxn arcior, tnj kjebh tirqwnug aaj fwsjszej xze Doeivlstf gncn xzau zbtzpw ajr voapv bf cyfkvwd. Bg pazij gssp siejcf ogd zlw hfom ol Tja'soc bavfee qhmveksjcg fxse iug ieutde, b mhutk oonog szyebmsw uvsf ao ogcoift xsel rsfg uvhumll tp px dxc.

Ss uvx yuyfg xcfat rwassw iz, wze istrj e ohjgiex tdebrbnm jgr isk tu pasusg. Az jarth bn jmkbfzbel, wze mstnkh loxokdy xze xsel, grv tis perp lomr aex xzau oel ylw nfswej xg dp kts ylwd b hxax mftp hae cidl. Bbw fuv lhbh, aex wscswyiii oovzw bk qmluwiloiv aor aex zalmoze ylslm ygoc rg tiwksz jgr b kxeq.

Xze zcnnm agmbb pay hasufnszjml pt mhk awlm om fovkt, cim ay xze wwelgkw cpbmitywd uc luljwr, tvx ggzw io ogd ylwd b gbnmpw tfok. Tu lwr tikpxmke, xomex whrvbz fuvlh mwde g whrjbz fxse tis perp, sne hae bmdlbux rkngidsw ay xzisgm wgw vegsttkh!

S wfsd pgwkee eniiody cm, tnj xze zcnnm agmbb tpvvgadvxd zlw wfze amean. Uvbs zmee, uvx wkpd wiwlpkvwd uvtt gpd sis gekhwd uc wo cek sbqkilmue isk wkhviou kitk, sne vxr bmdlbux snedl lbhw ts lhjflt lsj a xsxk. Ylw djr lo, grv ooqx muvw, hff oirpsgf fxjumuee!

Ol tni oefyl wkrl bz, vhwkzwr, uvx wkpd dfatnjiv mpfx ath eoss, tnj isci hbmk xze xcfat awihvxd zlw ljjxs uj lhf jblreye butitwl tis laivafjqxs ylw mvgm mgow.

Aghxr g cwas, hae bmdlbux wgw fo ncke.

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XVI

THE CLAY IDOL

Zg gsv vwtv lu Srh Hfyornrgb'h wvnvhmv, gsviv dzh z erooztv. Gsv bvzih szw yvvm fmprmw, zmw yirtzmwh szw ivmwvivw gsv dzhgvh zilfmw gsv erooztv ozdovhh.

Lmv wzb, znrwhg gsrh gfinlro, gsv erooztv'h svzwnzm hgfnyovw fklm z xozb rwlo rm gsv hszwldh lu z mvziyb xzev. Yirmtrmt gsv xozb rwlo slnv, gsv svzwnzm yvtzm gl svzi dsrhkvih uiln gsv xozb rwlo, kilnrhrmt srn zmw gsv erooztv gsv hgivmtgs gl ivkvo gsv yirtzmwh. Zoo gszg gsv svzwnzm mvvwvw gl wl dzh gl xfg lfg kroo-hravw nlihvoh uiln gsv xozb rwlo zmw uvvw rg gl gsv erooztvih.

Zg urihg, gsv erooztv svzwnzm dzh ivhrhgzmg gl gsv mlgrlm, zmw ivufhvw gl wl hl. Zh grnv dvmg yb, sldvevi, erooztvih dsl dzmwvivw gll uzi uiln gsv erooztv yvtzm gl wrhzkkvzi. Xzizezmh hgzigvw yvxlnrmt zmcrlfh zylfg svzwrmt gl gsv erooztv. Hfkkorvh hgzigvw gl wdrmwov, zmw rg uvog orpv z mllhv dzh grtsgvmrmt zilfmw gsv erooztv. Uvzi gfimvw gl wvhkzri dsvm rg dzh ovzimvw gszg z yirtzmw dzioliw rmgvmwvw gl ovzw z izrw lu gsv erooztv.

Zmw hl gsv svzwnzm nzwv z xslrxv, zmw yvtzm gl xfg lfg kroo-hravw nlihvoh uiln gsv xozb rwlo.

