74
the rows of tents, till he came to the royal kitchens, where he stopped and gazed in wonderment or the great cauldrons, each holding fifty camels, hung up over the fire that blazed fiercely under them. King Sekher saw him from afar gazing on the cauldrons, and thinking him to be anhungred, commanded some of his officers to bear him two roasted camels. So they carried them to him and bound them behind him on the mare’s back.
Then he took leave of them and fared on, till he came to the limit of King Sekher’s dominions, where the mare stood still and Beloukiya dismounted and began to shake the dust of the journey from his clothes. As he was thus engaged, there accosted him a party of men, who recognizing the mare, carried her and Beloukiya before their King, whom he found seated in a splendid pavilion, in the midst of his troops and champions and vassal princes, in like state to that of King Sekher. So he saluted him, and the King returned his greeting and seated him beside himself; after which he called for food and they ate their fill and returned thanks to God. Then they set on fruits, and when they had eaten thereof, King Berakhiya said to his guest, “When didst thou leave King Sekher?” “Two days ago,” replied Beloukiya. “Dost thou know,” asked Berakhiya, “how many days’ journey thou hast come in these two days?” “No,” answered he, and the King rejoined, Night ccccxcv.“Thou hast come threescore and ten months’ journey; and when thou mountedst the mare, she was affrighted at thee, knowing thee for a son of Adam, and would have cast thee off; so they bound on her back these two camels, to steady her.” When Beloukiya heard this, he marvelled and thanked God for safety. Then said the King, “Tell me thy story and what brought thee hither.” So he told him his story from first to last, and the King marvelled at his words.’
Here the Queen of the Serpents broke off, and Hasib,
