He shook his hoary locks, and thus he said, • Four times his slave thy noble father led, 'Where mighty Atlas lifts his towering brow High o'er the western Kâf,d and well I know "The painful way. Canst thou like him confide With full assurance on an heavenly guide? 'Then go, where lions and hyænas glare, 'The angry dipsas' fiery wound to dare, Sands O'er burning ends where pain and anguish tread, 'Where thirst and famine fill the brave with dread, And the swift whirlwind, with resistless breath, Lifts the whole plain in air, and crushes hosts in death. 'But deem not, these escap'd, thy danger past: 'More dread than all, the fairy comes at last. d The people of the east, finding their countries bounded on one side by the ridge of Caucasus, and on the other by Atlas, conceived the habitable earth was surrounded by a vast barrier of rocky mountains. Ginnistan, the abode of the Ginn (that is, of the Dives and Fairies) was supposed to be a part of it. The whole of this imaginary wall was denominated Kâf. The fairy train with perfect ministry, While God commands, the wants of man supply; For him they labour, though of nobler birth, 'And own him lord of all the fertile earth. 'But who implores their aid for partial ends 'From his pre-eminence at once descends. To malice prone, and faithless are the kind, For former guilt has left a taint behind; And blest are they who but their scorn engage, Torture and death await who wake their rage.' His words are vain. Zeynu 'lAsnâm maintains His purpose, and what fear suggests disdains. Mobarrek with experienced zeal prepares Camels and stores. Then forth the monarch fares, Darts over Afric's continent his eye, And deems the desert past, and Kâf already nigh. Their tedious labour why should I rehearse, With names uncouth and strange to mar the verse? Still on their steps some fav'ring pow'r attends, Where frowns the forest, where the waste extends, O'er craggy mountain, and o'er foaming flood, Till on the utmost bound of earth they stood. A mighty sea upon the rocky shore Beats with continual wave, and sullen roar : Atlas beyond his awful summit rears, And with his mighty shoulder props the spheres. A lovely island in the middle space, The waters in their genial arms embrace; Fair are its swelling hills with verdure drest, And there the ling'ring sun-beam loves to rest. And now to pass the lake we must provide. But first I warn thee, prince, thy wond'ring eyes 'Whatever uncouth vision may surprise, Behold in silence. If a word, a sound, Escape thy lips, for thee th' abyss profound Shall open, and impenetrable night Receive thee, never to behold the light.' Scarce had he spoken, when the prince beheld A vessel o'er the yielding wave compell'd. With vigorous arm the boatman ply'd his oar, And with the lightning's speed he reach'd the shore. But when the fairy mariner appears Reveal'd, the stoutest heart with boding fears Might tremble. O'er his brawny back and side, Form'd like a tiger's, glar'd a brinded hide : Rais'd on his hinder paws, and as athirst for blood, The polish'd tusks stood forth, terrific sight, e This description of the Fairy Boatman, is copied exactly from the Arabian Tale. It was probably symbolical, or hieroglyphical. And seated in the boat. Mobarrek then They touch it, and the spectre's seen no more: The prince looks round and nothing views but flowers, Cool grottoes, lucid rills, and shady bowers: The gentle seasons mingled influence bring, And summer wears the fragrant wreaths of spring: And pleasant is the murmuring water's sound; And soft the balmy gale that fans the ground; And sweet the music of the vocal grove, And smooth the turf below, and bright the skies above. But soon the fairy palace they behold, Stupendous frame of adamant and gold. Before the portal rang'd on either hand An hundred giants sternly frowning stand; |