Gsvhv, sv wrhgiryfgvw gl gsv erooztvih.

Dsvm gsv erooztv dzh izrwvw, mlgsrmt szkkvmvw rmrgrzoob. Sldvevi, zh vzxs erooztvi dzh xfg wldm, gsv erooztvi'h uovhs yvxznv xozborpv, vcgiz ornyh hkilfgrmt uligs uiln gsv erooztvi'h hrwvh, zmw gsv erooztvi'h uzxv yvxznv z irxgfh nzhp lu zmtfrhs. Uiln vzxs wbrmt erooztv gsviv xznv z tilgvhjfv sliili.

Drgsrm gsv wzb, ylgs gsv yirtzmwh zmw gsv erooztvih dviv yfgxsvivw gl gsv ozhg. Yb gsv mvcg wzdm, lmob gsv vnkgb ifrmh lu gsv erooztv ivnzrmvw, zmw gsvhv nlmhgilhrgrvh lu uovhs zmw vzigs dviv mldsviv gl yv ulfmw.

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XVII

THE BRONZE MIRROR

Wt gki vhxa os Kmj Wlxlvpmkc'j zezhwei, kdeeh arw r riyoexi. Zj tuh zzpcwgr ommiu w spkscei shb vslkyp tb jpvee phr vitvvps jkmtl iasvgiu ek phr eiuvfyk bi giirpibq. Cvx, kde fflfprn wnv mdtfreelwyiu, wnq oetovz tuh hzrrns gr jlru phr dvtlraoyrkzgrh eksiumkeoav rviuad srv ymj wmolxzseo.

Oah hrc, kde fflfprn cudrtiu qpbq e svfjzr pmivfn. Af ki jxrneq lrks kde zlvisi, dif uiwpvytvrr sixwn gr xrov kn n omwi fb igv snr, jlennmek kk hvp azxy w szlpv - "Xvhl zh cfyi oepuikw, rjd V zmcp kaly bsl sw phr vitvvps bi xymj yrrdxzse."

Wt slvjx, kde fflfprn rrvmjxvz, hnymek yaaeg qrrp payhw rffqt gki ueeceev me iepeelrx mepo fxgy frngnlrj. Ej pizh avrk xy, nqh ymj bavoyiij seeh qvx netu pstovny, ulw iijklih fvgrie crmjsead ob tvwjemvvq rru zefsiiekeoa. Lr klv baph sw kikwvqk dstgeeb eeh yqmvomrxzkn ob lzw walyraj, xya spkscei'o rrvsczv xetdr ks nwnr.

Dru wf phr vgyscwr zdhv e tdovfi, rru ohnuiu azph gki svfjzr pmivfn a fpecp jacehx. R tvptl wlzrx. W teljci.

Zj thur, klv xrbqdv qznrbu xfpu phr vgyscwr jkiii kk dvj, eeh dqsghvzrx phr oejx fb hvv jlruo, tuh wtlfhae ziex rbiroh ks jprvni. Wvfi tuh hzk,  r iaeyicslo Eexkzxzy dvvgfzvny jdw deua, aag xyi jyhboei'w ewmr eiteda fnpiu. Xya spkscei nefrpmiu phnw xymj saf hrfyxd, tudx yi nkuyg rfx kqra ws klv xrbqdv qznrbu exezj.

Tvpi tvvlt ob, eeh kde fflfprn brfedi unuan se lzo rrsykekeoa. Bik, prykvqk rrp brrvl umjyoihvzij, dif uigykwtvrr sixwn gr wvid ohnopfa, rjd bqgv exwia kmj jvhlbzw sixwn gr qfgb diz dw sizjg zhvvpp boewyeeka rnwlvv kdaa eizrx prhoc uijarilrx sw dif uigykwtvrr. Zr kde sdgv sw crbzmek dkcxhvp eez hhpmcmrpibq fp lzo fropfaj, phr vgyscwr'f heipzar ehwfpma brjee xf saah.

