Then I prayed the king to allow me to return to my own country, and his permission was most kindly given.  He would force a rich present upon me; and at the same time charged me with a letter for the Commander of the Faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, “I pray you give this present for me, and this letter, to the Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid, and assure him of my friendship.”

The letter from the king of Serendib was written on the skin of a certain animal of great value, very scarce, and of a yellowish color.  The characters of the letter were of azure, and the contents as follows:—­

“The king of the Indies, before whom march one hundred elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with one hundred thousand rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty thousand crowns enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid.

“Though the present we send you be slight, receive it as a brother and friend, in token of the hearty friendship we bear for you, and of which we are willing to give you proof.  We desire the same part in your friendship, since we believe it to be our merit, for we are both kings.  We send you this letter as from one brother to another.  Farewell.”

The present consisted of one ruby made into a cup, about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round pearls of half a drachm each; and the skin of a serpent, whose scales were as bright as a piece of gold, and preserved from sickness those who lay upon it; besides a vast quantity of the best quality of wood of aloes and camphor, and a female slave of great beauty, whose robe was covered over with jewels.

As soon as I reached Bagdad I presented myself before the Caliph with the letter and gift.  When he had read the letter he asked if the king of Serendib were indeed so rich and potent, and, bowing to his feet, I assured him that it was all true, and told him in what state the prince appeared in public, with a throne on the back of an elephant, surrounded by officers and a guard of a thousand men.

“The officer who is before on his elephant,” I said, “cries from time to time with a loud voice, ’Behold the great monarch, the mighty Sultan of the Indies, greater than Solomon.’  Then the officer behind the throne cries in his turn, ’This monarch, so great and powerful, must die, must die, must die.’  And the officer before him replies, ‘Praise alone be to Him who liveth for ever and ever.’”

The Caliph was much pleased with my account, and sent me home with a rich present.

THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

After my sixth voyage I had given up all thoughts of going to sea again, for my age required rest, and I wished to expose myself to no more risks, but to pass the rest of my days in peace.  One day, however, an officer from the palace came and said the Caliph must speak to me.

“Sindbad,” said he, when I had bowed to the floor before the throne, “I stand in need of your service; you must carry my answer and present to the king of Serendib.”