they took their women and children and goods and made for the Caucasus mountain. Presently
Mura'ash and Gharib arrived at the City of Carnelian and Castle of Gold to find the gates open
and none left to give them news; whereupon they entered and Mura'ash led Gharib that he might
show him the city, whose walls were builded of emeralds and its gates of red carnelian, with
studs of silver, and the terrace-roofs of its houses and mansions reposed upon beams of lign
aloes and sandle-wood. So they took their pleasure in its streets and alleys, till they came to the
Palace of Gold and entering passed through seven vestibules, when they drew near to a building,
whose walls were of royal balass rubies and its pavement of emerald and jacinth. The two Kings
were astounded at the goodliness of the place and fared on from vestibule to vestibule, till they
had passed through the seventh and happened upon the inner court of the palace wherein they
saw four daises, each different from the others, and in the midst a jetting fount of red gold,
compassed about with golden lions,[FN#42] from whose mouths issued water. These were things
to daze man's wit. The estrade at the upper end was hung and carpeted with brocaded silks of
various colours and thereon stood two thrones of red gold, inlaid with pearls and jewels. So
Mura'ash and Gharib sat down on Barkan's thrones and held high state in the Palace of Gold.--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Mura'ash and Gharib took seat on
Barkan's thrones and held high state. Then said Gharib to Mura'ash, "What thinkest thou to do?"
And Mura'ash replied, "O King of mankind, have despatched an hundred horse to learn where
Barkan is, that we may pursue him." Then they abode three days in the palace, the scouting
Marids returned with the news that Barkan had fled to the Mountain Kaf and craved protection
of the Blue King who granted it; whereupon quoth Mura'ash to Gharib, "What sayest thou, O my
brother?" and quoth Gharib, "Except we attack them they will attack us." So they bade the host
make ready for departure and after three days, they were about to set out with their troops, when
the Marids, who had carried Sahim and the presents back to Oman, returned and kissed ground
before Gharib. He questioned them of his people and they replied, "After the last affair, thy
brother Ajib, leaving Ya'arub bin Kahtan, fled to the King of Hind and, submitting his case,