VI.The Wonderful Man who overcame the Chan

’ When he had thus considered, he turned back again, and concealed himself in the neighbourhood of the royal palace.

“About midnight he struck the earth nine times with his iron hammer, and there arose an iron wall nine pillars high.

“On the following morning the Chan arose, and said, ‘During the night I have heard a mighty tock, tock at the back of the palace.’ Thereupon the wife of the Chan looked out, and said, ‘At the back of the palace there stands an iron wall nine pillars high.’ Thus spake she; and the Chan replied, full of anger, ‘The wild, high-spirited man has of a surety erected this iron wall; but we shall see whether he or I will be the conqueror.’

“When he had spoken these words the Chan commanded all the people to take fuel and bellows, and make the iron wall red-hot on every side. Thereupon there was an immense fire kindled, and the Wonderful Man found himself, with his mother, within the wall of iron. He was himself upon the upper pillars, but his mother was on the eighth. And because the heat first reached the mother, she exclaimed unto her son, ‘The fires which the Chan has commanded the people to kindle will destroy the iron wall, and we shall both die.’ The son replied, ‘Have no fear, mother, for I can find means to prevent it.’

“When he had spoken these words he shook the sack of goatskin, and there descended heavy rain and extinguished the fire. After that he shook the sack still more forcibly, and there arose around them a mighty sea, which carried away both the fuel and the bellows which the people had collected.”

“Thus, then, the Wonderful gained the mastery over the Chan,” exclaimed the Son of the Chan.

“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake Ssidi, and burst from the sack through the air.

Thus Ssidi’s sixth relation treats of the Wonderful Man who overpowered the Chan.

Next - VII.The Bird-man