thatistosay，’Iamhappytofind，mydearSinbad，thatyouarereallyaveryexcellentfellow；wearenowaboutdoingathingwhichiscalledcircumnavigatingtheglobe；andsinceyouaresodesirousofseeingtheworld，Iwillstrainapointandgiveyouafreepassageuponbackofthebeast。’“
　　WhentheLadyScheherazadehadproceededthusfar，relatesthe“Isitsoornot。”thekingturnedoverfromhisleftsidetohisright，andsaid：
　　“Itis，infact，verysurprising，mydearqueen，thatyouomitted，hitherto，theselatteradventuresofSinbad。DoyouknowIthinkthemexceedinglyentertainingandstrange？”
　　Thekinghavingthusexpressedhimself，wearetold，thefairScheherazaderesumedherhistoryinthefollowingwords：
　　“Sinbadwentoninthismannerwithhisnarrativetothecaliph-’I
　　thankedtheman-animalforitskindness，andsoonfoundmyselfverymuchathomeonthebeast，whichswamataprodigiousratethroughtheocean；althoughthesurfaceofthelatteris，inthatpartoftheworld，bynomeansflat，butroundlikeapomegranate，sothatwewentsotosayeitheruphillordownhillallthetime。’
　　“ThatIthink，wasverysingular。”interruptedtheking。
　　“Nevertheless，itisquitetrue。”repliedScheherazade。
　　“Ihavemydoubts。”rejoinedtheking；“but，pray，besogoodastogoonwiththestory。”
　　“Iwill。”saidthequeen。“’Thebeast，’continuedSinbadtothecaliph，’swam，asIhaverelated，uphillanddownhilluntil，atlength，wearrivedatanisland，manyhundredsofmilesincircumference，butwhich，nevertheless，hadbeenbuiltinthemiddleoftheseabyacolonyoflittlethingslikecaterpillars’“{*1}
　　“Hum！”saidtheking。
　　“’Leavingthisisland，’saidSinbadforScheherazade，itmustbeunderstood，tooknonoticeofherhusband’sill-manneredejaculation
　　’leavingthisisland，wecametoanotherwheretheforestswereofsolidstone，andsohardthattheyshiveredtopiecesthefinest-temperedaxeswithwhichweendeavouredtocutthemdown。”’
　　“Hum！”saidtheking，again；butScheherazade，payinghimnoattention，continuedinthelanguageofSinbad。
　　“’Passingbeyondthislastisland，wereachedacountrywheretherewasacavethatrantothedistanceofthirtyorfortymileswithinthebowelsoftheearth，andthatcontainedagreaternumberoffarmorespaciousandmoremagnificentpalacesthanaretobefoundinallDamascusandBagdad。Fromtheroofsofthesepalacestherehungmyriadsofgems，likeddiamonds，butlargerthanmen；andinamongthestreetsoftowersandpyramidsandtemples，thereflowedimmenseriversasblackasebony，andswarmingwithfishthathadnoeyes。’“
　　{*3}
　　“Hum！”saidtheking。“’Wethenswamintoaregionoftheseawherewefoundaloftymountain，downwhosesidestherestreamedtorrentsofmeltedmetal，someofwhichweretwelvemileswideandsixtymileslong{*4}；whilefromanabyssonthesummit，issuedsovastaquantityofashesthatthesunwasentirelyblottedoutfromtheheavens，anditbecamedarkerthanthedarkestmidnight；sothatwhenwewereevenatthedistanceofahundredandfiftymilesfromthemountain，itwasimpossibletoseethewhitestobject，howevercloseweheldittooureyes。’“{*5}
　　“Hum！”saidtheking。
　　“’Afterquittingthiscoast，thebeastcontinuedhisvoyageuntilwemetwithalandinwhichthenatureofthingsseemedreversedforweheresawagreatlake，atthebottomofwhich，morethanahundredfeetbeneaththesurfaceofthewater，thereflourishedinfullleafaforestoftallandluxurianttrees。’“{*6}
　　“Hoo！”saidtheking。
　　“Somehundredmilesfartheronbroughtustoaclimatewheretheatmospherewassodenseastosustainironorsteel，justasourowndoesfeather。’“{*7
　　“Fiddlededee。”saidtheking。
　　“Proceedingstillinthesamedirection，wepresentlyarrivedatthemostmagnificentregioninthewholeworld。Throughittheremeanderedagloriousriverforseveralthousandsofmiles。Thisriverwasofunspeakabledepth，andofatransparencyricherthanthatofamber。Itwasfromthreetosixmilesinwidth；anditsbankswhicharoseoneithersidetotwelvehundredfeetinperpendicularheight，werecrownedwithever-blossomingtreesandperpetualsweet-scentedflowers，thatmadethewholeterritoryonegorgeousgarden；butthenameofthisluxuriantlandwastheKingdomofHorror，andtoenteritwasinevitabledeath’“{*8}
　　“Humph！”saidtheking。
