found a man lying on the couch, and that was the king's couch which he was lying upon. And they waated to kill him, but he said to them, "Leave him alone, do not kill him; put me in a chair." And they put him upon a chair.
And he said, "Wake him gently." And they woke him. And he arose, and sat up, and saw many snakes surrounding him, and he saw one of them very beautiful, wearing royal robes.
And he asked him, "Who are you?" And he said, "I am the king of the snakes, and this is my house." And he asked him, "And who are you?" And he said, "I am Hasseebu Kareem ed deen." "Where do you come from?" And he said, "I don't know whence I come, nor whither I am going." And he said, "Do not disturb yourself;" and he told his soldiers, "Go and bring all the fruits of the forest, and let us feast our guest."
And they went and brought every fruit, and set before him a large tray, and told him to eat. And he ate till he had had enough, and they gave him water, and he drank. So he sat, and they conversed.
And the king of the snakes asked Hasseebu, "Give me your story, from your leaving home till to-day." And he gave him the story of all that he had met with on the way till he arrived there.
And Hasseebu Kareem ed deen asked the king of the snakes, "Give me your story also, that I may know it." And he said, "My story is a long one."
And he said, "I was living formerly, we had left this place to go to the mountains of Al Kaf, for change of air. And I stayed till one day I saw a man coming, and I asked him, 'Where do you come from?' And he said, 'I come from our town, and am wandering in the wilderness.' And I said, 'Whose son are you?' And he said to me, 'My name is Bolukia, and my father the Sultan
