if he had a thousand lives he would not save one ; it is very hazardous ; it leads to the Caucasus , and is an endless road . Beware of it ! ' The prince read and bared his head and lifted his hands in supplication to Him who has no needs , and prayed , ' O Friend of the traveller ! I , Thy servant , come to Thee for succour . My purpose lies in the land of Qaf and my road is full of peril . Lead me by it . ' Then he took a handful of earth and cast it on his collar , and said : ' O earth ! be thou my grave ; and O vest ! tee thou my winding-sheet ! ' Then he took the middle road and went along it , day after day , with many a silent prayer , till he saw trees rise from the weary waste of sand . They grew in a garden , and he went up to the gate and found it a slab of beautifully worked marble , and that near it there lay sleeping , with his head on a stone , a negro whose face was so black that it made darkness round him . His upper lip , arched like an eyebrow , curved upwards to his nostrils and his lower hung down like a camel 's . Four millstones formed his shield , and on a box-tree close by hung his giant sword . His loin-cloth was fashioned of twelve skins of beasts , and was bound round his waist by a chain of which each link was as big as an elephant 's thigh . The prince approached and tied up his horse near the negro 's head . Then he let fall the Bismillah from his lips , entered the garden and walked through it till he came to the private part , delighting in the great trees , the lovely verdure , and the flowery borders . In the inner garden there were very many deer . These signed to him with eye and foot to go back , for that this was enchanted ground ; but he did not understand them , and thought their pretty gestures were a welcome . After a while he reached a palace which had a porch more splendid than Caesar 's , and was built of gold and silver bricks . In its midst was a high seat , overlaid with fine carpets , and into it opened eight doors , each having opposite to it a marble basin .
Banishing care , Prince Almas walked on through the garden , when suddenly a window XXXXX and a girl , who was lovely enough to make the moon writhe with jealousy , put out her head .
delighting found grew let lies lifted opened reached save thought