“At last, he guided her to the very mountain; the old woman imagined, from the dog’s conduct, that his master was confined in the well, and that he, perhaps, wanted water for him.  In short, conducting the old woman, he came to the mouth of the well.  The old woman filled the bucket with water and let it down by a rope.  I seized the vessel and ate a morsel of the cake.  I drank two or three gulps of the water, and satisfied my hunger and thirst. [303] I thanked God [for this timely supply], and retired to a corner, and waited with patience for the interference of the Almighty, saying, “Now let us see what is to come about.”  In this manner, this dumb animal used to bring me bread, and by means of the old woman, he used to supply me with water to drink.  When the bakers perceived that the dog always carried off bread [in this way], they took compassion on him, and made it a rule to throw him a cake whenever they saw him; and if the old woman neglected to carry the water, he used to break her pots; so that she, being helpless, used to let down a bucket of water every day.  This faithful companion removed all my apprehensions for bread and water, and he himself always lay at the mouth of the prison.  Six months passed in this manner; but what must be the condition of the man who was confined so long in such a prison, where the air of heaven could never reach him?  Only my skin and bones remained; life became a torment to me, and I used to say in my heart, ’O God, it would be better if my life became extinct!’

“One night, the two prisoners were asleep; my heart overflowed [with sorrow], and I began to weep bitterly, and supplicate [304] the Almighty [to end my woes].  At the last quarter [of the night], what do I see! that, by the dispensation of God, a rope was hanging down in the well, and I heard [some one] in a low voice saying, ’O, unfortunate wretch! tie the end of the rope tightly to thy hands, and escape from this place.’  On hearing these words, I in my heart imagined that my brothers had at last felt compassion for me, and, from the ties of blood, had come in person to take me out.  With much joy I tied the rope tightly to my waist; some one pulled me up.  The night was so dark, that I could not recognise the person who had hauled me up.  When I was out, he said, ’Come, be quick; this is no place to tarry.’  I had no strength whatever left; but from fear I rolled down the hill as well as I could.  Then I saw at the bottom two horses standing, ready saddled; that person mounted me one of them, and he mounted the other himself, and took the lead.  Proceeding on, we reached the banks of a river.