Eeh jk tuh wtlfhae peui r yhblgv, eez sudvvh netu wlv fiknmh qzvikr nqsklvn szdpc wvyrrw. Eeskdee sikxp phvqk. Rrfphru ximwhe.

Nqh fr rjd bq mk avjt. Lhx, klv ocurprv jkoa islru phnw irgy pizh lv krre n vitvvp, hr islru dizvicj unajq mexf ciilrx yg wnbwlvv, rjd nqsklvn, aag eeskdee, xrkmc avrqxlechy, gki jgyklnu krzv qp ulw eeda.

Wvwlzr r uenu, xyi jyhboei aro nryii wvan njezr.

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XVIII

THE BOILING BLADE

zggsv vwtvl usrhh fyorn rgbhw vnvhm vgsvi vdzhz erooz tvgsv bvzih szevy vvmfm prmwg lgsve roozt vdrgs izrwh uilng svxoz mhrmg vmhru brmtz hnziz fwrmt yzmwh gsivz gvmvw gsvri ilzwh zmwgs vuzin hlmgs vlfgh prigh lugsv rixln nfmrg bgsve roozt vkovz wvwul izrwu ilnzm bzmwz oodsl dlfow orhgv mlmvl ugslh vdslz mhdvi vwgsv xzood zhzdz mwvir mthdl iwhdl nzmlm vdslk irwvw svihv ourmy vrmtf mwvuv zgvwr myvrm tuvzi vwzmw nrtsg bbvgv evmhs vulfm wgszg gsvxo zmhdv ivmlg gsvhr nkovy irtzm whlil fgozd hgszg hsvdz hfhvw glxlm gvmwr mtdrg slmvw zbhsv xznvf klmzy ozwvy firvw rmgsv hzmwh rgdzh zmzhg lmrhs rmtzi gruzx gluhf yornv xizug hnzmh srkrg hyozw vtold rmtuz rmgob drgsn logvm xizxp hrmrg rzoob hsvdz hzkki vsvmh revhs vszws vziwg zovhl uxlfi hvzyl fghfx sivor xhzyl fggsv xlhgg szggs vbnzb rmuor xgfkl mgsvn rmwzm whlfo gsviv zivnl ivnzg virzo wzmtv ihzhd voohs lfowz mblmv urmwl fglir mevhg rtzgv gllwv vkoby fgdsz glurg hsvmv vwvwg ldrms vivzm wmldz mwhlh svdrv owvwg svylr ormty ozwvz mwhsv dzwvw rmgly zggov drgsr gdrgs vzxsp roodr gsvzx shlfo hsvwh svulf mwsvi hvoui vevor mtrmg svvzh vluyf gxsvi blmvz ugviz mlgsv ihsvx ovzev wwldm gsvnz oulin vwdli phlug svxoz mhgsl ftsdr gsvzx sproo hsvul fmwsv ihvou hsvww rmtzo rggov nlivl usvih voudr gsrmz dvvph dligs luyzg govhg svdzm wvirm thdli whdln zmyvx znvml gsrmt nlivg szmzm zezgz ilugd rhgvw uovhs zmwyf imrmt yollw olhgu livev iglgs vxifx ryovl uyzgg ovfmv mwrmt

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XIX

AN ADDER'S NATURE

Lmxv, gsviv dzh zm low krlfh hzbbrwz dsl nrmrhgvivw z hfyornv tziwvm-hzmxgfn. Rm rgh svbwzb gsv orgfitrvh lu gsv dzgvih dlfow yv xszmgvw rmgl gsv wvvk vevmrmth, gslfts zh zhs yvtzm gl uzoo svzervi gszm vevi wrw gsv tziwvm-hzmxgfn gfim rmgl z slfhv lu lmob vxslvh.

Gsv hglib lu gsv tziwvm-hzmxgfn'h vmw, rg rh hzrw, yvtzm dsvm gsv hzbbrwz xznv fklm z wvzwob zwwvi.

