Part 18 (1/2)

He brought a second, and the horse ate and finished it, and said, ”Bring a third, for I am not yet full.”

So he ate a third sack, and then he said, ”Bring a bucket of water, stir it up with sugar, for that is the kind of water that I drink, and mix me up another bucket with bhang.”

Then he said, ”Now I am satisfied. Bring my saddle and the seven bottles, and take bags and fill them with precious stones and fasten them on quickly, that we may go.”

So Ali put all the valuables in the house in bags, and he took those seven maidens and placed them in bags, and he saddled the horse and fastened those bags on to him.

Then the horse said, ”Strap me up tight and with all your strength.”

So Ali strapped him up as tight as he could, till the horse said, ”Stop now; mount me for a little to try me.”

So Ali mounted and smacked him, and he soared up over the clouds. Then he returned and said, ”Now bring out another sack of grain, that I may eat and be satisfied.”

So he gave him another sack, and then he said, ”Now fasten another sack of grain on to me, lest I grow hungry in the way.”

So Ali fastened on a sack of grain, and then the horse said, ”Take a crow-bar and dig there in the floor of the house.”

So Ali dug there and found more precious stones, and he put them in bags, and brought them and fastened them to the saddle.

Then the horse said, ”Come on, Ali, mount me. We are going now, and this advice I give you before we go. In the way we will meet with great strife, so listen well, and do as I tell you.”

Then Ali mounted and smacked him, and the horse soared up over the clouds, higher and higher.

When they had gone a little way they met the Jin and a host of his fellow demons, whom he had brought to feast on those eight people in his house. One was taking an axe to chop up the meat, others carried firewood and pots and water with which to cook the flesh.

When those demons saw them they called out, ”Look, there is the flesh going off.”

The horse said to Ali, ”Take the bottle of sun and break it.” So Ali broke it, and the sun shone on the demons and scorched them.

But they pursued them, crying, ”Our meat is going away, our meat is going away.”

They ran after them, and as they came near the horse said, ”Break the bottle of rain.” So Ali broke the bottle and rain poured on them, but still they pursued.

Ali looked round and said, ”They are coming.” So the horse said, ”Break the bottle of needles.”

Ali broke the bottle, and many got needles in their feet and could not run quickly, but many escaped and came on swiftly, crying, ”Hi there! Hi there! our meat is escaping.”

Then the horse said, ”Break the bottle of hail.” So Ali broke the bottle, and the hail poured down on them, and knocked many of them over, but they got up again and ran on.

The horse said, ”Break the bottle of thorns.” So Ali broke the bottle, and the thorns got in their feet and delayed many of them, but the rest came on. Ali called out, ”There they come,” and the horse said, ”Break the bottle of mud.”

So he broke the bottle, and the demons went slipping and falling about in the mud till they got across it, and still pursued them.

Then the horse said, ”Break the bottle of sea.” So Ali broke the bottle, and the demons rushed into the sea, where many were drowned, and the rest were unable to cross and turned back.

The horse flew across to the opposite side and alighted, and said to Ali, ”Let us rest here now that we have crossed safely.”

Then he said, ”Take out the sack of grain, for hunger is paining me.”