One day it
was hungry. It came out into the plain, found some Arabs with their tents,
their sheep, their oxen, their mares, and their camels. The beast fell upon
them in the night and ate them all up, leaving the earth all white with
their bones; then it went back to the city.
A single man escaped, thanks to his good mare. He arrived at a city of the
At Taberchant and, starving, began to beg. The King of the Jews said to
him: "Whence do you come into our country--you who invoke the lord of men
[Mahomet]? You don't know where you are. We are Jews. If you will embrace
our religion, we will give you food."
"Give me some food," said the Arab, "and I will give you some good advice."
The King took him to his house and gave him some supper, and then asked him
what he had to say.
"An enormous monster has fallen upon us," said the Arab. "It ate up
everybody. I will show you its city. It has two gates, one at the north and
the other at the south."
"To-morrow," said the King.
When he awoke the next day, they mounted horses and followed the way to the
gate of the monster's city.
Pages:
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357