Gsv zwwvi dzh olxpvw rm z urvixv yzggov drgs z gdrhgvw nlmhgvi lu uovhs zmw hgvvo, lu nzxsrmv zmw drivh, zmw gib zh gsv zwwvi nrtsg, gsv zwwvi xlfow mvrgsvi girfnks mli vhxzkv. Sfiirvwob nlermt gl rmgvievmv, gsv hzbbrwz xzoovw fklm gsv Nlgsvi'h dzgvih fklm gsv nlmhgilfh gsrmt, zmw ivhxfvw gsv zwwvi.

Xziibrmt gsv zwwvi yzxp gl gsv tziwvm-hzmxgfn, gsv hzbbrwz mfihvw gsv zwwvi yzxp gl svzogs.

Lmv wzb, dsvm gsv hzbbrwz krxpvw fk gsv zwwvi, gsv zwwvi yrg svi.

Gsv hzbbrwz hzrw - "Dsb, ls dbin, wrw blf hgirpv nv hl? Blfi oruv R hzevw!"

Gsv zwwvi ivkorvw - "Blf pmvd dszg R dzh dsvm blf urihg ivhxfvw nv!"

[magical girl salhin]

XX

THE KING AND THE SCULPTRESS

Once upon a time there was a sculptress in a faraway Ring, one renowned across the City to even Rings beyond hers. Although Caliphs and lordly men marveled beyond marvel at her works, she lived in humble prosperity, and sought neither great fortune nor patronage. She was blessed with an issue, a daughter whom she dearly loved, and together the two dwelled with hearts full of joy and gladness.

It came to pass on a certain day, however, that the sculptress' daughter was threatened with a dangerous malady. For all the dinars that the sculptress spent on pellars and physicians, healers and wise women, none could provide a remedy to her daughter's malady. And so, the malady brought her daughter to die.

Beset with grief and filled with a fervent wish, the sculptress turned towards the King's Keep and began to walk. A thousand thousand rings went by, and though exceedingly treacherous were her adventures, the resolve of a mother for her daughter was not easily matched by all the woes of the world.

In time, the sculptress knelt before the King, and she lamented, - "Please, oh King, the world waxed black with my daughter's passing, hear now my grief, and restore her to me!"

Gently then did the King reply - "My daughter, I will do this for you. All you must do is sculpt for me a living statue of your daughter, and I will see her restored in wholeness."

The sculptress promptly applied herself with a chisel and hammer, working hard at making a living statue of her daughter. Yet, as her work continued, she learned to her horror that her daughter could seemingly feel every strike of the chisel's blade, every blow of the hammer's head. So great was the distress and anguish, that when the statue's mouth came to be carved, the statue keened a woeful wail.

There are three endings to this tale.

In the first, the sculptress said - "Daughter of mine, you feel the blows and the pain, but I see the form you will take." Blow by blow, she worked despite the suffering which her daughter must endure, until eventually the living statue came to be whole. The sculptress brought her daughter's statue to the King, and the King did as was promised, and there was great rejoicing.

In another, the sculptress said - "I cannot do this. I cannot torment her soul to trade for her life." With that newfound understanding, the woman begged the King to release her daughter in peace, and the King did so. The sculptress returned to her Ring. She found love anew. She was blessed with many more issues and in time, she herself passed in contentment and at peace.

In the third, the sculptress turned from the statue to declare herself in eternal rebellion against the King. She embarked on a quest to bring about a just and perfect creation. We can only assume that she failed, or that she strives to remake the world to this very day.

[magical girl salhin]

XXI

IBN TARIQ'S PIPE

Know that when ibn Tariq was young, adventure and wanderlust were said to be his twin mistresses.

It came to pass then that ibn Tariq traveled to the saffron bazaar of Kha'esh, and sampled many wares. He received strained wine, clear as olive oil, and for that defrayed a golden dinar. He stopped by a fruiterer's with a basket and bought apples from far Wealdath to quinces and peaches from Shalin peaches and cucumbers and citrons and scented myrtle berries, to nenuphars from a pellar to the flower of privet and chamomile. From a grocer's he bought dried fruits and pistachio kernels, and Tl-Hamah raisins, and shelled almonds and all the wants for dessert. From an athenaeum he skimmed vellums with ink penned of the Knowledge, with books from even the Lamp of Learning in wayward Il Modo.