　　“’Weleftthiskingdomingreathaste，and，aftersomedays，cametoanother，wherewewereastonishedtoperceivemyriadsofmonstrousanimalswithhornsresemblingscythesupontheirheads。Thesehideousbeastsdigforthemselvesvastcavernsinthesoil，ofafunnelshape，andlinethesidesofthemwith，rocks，sodisposedoneupontheotherthattheyfallinstantly，whentroddenuponbyotheranimals，thusprecipitatingthemintothemonster’sdens，wheretheirbloodisimmediatelysucked，andtheircarcassesafterwardshurledcontemptuouslyouttoanimmensedistancefrom“thecavernsofdeath。”’“{*9}
　　“Pooh！”saidtheking。
　　“’Continuingourprogress，weperceivedadistrictwithvegetablesthatgrewnotuponanysoilbutintheair。{*10}Therewereothersthatsprangfromthesubstanceofothervegetables；{*11}othersthatderivedtheirsubstancefromthebodiesoflivinganimals；{*12}andthenagain，therewereothersthatglowedalloverwithintensefire；
　　{*13}othersthatmovedfromplacetoplaceatpleasure，{*14}andwhatwasstillmorewonderful，wediscoveredflowersthatlivedandbreathedandmovedtheirlimbsatwillandhad，moreover，thedetestablepassionofmankindforenslavingothercreatures，andconfiningtheminhorridandsolitaryprisonsuntilthefulfillmentofappointedtasks。’“{*15}
　　“Pshaw！”saidtheking。
　　“’Quittingthisland，wesoonarrivedatanotherinwhichthebeesandthebirdsaremathematiciansofsuchgeniusanderudition，thattheygivedailyinstructionsinthescienceofgeometrytothewisemenoftheempire。Thekingoftheplacehavingofferedarewardforthesolutionoftwoverydifficultproblems，theyweresolveduponthespottheonebythebees，andtheotherbythebirds；butthekingkeepingtheirsolutionasecret，itwasonlyafterthemostprofoundresearchesandlabor，andthewritingofaninfinityofbigbooks，duringalongseriesofyears，thatthemen-mathematiciansatlengtharrivedattheidenticalsolutionswhichhadbeengivenuponthespotbythebeesandbythebirds。’“{*16}
　　“Ohmy！”saidtheking。
　　“’Wehadscarcelylostsightofthisempirewhenwefoundourselvescloseuponanother，fromwhoseshoresthereflewoverourheadsaflockoffowlsamileinbreadth，andtwohundredandfortymileslong；sothat，althoughtheyflewamileduringeveryminute，itrequirednolessthanfourhoursforthewholeflocktopassoverusinwhichtherewereseveralmillionsofmillionsoffowl。’“{*17}
　　“Ohfy！”saidtheking。
　　“’Nosoonerhadwegotridofthesebirds，whichoccasionedusgreatannoyance，thanwewereterrifiedbytheappearanceofafowlofanotherkind，andinfinitelylargerthaneventherocswhichImetinmyformervoyages；foritwasbiggerthanthebiggestofthedomesonyourseraglio，oh，mostMunificentofCaliphs。Thisterriblefowlhadnoheadthatwecouldperceive，butwasfashionedentirelyofbelly，whichwasofaprodigiousfatnessandroundness，ofasoft-lookingsubstance，smooth，shiningandstripedwithvariouscolors。Initstalons，themonsterwasbearingawaytohiseyrieintheheavens，ahousefromwhichithadknockedofftheroof，andintheinteriorofwhichwedistinctlysawhumanbeings，who，beyonddoubt，wereinastateoffrightfuldespairatthehorriblefatewhichawaitedthem。
　　Weshoutedwithallourmight，inthehopeoffrighteningthebirdintolettinggoofitsprey，butitmerelygaveasnortorpuff，asifofrageandthenletfalluponourheadsaheavysackwhichprovedtobefilledwithsand！’“
　　“Stuff！”saidtheking。
　　“’Itwasjustafterthisadventurethatweencounteredacontinentofimmenseextentandprodigioussolidity，butwhich，nevertheless，wassupportedentirelyuponthebackofasky-bluecowthathadnofewerthanfourhundredhorns。’“{*18}
　　“That，now，Ibelieve。”saidtheking，“becauseIhavereadsomethingofthekindbefore，inabook。”
　　“’Wepassedimmediatelybeneaththiscontinent，swimminginbetweenthelegsofthecow，and，aftersomehours，foundourselvesinawonderfulcountryindeed，which，Iwasinformedbytheman-animal，washisownnativeland，inhabitedbythingsofhisownspecies。Thiselevatedtheman-animalverymuchinmyesteem，andinfact，InowbegantofeelashamedofthecontemptuousfamiliaritywithwhichI
