Hatim reached the city of Katan. Here, he stayed for a few days in a travellers’ rest house. He met the guards of the king and told them that he was from Yemen and wanted to meet the king. He also sent through them some precious stones as gift for the king. He wanted to set a good impression on the king, for only he had the power to send Hatim to the Bath of Badgard. The guards conveyed Hatim’s message to the king who readily agreed to meet him. The king asked him, “Where is your caravan and what are you doing so far away from your own country?” Hatim told him about Husna Bano and his friend Munir and about all his previous adventures. He then said, “I am here to see the Bath of Badgard.” Like all the others, the king of Katan too refused to let Hatim go forward.
Meeting the King of Katan