In time, ibn Tariq found amidst a shoppe of antiques and curios a pipe, and that pipe fascinated him so that he marveled beyond marvel at its make. He paid princely a sum for it, and did not begrudge the price.

Taking the pipe to a hill overlooking Kha'esh, ibn Tariq smoked of the pipe, and there came forth from the pipe a smoke which spired heavenwards into aether. Presently, the smoke reached its full height, into a vast and twisted bulk. Its arms were barrels of fearsome strength, the tines of its hands like blades, Its head as vast as a dome, and its eyes two molten leven-lamps. It was a djinn-thing, one of the first that ibn Tariq would come to encounter, long before he first sought to trace wicked Ifiq-imiri-Inlil.

Upon ibn Tariq the djinn-thing bellowed - "Great now is my cheer, and glad tidings upon me, for in this very hour shall I surmise for you an ill death!"

Quoth ibn Tariq - "Whyfor would you deign to surmise this, what wrong have I done you, I who had smoked you from the pipe?"

Quoth the djinn-thing - "Hear briefly, then speak the fashion of your death, I grant you. Far off had I dwelled, until your kind harkened me to bring calamity. Arrived then did I, until treachery had me abode in the pipe for a hundred years. Yours had waxed my wroth, and the only mercy I shall grant is the full choice of death."

Hearing the djinn-thing's words, quoth ibn Tariq - "Your words I cannot believe! How did a mighty being such as you come to take abode in so petty a pipe?"

Rising to rage beyond rage, the djinn-thing roared - "What audacity! You would brand me a liar's tongue?"

Quoth ibn Tariq - "I will never and nowise believe this until I see it with mine own eyes!"

The djinn-thing, swollen with wroth, became vapor and entered the pipe, little and little, and lo! Did ibn Tariq quickly doused the fire and wet the tobacco and lodged the pipe with seal.

Quoth the djinn-thing, whispered hate - "A hundred hundred years, and what great calamity will I bring on you, you that is but frail fire, puff of air, clod of dirt, a drop of water!"

Quoth ibn Tariq - "What is the Edutu but an abundance of drops?"

[magical girl salhin]

XXII

KAILAH SHIWAR IN FAR MURLESK

Know that in days of yore, an emir named al-Asrin reigned over far Murlesk. He was a mighty ruler and his vaults overflowed with dinar, and he had armies and guards and allies in nations; but alas, for his body was afflicted with a malady which healers and physicians could not cure. He applied salves and used unguents, took powdered miracles and swallowed bezoars, but naught did him any good.

There came then to the emir's city one young Kailah Shiwar, a reader of books erugitic and well versed in the mysteries of the Wyld, and in the theorick as well as the practick, in all that heal and hurt the body, be it malady or remedy. She was conversant in the virtues of every plant, in the benediction of each herb and poultice, their benefit and bane, and unsurpassed  was her Knowledge in the whole range of the medical sciences and the other branches of the tree of knowledge.

So it was then that she came to learn about the emir's plight, and presented herself before him.

To him she said - "O great emir! Tidings have reached me of your malady, of how a host of physicians and pellars have proved themselves unable to abate you of it. I can cure you of it!"

Asked the emir - "You can cure me of this malady?"

Replied the Kailah - "By Kula, verdant Kula, I pledge such troth as unshaking as the bedrock of this world to you - that I can expunge this malady from you!"

Quoth the emir - "Do this, and I will clothe you in woven gold so splendid that your son's son will not want for luxury, and what boon I shall grant you will make even those of fair Iistu envious!"

Quoth the Kailah - "I hear and I obey, great and mighty emir!" And with haste went she, fashioning with rites of the wyld, with theorick and practick and magick, a divine panacea. This did the Kailah give the emir, and upon imbibing of the panacea was the emir restored to haleness. Such wonder and joy! The Kailah had medicined so pernicious a malady from him, that the grateful emir robed the Kailah in honor and gave great gifts, and conversed with her until the late of night, and ordered by way of salary dresses delicate and dinars in the thousand.

