King of El-Islam, 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan; and we have come on account of the bottles of brass that are here in your sea, and wherein are the devils imprisoned from the time of Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both of whom be peace!). He hath commanded us to bring him some of them, that he may see them, and divert himself by the view of them.-And the King of the blacks replied, Most willingly. Then he feasted him with fish, and ordered the divers to bring up from the sea some of the bottles of Suleyman; and they brought up for them twelve bottles; wherewith the Emir Musa was delighted, and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad also, and the soldiers, on account of the accomplishment of the affair of the Prince of the Faithful. The Emir Musa thereupon presented to the King of the blacks many presents, and gave him large gifts. In like manner too the King of the blacks gave to the Emir Musa a present consisting of wonders of the sea, in the form of human beings, and said to him, Your entertainment for these three days shall be of these fish. And the Emir replied, We must carry with us some of them, that the Prince of the Faithful may see them; for thereby will his heart be pleased more than by the bottles of Suleyman.
Then they bade him farewell, and they journeyed back until they came to the land of Syria, and went in to the Prince of the Faithful; whereupon the Emir Musa acquainted him with all that he had seen, and all that had occurred to him with respect to the verses and histories and admonitions, and told him of the case of Talib the son of Sahl. And the Prince of the Faithful said to him, Would that I had been with you, that I might have beheld what ye beheld! He then took the bottles, and proceeded to open one after another, and the devils came forth from them, saying, Repentance, O Prophet of God! We will not return to the like conduct ever!And 'Abd El-Melik the son of Marwan wondered at this. But as to the damsels of the sea, with the like of which the King of the blacks feasted them, they made for them troughs of wood, which they filled with water, and into these they put them. They died, however, in consequence of the intensity of the heat. After this, the Prince of the Faithful caused the riches to be brought before him, and divided them among the Muslims. And he said, God hath not bestowed upon any one the like of what He bestowed upon Suleyman the son
