The prince had not the least knowledge of the way to Waq of the Caucasus , and was cast down by the sense of his helplessness . He was walking along by his horse 's side when there appeared before him an old man of serene countenance , dressed in green and carrying a staff , who resembled Khizr . -LSB- 8 -RSB- The prince thanked heaven , laid the hands of reverence on his breast and salaamed . The old man returned the greeting graciously , and asked : ` How fare you ? Whither are you bound ? You look like a traveller . ' ' O revered saint ! I am in this difficulty : I do not know the way to Waq of the Caucasus . ' The old man of good counsel looked at the young prince and said : ` Turn back from this dangerous undertaking . Do not go ; choose some other task ! If you had a hundred lives you would not bring one out safe from this journey . ' But his words had no effect on the prince 's resolve . ` What object have you , ' the old man asked , ` in thus consuming your life ? ' ' I have an important piece of business to do , and only this journey makes it possible . I must go ; I pray you , ill God 's name , tell me the way . ' 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 XXXXX a column on which is a marble slab inscribed with Cufic characters .
In before by for from like of on out to