went to him；' replied Abdallah； 'but that which I got of him I gave to my friend the baker； to whom I owe kindness。' 'Who is this baker？' asked the king； and the fisherman answered； 'He is a benevolent man； who did with me thus and thus in the days of my poverty and never neglected me a single day nor vexed my spirit。' Quoth the king； 'What is his name？' ' His name is Abdallah the baker；' replied the fisherman； 'and my name is Abdallah of the land and that of my friend the merman Abdallah of the sea。' 'And my name； also； is Abdallah；' rejoined the king； and the servants of God （201） are all brethren。 So send and fetch thy friend the baker that I may make him my vizier of the left。'
So he sent for the baker and the king invested him with the vizier's habit and made him vizier of the left； making Abdallah of the land his vizier of the right。 On this wise the fisherman abode a whole year； every day carrying the merman the basket full of fruit and receiving it back； full of jewels； and when fruit failed from the gardens； he carried him raisins and almonds and hazelnuts and walnuts and figs and so forth； and all that he brought him the merman accepted and returned him the basket full of jewels； as of wont。
It chanced one day that he carried him the basket； full of dry （202） fruits； according to custom； and his friend took them from him。 Then they sat down to converse； the fisherman on the beach and the merman in the water； near the shore； and conversed； and the talk went round between them； till it fell upon the subject of tombs； y brother； they say that the Prophet （whom God bless and preserve！） is buried with you on the land。 Knowest thou his tomb？' 'Yes；' answered Abdallah。 'It lies in a city called Yethrib。' （203） 'And do the people of the land visit it？' asked the merman。 'Yes；' replied the fisherman； and the other said； 'I give you joy； O people of the land； of visiting ＇the tomb of＇ that noble and passionate prophet； which whoso visits merits his intercession！ Hast thou visited it； O my brother？' 'No；' answered the fisherman； 'for I was poor and had not what to spend by the way； nor have I been at my ease but since I knew thee and thou bestowedst on me this good fortune。 But it behoves me to visit it； after I have made the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God； （204） and nought withholds me therefrom but my love for thee； for I cannot leave thee for one day。'
'And dost thou set the love of me；' rejoined the merman； 'before the visitation of the tomb of Mohammed （whom God bless and preserve！）； who shall intercede for thee on the day of appearance before God and shall save thee from the fire and through whose intercession thou shalt enter Paradise？ And dost thou； for the love of the world； leave to visit the tomb of thy Prophet Mohammed； whom God bless and preserve？' 'No； by Allah；' replied Abdallah。 'I set the visitation of the Prophet's tomb above all else； and I crave thy leave to visit it this year。' 'I grant thee leave；' answered the merman； 'but I have a trust to give thee； so e thou with me into the sea； that I may carry thee to my city and my house and entertain thee there and give thee a deposit； and when thou standest by the Prophet's tomb； do thou lay it thereon； saying； 〃O apostle of God； Ahdallah the merman salutes thee and sends thee this present； imploring thine intercession to save him from the fire。〃' 'O my brother；' said the fisherman； 'thou wast created in the water and it is thine abidingplace and doth thee no hurt； but； if thou shouldst e forth to the land； would any harm betide thee？' ' Yes；' answered the merman； 'my body would dry up and the breezes of the land would blow upon me and I should die。' 'And I； in like manner；' rejoined the fisherman； 'was created on the land and it is my abidingplace； but； if I went down into the sea； the water would enter my belly and choke me and I should die。' 'Have no fear for that； replied the other； 'for I will bring thee an ointment； wherewith when thou hast anointed thy body； the water will do thee no hurt； though thou shouldst pass the rest of thy life going about in the sea； and thou shalt lie down and rise up in the sea and nought shall harm thee。' 'If the case be so；' said the fisherman； 'well and good； but bring me the ointment； so I may make proof of it。' 'So be it；' answered the merman and taking the basket； disappeared in the sea。
After awhile； he returned with an ointment； as it were the fat of oxen； yellow as gold and sweet of savour。 'What is this； O my brother？' asked the fisherman。 'It is the liverfat of a kind of fish called the dendan；' （205） answered the merman； 'which is the biggest of all fish and the fiercest of our foes。 Its bulk is greater than that of any beast of the land； and were it to meet a camel or an elephant； it would swallow it at one mouthful。' 'O my brother；' asked Abdallah； 'what eateth this baleful ＇beast＇？' 'It eateth of the beasts of the sea；' replied the merman。 'Hast thou not heard the byword； 〃Like the fishes of the sea： the strong eateth the weak？〃'
