THE ECHOING MOUNTAIN 1

Hatim befriended a nice young man in the town. Both of them liked each other a lot. They spent much time with each other.

He told Hatim that once the voice of the mountain summons a person, he or she has to follow its order. He also told him that whoever follows its echo never returns.

One day when Hatim and his friend were sitting together, the mountain echoed. Hatim's friend started running towards the mountain.

Hatim ran after him and caught his friend's hand. Both of them ran together.

They climbed the mountain. On the top of the mountain was a fort.

As they came near the fort, Hatim stepped on the grass but his friend put his foot on the stone floor.

The man fell down and died. Hatim understood that the echo of the mountain was the call of death.

This was the way that the people of this city died when their time came.

Hatim thought that now he could go to Husn Bano and tell her the mystery of the echoing mountain.

Hatim tried to find his way back, but he got lost. Then he put the magic piece of wood in his mouth and climbed down the mountain.

On his way back, he saw a river. There was a boat in the river. Hatim sat in the it and started rowing.

He got down on the other side and walked on. After sometime, he saw a river that had red water. The water was blood red, but Hatim was able to cross the river safely.

Then he saw another river which had silver water. He put his hand in it, and it became silver.

Then he came to a river that had clear water in it. He put his silver hand in the water of this river, and this hand turned normal again.

Then he saw a river of fire. Huge flames of fire were coming out of this river.

He kept the jewel, given by his bear wife, in his mouth and safely crossed the river of fire.

Finally, he reached the palace of Hasn Bano and told her how he had solved the fifth puzzle.