Baghdad to the Gulf, and with other merchants embarked, and our
ship sailed before a fair wind many days and nights till, by
Allah's aid, we reached the island of Sarandib. As soon as we had
made fast we landed and I took the present and the letter; and,
going in with them to the King, kissed ground before him. When he
saw me, he said, "Well come, O Sindbad! By Allah Omnipotent we
were longing to see thee, and glory be to God who hath again
shown us thy face!" Then taking me by the hand he made me sit by
his side, rejoicing, and he welcomed me with familiar kindness
again and entreated me as a friend. After this he began to
converse with me and courteously addressed me and asked, "What
was the cause of thy coming to us, O Sindbad?" So after kissing
his hand and thanking him I answered, "O my lord, I have brought
thee a present from my master, the Caliph Harun Al-Rashid;" and
offered him the present and the letter which he read and at which
he rejoiced with passing joy. The present consisted of a mare
worth ten thousand ducats, bearing a golden saddle set with
jewels; a book; a sumptuous suit of clothes and an hundred
different kinds of white Cairene cloths and silks of Suez,[FN#98]
Cufa and Alexandria; Greek carpets and an hundred maunds[FN#99]
weight of linen and raw silk. Moreover there was a wondrous
rarety, a marvellous cup of crystal middlemost of which was the
figure of a lion faced by a kneeling man grasping a bow with
arrow drawn to the very head, together with the food-tray[FN#100]
of Sulayman the son of David (on whom be peace!). The missive ran
as follows, "Peace from King Al-Rashid, the aided of Allah (who
hath vouchsafed to him and his forefathers noble rank and wide-
spread glory), be on the fortunate Sultan. But after. Thy letter
came to our hands and we rejoiced thereat; and we have sent the
book entitled 'Delight of the Intelligent and for Friends the