It is told that the Khalif El Mamounson of Haroun er Reshid，when he entered the [God-]guarded city of Cairowas minded to pull down the Pyramidsthat he might take what was therein；butwhen he went about to do thishe could not avail thereto，for all his endeavour. He expended great sums of money in the attemptbut only succeeded in opening up a small gallery in one of themwherein he found treasureto the exact amount of the money he had spent in the worksneither more nor less；at which he marvelled and taking what he found theredesisted from his intent.
Now the Pyramids are three in numberand they are one of the wonders of the world；nor is there on the face of the earth their like for height and fashion and skilful ordinance；for they are builded of immense rocksand they who built them proceeded by piercing one block of stone and setting therein upright rods of iron；after which they pierced a second block of stone and lowered it upon the first. Then they poured melted lead upon the joints and set the blocks in geometrical order，till the building was complete. The height of each pyramid was a hundred cubitsof the measure of the timeand it was four-squareeach side three hundred cubits longat the bottomand sloping upward thence to a point. The ancients say thatin the western Pyramidare thirty chambers of vari-coloured granite，full of precious stones and treasures galore and rare images and utensils and costly armswhich latter are anointed with magical unguentsso that they may not rust till the day of Resurrection. Thereinalsoare vessels of glassthat will bend and not breakcontaining various kinds of compound drugs and medicinal waters. In the second Pyramid are the records of the priestswritten on tablets of granite，--to each priest his tableton which are set out the wonders of his craft and his achievements；and on the walls are figures like idolsworking with their hands at all manner crafts and seated on thrones. To each pyramid there is a guardianthat keeps watch over it and guards itto all eternityagainst the ravages of time and the vicissitudes of events；and indeed the marvels of these pyramids astound all who have eyes and wit. Many are the poems that describe themthou shalt profit no great matter thereby，and among the restquoth one of them：
The high resolves of kingsif they would have them to abide In memoryafter themare in the tongues of monuments.
Dost thou not see the Pyramids？ Theyof a truthendure And change not for the shifts of time or chances of events.
And again：
Consider but the Pyramids and lend an ear to all They tell of bygone times and that which did of yore befall.
Could they but speakassuredly they would to us relate What time and fate have done with first and last and great and small.
And again：
I pritheetell mefriend of minestands there beneath the sky A building with the Pyramids of Egypt that can vie In skilful ordinance？ BeholdTime's self's afraid of them，Though of all else upon the earth 'tis dreadedlow and high.
My sight no longer rests upon their wondrous ordinanceYet are they present evermore unto my spirit's eye.
And again：
Where's he the Pyramids who built？ What was his tribeHis time and what the place where he was stricken dead？
The monuments survive their lords awhile；then death O'ertaketh them and they fall prostrate in their stead.