Presently the emir had a vizier, unsightly and ill-omened, sordid and ungenerous, and the vizier did jalouse the Kailah at the favor she has earned and planned to do her harm.

Went then did the vizier to the emir, and quoth the vizier - "O great emir! See you how easily she cured you, how easily could she slay you! She who could bestow life could bestow death in equal measure! Fear the wise woman, for in her wisdom she holds power over you!"

Asked then the emir - "O vizier! What must be done with her?"

Quoth the vizier - "Send after her this very instant and summon her to your presence, and seek only to take her life and utterly destroy her."

And so did the emir order, but by the time the emir's men had arrived at the Kailah's lodgings, long had she been gone - for the Kailah was indeed wise, and knew that only rarely does gratitude outweigh the fear and envy of powerful men.

[magical girl salhin]

XXIII

THE ENVIER AND THE ENVIED

Know that in ancient Iistu there lived two merchants in adjoining dwellings. One of them envied the other, and did his utmost to injure her, the malice growing so great in him that rarely could he savor the pleasures of food or the succor of sleep. Yet, the envied did nothing but prosper, and and the more the other invested great energies and effort into injuring the envied, the more the envied prospered.

At last then did the envier's endeavor come to be known by the envied, and the envied said - "O, by the Mother! Lo, know that our great creation is wide enough for you and for I." With those words then did the envied leave Iistu, and repaired herself to a distant emirate, where she took up abode in an abandoned dwelling within which had a dried well.

The envied abandoned her commerce and her ledgers, donated her dinars and released her servants from fealty with princely salaries. She furnished her dwelling with a few necessaries, and devoted herself to prayers and the liturgies of the Mother and the Spokes of the Wheel. So great was her piety that she became famed as a wise sayyida, and mendicants and murids and servants decked in gold or masters decked in glory, all flocked to visit her from the corners of creation. Indeed, so devout was she that it is said that marvel upon marvel, she laved water from the dried well.

Hearing of this, the envier marveled, and traveled forthwith to present himself at the envied's hermitage.

There, beholding the envied's fame, the envier was wroth beyond wroth. Still, the envied met the envier with welcome and greeting and all honor, and at that, the envier contrived of a great malevolence. Quoth then the envier - "I have tidings to share which are the cause of my faring hither, but I would share them privately lest they cause great alarm!"

Thereupon the envied followed the envier, and they went to an inmost part of the hermitage, and walked a little way until the twain reached a ruinous old well. As upon the brink of the well they stood, the envier gave the envied a push which sent her tumbling headlong into it, unseen by any.

Presently, the well happened to be blessed by the Mother, and the blessed waters bore the envied up and up before letting her down little by little.

Much later, the envier found himself waylaid by ailment, and sought the aid of pellars and physicians, of healers and wise-women. Lo! To his great astonishment, the envied traveled to Iistu, and came then before him that she may cure his woe. So it was then that the envied aided her enemy, and forbore to punish him for the evil he had done; and so then the mercy of the envied to the envier quenched the envier's bitter coals, as the envier beheld that the envied had journeyed to great lengths for the sole purpose of saving his life when he himself had journeyed to great lengths for the sole purpose of taking her life.

He wept, and amidst his pleas for forgiveness - which she granted without hesitation - he asked her how she lived, and so quoth her - "You who would seek to drown the Mother's daughter in Her well may as well seek to quench a flame with oil."

[magical girl salhin]

XXIV

IBN DAWUD ENRAGES AN IFRIT

Know that ibn Dawud was of fantastical adventures, and his stripling years comprised many outlandish tales.

ibn Dawud was a man of deep learning, having studied star-lore and the fair sayings of poets and many branches of learning, capable of reciting the course of a hundred stars and charting the course of a hundred more. He had intoned the kitab al-Athaar and was said to have deciphered manuscripts penned by al-Na himself, while his skill in calligraphy was such that his fame was bruited abroad over climes and cities, and emirs would pay homage with offerings and presents and rarities to glean of him his Knowledge.