'True；' answered the fisherman； 'but have you many of these dendans in the sea？' And the other said； 'Yes； there be many of them with us。 None can tell their tale save God the Most High。' Quoth Abdallah； 'Verily； I fear lest； if I go down with thee into the sea； one of these beasts fall in with me and devour me。' 'Have no fear；' replied the merman。 'When it sees thee； it will know thee for a son of Adam and will fear thee and flee。 It feareth none in the sea as it feareth a son of Adam； for that； if it eat him； it dieth forthright； because his flesh is a deadly poison to this kind of creature； nor do we gather its liverfat save by means of a man； when he falleth into the sea and is drowned； for that his favour beeth changed and ofttimes his flesh is torn； so the dendan eateth him； deeming him of the beasts of the sea； and dieth。 Then we light upon it dead and take the fat of its liver。 Moreover； wherever there is a son of Adam； though there be in that place a hundred or two hundred or a thousand or more of these beasts； if they but hear him cry once； they all die forthwith and not one of them can avail to remove from its place； wherefore； whenas a son of Adam falleth into the sea； we take him ＇ere he can drown＇ and anoint him with this fat and go round about the sea with him； and whenever we see a dendan or two or three or more； we bid him cry out and they all die forthright for his once crying。'
Quoth the fisherman； 'I put my trust in God；' and putting off his clothes； buried them in a hole； which he dug in the beach； after which he rubbed his body from top to toe with the ointment。 Then he descended into the water and diving； opened his eyes and the water did him no hurt。 So he walked right and left； and if he would； he rose ＇to the surface＇ and if he would； he sank to the bottom。 And he saw the water of the sea vaulted over him； as it were a tent； yet it did him no hurt。 Then said the merman to him； 'What seest thou； O my brother？' 'O my brother；' answered Abdallah； 'I see ＇that which is＇ good； and indeed thou spokest truth in that which thou saidst to me； for the water doth me no hurt。' Quoth the merman； 'Follow me。'
So he followed him and they fared on from place to place； whilst Abdallah saw mountains of water before him and on his right and left and diverted himself by gazing thereon and on the various kinds of fish； some great and some small； that sported in the sea。 Some of them were like unto buffaloes； others to oxen and others to dogs and yet others unto human beings； but all to which they drew near fled； whenas they saw the fisherman； who said to the merman； 'O my brother； how is it that I see all the fish； to which we draw near； flee from us？' 'Because they fear thee；' answered the other； 'for all things that God hath made fear the son of Adam。'
The fisherman ceased not to gaze upon the marvels of the sea； till they came to a high mountain and fared on beside it。 Presently； he heard a great cry and turning； saw some black thing； the bigness of a camel or bigger； ing down upon him from the mountain and crying out。 So he said to his friend； 'What is this； O my brother？' 'This is the dendan；' answered the merman。 'It eth doe； seeking to devour me； so cry thou out at it； O my brother； ere it win to us； else will it snatch me up and devour me。' So Abdallah cried out at it and it fell down dead； which when he saw； he said； 'Extolled be the perfection of God and His praise！ I smote it not with sword nor knife； how es it； then； that； for all the vastness of the creature's bulk； it could not endure my cry； but died？' 'Marvel not；' replied the merman； 'for； by Allah； O my brother； were there a thousand or two thousand of these creatures； yet could they not endure the cry of a son of Adam。'
Then they fared on； till they came to a city； whose inhabitants the fisherman saw to be all women； there being no male among them； so he said to his panion； 'O my brother； what city is this and what are these women？' 'This is the city of women；' answered the merman； 'for its inhabitants are of the women of the sea。' 'Are there any males among them？' asked the fisherman； and the merman said； 'No。' 'Then how；' said Abdallah； 'do they conceive and bear young； without males？' Quoth the other； 'The king of the sea banishes them hither and they conceive not neither bear children。 All the women of the sea； with whom he is wroth； he sends to this city and they cannot leave it； for； should one of them e forth therefrom； any of the beasts of the sea that saw her would devour her。 But in the other cities of the sea there are both males and females。'
'Are there then other cities than this in the sea？' asked the fisherman； and the merman said； 'There are many。' 'And is there a Sultan over you in the sea？' asked the fisherman。 'Yes；' answered the merman。 Then said Abdallah； 'O my brother； I have indeed seen many marvels in the sea！' 'And what hast thou seen of the marvels ＇of the sea＇？' quoth the merman。 'Hast thou not heard the saying； 〃The marvels of the sea are more in number than the marvels of the land？〃' 'True；' answered the fisherman and fell to gazing upon the women； whom he saw having faces like moons and hair like women's hair； but their hands and feet were in their bellies and they had tails like fishes' tails。
When the merman had shown him the people of the city； he carried him forth therefrom and forewent him to another city； which he found full of folk； both males and females； after the fashion of the women aforesaid and having tails； but there was neither selling nor buying amongst them； as with the people of the land； nor were they clothed； but went all naked and with their privities uncovered。 'O my brother；' said Abdallah； 'I see males and females alike with their privities exposed。' And the other said； 'This is because the folk of the sea have no clothes。' 'And how do they； when they marry？' asked the fisherman。 'They do not marry；' answered the merman； 'but every one who hath a mind to a female doth his will of her。' Quoth Abdallah； 'This is unlawful。 Why doth he not ask her in marriage and dower her and make her a weddingfestival and marry her； in accordance with that which is pleasing to God and His Apostle？' 'We are not all of one religion；' answered his paniom 'Some of u