so bring it to us, and bring us more food than we came with, for we are hungry now.”
Yamlīkhā did as he had customarily done: he laid aside his clothes, put on the clothes in which he disguised himself, and took some silver coins from the provisions they had with them—coins bearing the stamp of Decius, light quarter-coins. Then Yamlīkhā set out.
As he passed the entrance to the cave, he saw that the stones had been removed ⦗216/a⦘ from its entrance, and he was astonished. Yet he went on without giving it any further thought, until he came secretly to the gate of the city. He kept away from the road, fearing that one of its inhabitants might see and recognize him. He did not realize that Decius and his people had perished three hundred years earlier.
When Yamlīkhā came to the city gate, he looked up and saw above it an emblem used by the believers whenever faith was openly practiced there. When he saw it, he was astonished. He looked at it while remaining concealed, then looked to his right and left. He left that gate and went to another of the city’s gates, where he saw the same thing. He began to feel that this was not the city he knew. He also saw many unfamiliar people whom he had never seen before. So he walked on in amazement, feeling utterly bewildered.
Then he returned to the gate by which he had entered and began wondering to himself, saying, “If only I knew what this is! Only yesterday evening, the Muslims were concealing this emblem and hiding themselves because of it, whereas today it is openly displayed. Could I be asleep?” But then he realized that he was not asleep. He drew his cloak over his head and entered the city.
As he walked through its marketplace, he heard people swearing by the name of Jesus son of Mary. This increased his fear, and he became still more bewildered. He stood with his back against one of the city walls, saying to himself, “By Allah, I do not know what this is. Only yesterday, no one on the face of the earth could mention Jesus son of Mary without being killed; yet this morning I hear every person mentioning the name of Jesus without fearing anyone.” Then he said to himself, “Perhaps this is not the city I know. By Allah, I know of no city near our own.”
He stood there like one bewildered, until he met a young man and asked him, “Young man, what is the name of this city?” He replied, “Its name is Ephesus.” He said to himself, “Perhaps I have been afflicted by something, or something has caused me to lose my mind. By Allah, I ought to hurry out of it before I am disgraced here or some harm befalls me and destroys me.” Then he came to himself and said, “By Allah, if I leave the city quickly before they become aware of me, it will be easier (3) for me.”
He approached the food sellers, took out the silver coins he had with him, and gave them to one of them, saying, “Sell me some food for these coins.” The man took them and examined their minting and inscription, marveling at them. Then he handed them to one of his companions, who examined them; and they began passing them from one man to another, marveling at them. Then they began consulting one another, saying, “This man has found a treasure that has been hidden in the earth for a very long time.”
When Yamlīkhā saw them consulting together about him, he became intensely frightened. He began to tremble, thinking that they had discovered and recognized him, and that they only wanted to take him to their king, Decius. And he began