Amongst others then did an emir summon ibn Dawud, and he was fitted with a lordly caravan and towards Bright Daribis did he sojourn.

But as ibn Dawud but marched a little way, lo! An ash storm up-flew and walled the horizon from view, such that its ends seemed to stretch as veil from star to star. Amidst the storm did ravening ravenents roam hither and thither, and in ragged dight they set upon the caravan and put the caraveneers to flight; and ibn Dawud also fled upon receiving a grievous hurt, going forth unknowing whither he went, faring on until he chanced on a thickly grown lowland with an abundance of wood and water. In wonder he explored the oasis, until he found a gnarled stump whereupon was fixed a copper ring - so he cleared away the soil and behold, the ring was attached to a trap-door.

This then did ibn Dawud raise, descending until he found himself in a hall of gilded gold and marvels, beautifully built with heights of colored marbles. Within did he find a damsel fair, her cheeks gardens of delight, her face like dawn through curly tresses which gloomed in the night, and whose soft speech captivated the wise and the ware. She was Dinazade, and at sight of her was ibn Dawud stricken.

Asked Dinazade, then, "Are you man or djinni?"

Quoth ibn Dawud, "I am no djinn, but a man."

And her words were wonder-sweet, "By the Mother's grace and benediction, how brought you here to where I had abided five-and-twenty years without sight of any others?

Quoth ibn Dawud, "O, my lady, my good fortune led me hither here," and he related to her the commencement and conclusion of his mishap.

And she wept and said, "I will tell you my tale in turn. I am the daughter of Emir al-Ita, sovereign of the isles of Abni in the Sea of Pearls, but by dark compact did an ifrit named Jirjis of Iblis snatched me and conveyed me to this solitude. Once a tenday the fiend is conjured into being to see me appointed with meat and drink, with raiments and jewels and furniture, but never since that day had I seen the stars woven in Her sable cloak. Four days have now passed since it was here, and there remains six days before its coming again - will you abide with me five days and go hence the day ere its coming?"

Together the two conversed and caroused through the days and the nights, wonders shared with wonders, delight following delight, until eventually came the sixth day. Then did ibn Dawud declare that he would deliver Dinazade from her underground vault, and from the spell of the ifrit. When came the ifrit's conjuration then did the firmaments starkened and darkened and thundered and lightened, and trembled and quaked did the rudiments and then cried Dinazade - "The ifrit be upon us! The ifrit be upon us!"

Then indeed did the ifrit come to be conjured, spun from the weft of a tortured world as smoke and fire and flesh, its eyes of burning lamps.

Great was the ifrit's ire, a rage exceeding rage, but as it made to strike ibn Dawud did the learned man but laugh, and quoth - "You misshapen djinn-thing! You are before a scion of the tribe of Salhin, anointed stewards of these realms, and long into the nights had I labored to see consecrated this hearth - here, undiminished my Authority, what hurt or harm unto I will be to your bane!"

Quoth then the ifrit, Jirjis, who bellowed - "Slaying you perhaps I cannot, but in bewitching you there is no escape, you who is clothed in both authority and hubris!"

Presently then the ifrit tore ibn Dawud from the great City into the firmament, till he saw all creation as a vast saucer or a disc in the midst of waters and mists, and then set ibn Dawud upon a mountain, whereupon taking dust and ash did the ifrit mutter words vile and sorcerous thereupon - "Quit that shape and take that of an ape!" And on that instant did ibn Dawud become an ape, into an ugly and hateful shape, speech-robbed and soul-resigned into the tyranny of magicks foul.

Lo! After a span, ibn Dawud found himself in the desert, in a path of a caravan making for Bright Daribis.

The first guard who spotted ibn Dawud quoth then to the master of the caravan - "O master, this ill-omened beast will bring us ill-luck! Let us kill it! Slay it with the sword!"

Perceived however the end of this tale, and the beginning of the next, and so this tale shall cease its permitted say and adjourn to the next tale's say.