The gardener told him to cut down an old fruit tree which had quite died away, and Camaralzaman took an axe and fell to vigorously.  As he was hacking at one of the roots the axe struck on something hard.  On pushing away the earth he discovered a large slab of bronze, under which was disclosed a staircase with ten steps.  He went down them and found himself in a roomy kind of cave in which stood fifty large bronze jars, each with a cover on it.  The prince uncovered one after another, and found them all filled with gold dust.  Delighted with his discovery he left the cave, replaced the slab, and having finished cutting down the tree waited for the gardener’s return.

The gardener had heard the night before that the ship about which he was inquiring would start ere long, but the exact date not being yet known he had been told to return next day for further information.  He had gone therefore to inquire, and came back with good news beaming in his face.

“My son,” said he, “rejoice and hold yourself ready to start in three days’ time.  The ship is to set sail, and I have arranged all about your passage with the captain.

“You could not bring me better news,” replied Camaralzaman, “and in return I have something pleasant to tell you.  Follow me and see the good fortune which has befallen you.”

He then led the gardener to the cave, and having shown him the treasure stored up there, said how happy it made him that Heaven should in this way reward his kind host’s many virtues and compensate him for the privations of many years.

“What do you mean?” asked the gardener.  “Do you imagine that I should appropriate this treasure?  It is yours, and I have no right whatever to it.  For the last eighty years I have dug up the ground here without discovering anything.  It is clear that these riches are intended for you, and they are much more needed by a prince like yourself than by an old man like me, who am near my end and require nothing.  This treasure comes just at the right time, when you are about to return to your own country, where you will make good use of it.”

But the prince would not hear of this suggestion, and finally after much discussion they agreed to divide the gold.  When this was done the gardener said: 

“My son, the great thing now is to arrange how you can best carry off this treasure as secretly as possible for fear of losing it.  There are no olives in the Ebony Island, and those imported from here fetch a high price.  As you know, I have a good stock of the olives which grew in this garden.  Now you must take fifty jars, fill each half full of gold dust and fill them up with the olives.  We will then have them taken on board ship when you embark.”

The prince took this advice, and spent the rest of the day filling the fifty jars, and fearing lest the precious talisman might slip from his arm and be lost again, he took the precaution of putting it in one of the jars, on which he made a mark so as to be able to recognise it.  When night came the jars were all ready, and the prince and his host went to bed.