When the saint saw that the prince was not to be moved , he said : ` Learn and know , O youth ! that Waq of Qaf is in the Caucasus and is a dependency of it . In it there are jins , demons , and peris . You must go on along this road till it forks into three ; take neither the right hand nor the left , but the middle path . Follow this for a day and a night . Then you will come to a column on which is a marble slab inscribed with Cufic characters . Do what is written there ; beware of disobedience . ' Then he gave his good wishes for the journey and his blessing , and the prince kissed his feet , said good-bye , and , with thanks to the Causer of Causes , took the road . After a day and a night he saw the column rise in silent beauty to the heavens . Everything was as the wise old man had said it would be , and the prince , who was skilled in all tongues , read the following Cufic inscription : ' O travellers ! be it known to you that this column has been set up with its tablet to give true directions about these roads . If a man would pass his life in ease and pleasantness , let him take the right-hand path . If he take the left , he will have some trouble , but he will reach his goal without much delay . Woe to him who chooses the middle path ! if he had a thousand lives he would not save one ; it is very hazardous ; it leads to the Caucasus , and is an endless road . Beware of it ! ' The prince read and bared his head and lifted his hands in supplication to Him who has no needs , and prayed , ' O Friend of the traveller ! I , Thy servant , come to Thee for succour . My purpose lies in the land of Qaf and my road is full of peril . Lead me by it . '
Then he took a handful XXXXX earth and cast it on his collar , and said : ' O earth !
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