On the eleventh day the
bird continued flying, and came near a great city. When the bird
came to the walls, she flew over them and the prince saw no more of
her; so he despaired of ever recovering the Princess Badoura's
talisman.
Camaralzaman, whose grief was beyond expression, went into the
city, which was built by the seaside, and had a fine port; he
walked up and down the streets without knowing where he was, or
where to stop. At last he came to the port, in as great uncertainty
as ever what he should do. Walking along the river-side, he
perceived the gate of a garden open, and an old gardener at work.
The good man looked up and saw that he was a stranger and a
Mussulman, so he asked him to come in, and to shut the door after
him.
Camaralzaman entered, and, as the gardener bade him shut the door,
demanded of the gardener why he was so cautious.
'Because,' replied the old man, 'I see you are a stranger newly
arrived, and a Mussulman, and this city is inhabited for the most
part by idolaters, who have a mortal aversion to us Mussulmans, and
treat those few of us that are here with great barbarity. I suppose
you did not know this, and it is a miracle that you have escaped as
you have thus far, these idolaters being very apt to fall upon the
Mussulmans that are strangers, or to draw them into a snare, unless
those strangers know how to beware of them.
Pages:
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233