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Then said Mubarek, “O my lord, by Allah, I am exceeding fearful. But now hearken; an he be minded to accept of us without hurt, he will come to us in the semblance of a man accomplished in grace and goodliness; but, an he have no mind to us, he will come to us in a gruesome and a frightful aspect. An thou see him surpassing in beauty, arise forthright and salute him, but beware lest thou overpass thy sash.” And Zein ul Asnam said to him, “Hearkening and obedience.” “And be this thy salutation to him,” continued Mubarek; “thou shalt say, ‘O King of the Jinn and lord of the earth, my father, the Sultan of Bassora, the angel of death hath removed, as indeed is not hidden from thee. Now Thy Grace was still wont to take my father under thy protection, and I come to thee likewise to put myself under thy safeguard, even as did he.’ Moreover,[1] O my lord Zein ul Asnam,” added he, “an the King of the Jinn receive us with a cheerful favour, he will without fail ask thee and say to thee, ‘Seek of me that which thou willest and thou shalt forthright be given [it].’[2] So do thou seek of him and say to him, ‘O my lord, I crave of Thy Grace
