struck my axe against

"Fasten your belt, take your axe and rope, and go into the mountains to cut wood. Come back and sell some for your livelihood. Allah will save you. As long as you don't get caught, there won't be any more accidents."

He bought me an axe and rope, and took me to the woodcutter's house, and entrusted me to them. From then on, I went with the woodcutter every day to cut wood in the mountains, and then tied it up with ropes, carried it to the city, and sold it for half a gold coin. Some of this money is used to live on, and the rest is saved up. So I lived as a woodcutter for over a year.

One day at the beginning of the next year, I went out to chop wood as usual. I went deep into the mountains and found a forest full of dry wood, and one of the dead trees was very large. As I dug along the roots of the tree and dug away the earth, I accidentally struck my axe against something hard and iron. I dug up all the earth, and when I looked, I saw that it was a brass ring nailed to a wooden lid. I lifted the wooden cover and saw a staircase. At the bottom of the steps there was a door. I opened it and entered. Before me came a beautiful house of unique construction, in which lived a girl as beautiful as a flower. When I saw that girl, I was so amazed that God's greatness had created such a beautiful girl that I could not help kneeling on the ground and kowtowing devoutly.

The girl looked at me and asked, "Who are you? Man or devil?"

"I am human."

"How did you get here? I've lived here for twenty-five years, and I've never seen a soul."

I told her from beginning to end who I really was and what had happened to me. She felt sorry for me, and tears poured down her cheeks. "Let me tell you about myself," she said. Do you know that I am the daughter of King Amos, master of the island of Ainus? Unfortunately, on my wedding night, when I was married to my cousin, I was taken by the Devil, Gerki, son of Lucimos and grandson of Ibrutus. He carried me all the way to this place and imprisoned me. From then on, he brought me all the clothes, jewelry, food, and daily necessities I needed. He came here every ten days for a night, and he told me that whenever I needed anything, I had only to reach out and touch the two lines of writing on the dome of the house, and he would be there at once. He left here four days ago, and it will be another six days before he comes again. Will you stay here five days and leave on the first day he comes?"

I said, "Of course I would."

Delighted, she got up and led me through an archway into a small, fancy bathroom. She made me sit on a mattress beside her, fed me Muscat water, and held out a lot of fruit for me to taste. I talked to her about the outside world while we ate. Then she said, "You look tired. You might as well lie down for a while."

I slept soundly and forgot all about my ordeal and my exile in a foreign country. I woke up and saw her gently massaging my legs. I got up and ate and talked with her. "Allah is my witness," she said. "I am lonely, I live here alone. For 25 years, no one has talked to me. Allah brought you to me."

I appreciated her enthusiasm for me. I was very happy to stay with her, for for the first time in my life I was with such a beautiful girl. In that way, I talked and laughed with her, ate and drank, and happily spent the evening.

The next day, she and I were inseparable, and she asked me, "Hey! Would you like some wine?"

"Well," I replied, "take out the wine."

She went into the storeroom, brought out a bottle of wine, brought dishes and fruit, and sang:

"If I had foreseen your coming,

I will shed blood and tears without sparing,

To keep them all over my face,

To welcome you, pass over my eyelids."

I appreciated her talent, thanked her for her kindness, and happily accompanied her to drink. When the wine was half full, I said to her, "Come, let me take you out of the devil's hands."