ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 45

was not aware; and when the dawn came, and
morn appeared, the bird rose from its egg, and
uttered a great cry, and drew me up into the sky.
It ascended and soared up so high that I ima-
gined it had reached the highest region of the
sky; and after that, it descended with me gradu-
ally until it alighted with me upon the earth,
and rested upon a lofty spot. So when I reached
the earth, I hastily untied the bond from its foot,
fearing it, though it knew not of me nor was
sensible of me; and after I had loosed my turban
from it, and disengaged it from its foot, shaking
as I did so, I walked away. Then it took some-
thing from the face of the earth in its talons,
and soared to the upper region of the sky; and
I looked attentively at that thing, and, lo, it was
a serpent, of enormous size, of great body, which
it had taken and carried off towards the sea; and
I wondered at that event.

After this, I walked about that place, and
found myself upon an eminence, beneath which
was a large, wide, deep valley; and by its side
a great mountain, very high; no one could see
its summit by reason of its excessive height,
and no one had power. to ascend it. I therefore
blamed myself for that which I had done, and
said, ‘‘ Would that I had remained in the island,