And they passed through the Kingdom of Georgia, whose kings are born
with the mark of an eagle on their right shoulder. They passed through
Persia, where the magicians worship fire. And they passed through the
city of Saba, where sleep the three magi who came to worship at
Bethlehem, and their names were Kaspar, Balthlasar, and Melchior.

And they passed through Camadi, where great ruins are and robbers roam
through the magical darkness. And they passed northward of the
Perilous Valley, where the Devil's Head is in black stone, and that is
one of the nine entrances to hell; and passed the Valley of the
Cockadrills, where there are serpents five fathoms in length; and
passed the Valley of Cruel Women, who have precious stones in place of
eyes...

And they went through the Dismal Desert, where no stream sang...

And in the desert they passed the Trees of the Sun and Moon, which
speak with the voices of men. And it was from the Speaking Tree that
Alexander heard of his death. And it was near there that he and Darius
fought. And they passed the Arbre Sec, the Dry Tree, which has a green
bark on one side and white on the other, and there are no trees within
a hundred miles of that tree, and it is sprung from the staff of Adam.

And they passed through Balkh, the Mother of Cities. And they passed
through Tailian, where the great salt mountains are. And they passed
through Badashan, where the mountains of the rubies are. And they
passed through Kashmir, whose women are very beautiful, and whose
magicians weave the strongest spells in the world...

And moons were born and died...

And they came to Alamoot, the fortess of Senex de Monte, the Old Man of
the Mountain, the King of the Assassins, the greatest wizard of all
time...

Now this is the tale of the Old Man the Mountain.

Whenever within his dominions there was a fine young horseman, the Old
Man would put a spell on him and draw him to the Castle of Alamoot, and
outside of the castle sleep would come on him. And when he woke up, he
would be inside the castle, in the wonderful gardens. And they'd tell
him he was dead and in paradise. And paradise it would be for him what
with the lovely women and the great playing on the flutes, the birds
singing, and the sun shining, the crystal rivers and the flowers of the
world. And after a while the Old Man of the Mountain would call for
him, and tell him he was sending him back on earth again on a mission
to pu