　　hadtreatedhim；forIfoundthattheman-animalsingeneralwereanationofthemostpowerfulmagicians，wholivedwithwormsintheirbrain，{*19}which，nodoubt，servedtostimulatethembytheirpainfulwrithingsandwrigglingstothemostmiraculouseffortsofimagination！’“
　　“Nonsense！”saidtheking。
　　“’Amongthemagicians，weredomesticatedseveralanimalsofverysingularkinds；forexample，therewasahugehorsewhoseboneswereironandwhosebloodwasboilingwater。Inplaceofcorn，hehadblackstonesforhisusualfood；andyet，inspiteofsohardadiet，hewassostrongandswiftthathewoulddragaloadmoreweightythanthegrandesttempleinthiscity，ataratesurpassingthatoftheflightofmostbirds。’“{*20}
　　“Twattle！”saidtheking。
　　“’Isaw，also，amongthesepeopleahenwithoutfeathers，butbiggerthanacamel；insteadoffleshandboneshehadironandbrick；herblood，likethatofthehorse，towhom，infact，shewasnearlyrelated，wasboilingwater；andlikehimsheatenothingbutwoodorblackstones。Thishenbroughtforthveryfrequently，ahundredchickensintheday；and，afterbirth，theytookuptheirresidenceforseveralweekswithinthestomachoftheirmother。’“{*21}
　　“Fa！lal！”saidtheking。
　　“’Oneofthisnationofmightyconjurorscreatedamanoutofbrassandwood，andleather，andendowedhimwithsuchingenuitythathewouldhavebeatenatchess，alltheraceofmankindwiththeexceptionofthegreatCaliph，HarounAlraschid。{*22}Anotherofthesemagiconstructedoflikematerialacreaturethatputtoshameeventhegeniusofhimwhomadeit；forsogreatwereitsreasoningpowersthat，inasecond，itperformedcalculationsofsovastanextentthattheywouldhaverequiredtheunitedlaboroffiftythousandfleshymenforayear。*23}Butastillmorewonderfulconjurorfashionedforhimselfamightythingthatwasneithermannorbeast，butwhichhadbrainsoflead，intermixedwithablackmatterlikepitch，andfingersthatitemployedwithsuchincrediblespeedanddexteritythatitwouldhavehadnotroubleinwritingouttwentythousandcopiesoftheKoraninanhour，andthiswithsoexquisiteaprecision，thatinallthecopiesthereshouldnotbefoundonetovaryfromanotherbythebreadthofthefinesthair。Thisthingwasofprodigiousstrength，sothatiterectedoroverthrewthemightiestempiresatabreath；butitspowerswereexercisedequallyforevilandforgood。’“
　　“Ridiculous！”saidtheking。
　　“’Amongthisnationofnecromancerstherewasalsoonewhohadinhisveinsthebloodofthesalamanders；forhemadenoscrupleofsittingdowntosmokehischiboucinared-hotovenuntilhisdinnerwasthoroughlyroasteduponitsfloor。{*24}Anotherhadthefacultyofconvertingthecommonmetalsintogold，withoutevenlookingatthemduringtheprocess。{*25}Anotherhadsuchadelicacyoftouchthathemadeawiresofineastobeinvisible。{*26}Anotherhadsuchquicknessofperceptionthathecountedalltheseparatemotionsofanelasticbody，whileitwasspringingbackwardandforwardattherateofninehundredmillionsoftimesinasecond。’“{*27}
　　“Absurd！”saidtheking。
　　“’Anotherofthesemagicians，bymeansofafluidthatnobodyeveryetsaw，couldmakethecorpsesofhisfriendsbrandishtheirarms，kickouttheirlegs，fight，orevengetupanddanceathiswill。
　　{*28}Anotherhadcultivatedhisvoicetosogreatanextentthathecouldhavemadehimselfheardfromoneendoftheworldtotheother。
　　{*29}AnotherhadsolonganarmthathecouldsitdowninDamascusandinditealetteratBagdadorindeedatanydistancewhatsoever。{*30}Anothercommandedthelightningtocomedowntohimoutoftheheavens，anditcameathiscall；andservedhimforaplaythingwhenitcame。Anothertooktwoloudsoundsandoutofthemmadeasilence。Anotherconstructedadeepdarknessoutoftwobrilliantlights。{*31}Anothermadeiceinared-hotfurnace。{*32}
　　Anotherdirectedthesuntopainthisportrait，andthesundid。
　　{*33}Anothertookthisluminarywiththemoonandtheplanets，andhavingfirstweighedthemwithscrupulousaccuracy，probedintotheirdepthsandfoundoutthesolidityofthesubstanceofwhichtheyweremade。Butthewholenationis，indeed，ofsosurprisinganecromanticability，thatnoteventheirinfants，northeircommonestcatsanddogshaveanydifficultyinseeingobjectsthatdonotexistatall，orthatfortwentymillionsofyearsbeforethebirthofthenationitselfhadbeenblottedoutfromthefaceofcreation。”’{*34}