So he opened it and
found the talisman that had been the cause of his separation from
his wife. At this sight, he fell down in a swoon for joy; and
when he revived, he said, 'Praised be God! This is a good omen
and a presage of reunion with my beloved.' Then he examined the
jewel and passed it over his eyes; after which he bound it to his
arm, rejoicing in coming good, and walked about, awaiting the
gardener's return, till nightfall; when, as he came not, he lay
down and slept in his wonted place. At daybreak he rose and
girding himself with a cord of palm-fibre, took hoe and basket
and went out to his work in the garden. Presently, he came to a
carob-tree and struck the hoe into its roots. The blow resounded
[as if it had fallen on metal]; so he cleared away the earth and
discovered a trap-door of brass. He raised the trap and found a
winding stair, which he descended and came to an ancient vault of
the time of Aad and Themoud,[FN#49] hewn out of the rock. Round
the vault stood many brazen vessels of the bigness of a great
oil-jar, into one of which he put his hand and found it full of
red and shining gold; whereupon he said to himself, 'Verily, the
days of weariness are past and joy and solace are come!' Then he
returned to the garden and replacing the trap-door, busied
himself in tending the trees till nightfall, when the gardener
came back and said to him, 'O my son, rejoice in a speedy return
to thy native land, for the merchants are ready for the voyage
and in three days' time the ship will set sail for the City of
Ebony, which is the first of the cities of the Muslims; and
thence thou must travel by land six months' journey till thou
come to the Islands of Khalidan, the dominions of King Shehriman.
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