Off we flew, crossing the waves, until we reached a mountainous land. I could see pointed volcanoes with plumes of smoke coming out of them.Everywhere I looked were rocks and lava. Then I began to weep.
“Oh that I had stayed on the island, for at least there were fruits to eat and spring water to drink in that place. I have exchanged one terrible place for a far worse one but Allah in his wisdom must have willed it so, and it is the lot of man to submit to His fate.”
At least, I thought, my situation could not grow any more dreadful. But it did. We landed in a deep ravine. I untied myself from the bird’s foot and dived behind a rock; from there I took a look at where we had arrived. On either side of us were steep walls, far too high for any man to scale. And the bottom was home to death in the form of enormous serpents, each the size of a palm tree, who could have eaten an elephant with one gulp. Their monstrous heads, with razor sharp fangs and darting forked tongues, made me shake with fear. But the ground beneath my feet held a very different wonder - one that under different circumstances would have filled me with joy. The rocks sparkled and glittered, for they were encrusted with enormous diamonds. Just one of those stones could make a man wealthy beyond his dreams - but that was back in civilisation. What use were riches in this valley of death?
I spent a day and a night, hiding from the serpents. When darkness fell, I could see their red eyes glowing in the dark. The sight was too terrible for me, and I hid inside a cave where I piled up rocks to prevent anything slithering inside. A little later, I realised that at the other end of the cave, a giant serpent was brooding on her eggs. My flesh quaked and my hair stood on end, but I raised my eyes to Heaven, gave myself up to fate, and spent all that night without sleep sharing my refuge with a monster. At daybreak, I took down the rocks, and staggered out like a drunken man, giddy with fear and hunger.
I wondered a little way down the valley. As I walked, first one, and then another, huge piece of meat dropped down from the sky and landed on the rocks. Had a giant bird let them go? Then I recalled a traveller's’ tale of a dangerous mountain range that is full of riches. The story went that merchants would drop pieces of meat into a valley in the hope that diamonds would stick to them. They would wait for an eagle or another bird to swoop down, pick the meat, and carry it to its nest. Then the merchants would climb up to the nest, and scare away the bird by shouting and throwing sticks and stones. In this way they could recover a diamond. When I had recalled this tale, it was clear to me what I had to do. First I filled my pockets with diamonds. Then, taking off my turban, I attached the meat to my chest. I lay and waited for a giant eagle to spot the easy meal and pick it up in its claws. When it carried the meat off to its nest, it took me with it. And so I was lifted out of the valley. When we settled down in the nest, the eagle had little time to peck at its meal, for it was soon disturbed by loud shouting, and sticks and stones landed in the nest. It flapped its wings and flew off. Men approached and were surprised to see me rise up and wave my arms to greet them. My heart was filled with joy, but at first they were disappointed and angry.
“What trick of fate is this?” said one. “We risked our lives to rescue a fortune from the valley, not a man!”
“Do not fret,” I called out in my happiness. “My pockets are filled with enough riches to satisfy all of us! I will share them with the man who threw down the piece of meat.”
As we went off, I told the merchants of my adventures, and all that had happened to me, and they were filled with marvel. It took us two days to walk down from the mountain range. At last we arrived in a flat and pleasant land shaded by giant trees. The only danger was from giants with leathery skins and horns on their noses. These rhinoceroses can easily trample a man to death if they are disturbed. We managed to avoid them by staying down wind, so that our scent did not carry to their nostrils. We safely reached the ship and sailed for Baghdad where we sold our diamonds for a great fortune. Now I was twice as wealthy as before, and I swore that I would never walk up the gangplank of a ship again. Oh, my friend, if only I had kept my promise.
The porter was in awe of all that he had heard. The merchant gave him 100 gold dinars and invited him to return the following evening to hear another tale.
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