that on the tenth day, the Moon would be in Scorpio, the house of Mars would be descending, and the Tail (al-Dhanab) would be opposite the eleventh house.

When the King read the choice of time, he smiled laughing and said: "Were it not for what appeared to me of the knowledge of this astrologer and his virtue regarding your thoughts and the explanation of your intent, I would have ordered his neck struck."

Then the King hoped to delay us from traveling and ordered the man (the Chinese sage) to be brought. When the man realized his presence was inevitable, he hurried to him. When he stood before him, my Master rose and met him, kissing him between the eyes. I did the same.

My Master turned to the King and said: "This is the man who narrated to me the account of these People for whom I set out; he described their affair to me and made me covet going to them."

At that, the King brought him close and drew him near. Discourses occurred between us and him that would be long to explain. When that was finished between us, he bid us farewell and departed; we knew no news of him after that. The King ordered that no place in Serendib be left without asking about him, yet no news of him was known, nor did we find a trace.

We waited for the days until they expired. On the tenth day, we sought permission from the King to travel. When he verified our intent, he ordered the mounts. He rode with his elite and went out with tents, fine equipment, and elephants. He traveled and we traveled with him until we reached the end of civilization and looked out upon the desolate wilderness—the start of the Great Desert that was once the civilization and dwellings of the King called the King of Kings, whom the Ancient of Time destroyed with fire, destroying his companions and lands until it became a lonely desert with cracked earth, dark and gloomy. No traveler treads it but that he falls into its sinkholes and perishes.