Then he made over the fort and all that was in it to the care of the lion , saying : ` Guard them , brother ! let no one lay a hand on them . ' He said goodbye , chose a fresh horse from the chief 's stable and once again took the road . After travelling many stages and for many days , he reached a plain of marvellous beauty and refreshment . It was carpeted with flowers -- roses , tulips , and clover ; it had lovely lawns , and amongst them running water . This choicest place of earth filled him with wonder . There was a tree such as he had never seen before ; its branches were alike , but it bore flowers and fruit of a thousand kinds . Near it a reservoir had been fashioned of four sorts of stone -- touchstone , pure stone , marble , and loadstone . In and out of it flowed water like attar . The prince felt sure this must be the place of the Simurgh . ' he dismounted , turned his horse loose to graze , ate some of the food Jamila had given him , drank of the stream and lay down to sleep . He was still dozing when he was aroused by the neighing and pawing of his horse . When he could see clearly he made out a mountain-like dragon whose heavy breast crushed the stones beneath it into putty . He remembered the Thousand Names of God and took the bow of Salih from its case and three arrows from their quiver . He bound the dagger of Timus firmly to his waist and hung the scorpion of Solomon round his neck . Then he set an arrow on the string and released it with such force that it went in at the monster 's eye right up to the notch . The dragon writhed on itself , and belched forth an evil vapour , and beat the ground with its head till the earth quaked . Then the prince took a second arrow and shot into its throat . It drew in its breath and would have sucked the prince into its maw , but when he was within striking distance he drew his sword and , having committed himself to God , struck a mighty blow which cut the creature 's neck down to the gullet . The foul vapour of the beast and horror at its strangeness now overcame the prince , and he fainted .
When he came to himself he found XXXXX he was drenched in the gore of the dead monster .
Near as before beneath for into on that till to