Thereupon, when _Asal_ looked upon him and beheld him clothed with the skins of wild beasts with the hair on, and his own hair so long that it covered part of his body, and observed his great swiftness and strength, he was greatly afraid of him and began to pacify him by stroking him, and to entertain him in words. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ did not understand a word of what he said nor knew any of his meaning, only he perceived the tokens of his fear and endeavoured to allay his fear with such voices as he had learned from some of the animals: he gently stroked his hand, his head, and the sides of his neck, and showed kindness unto him and expressed much gladness and joy, till at last _Asal's_ fear was assuaged, and he perceived that he intended no evil to him. _Hayy and Asal try to understand each other._ Now _Asal_, in his earnest desire to obtain the knowledge of things, had studied most languages and was skilful of them. So he began to speak to _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, and to interrogate him concerning his condition in every tongue he knew, and asked him questions concerning his doings and ways of life, and took pains to make himself understood by him. But it was all in vain: for _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, taking notice of all this, stood all the time wondering at what he heard, being quite at a loss to know what it all meant. He observed only the serenity of his countenance and manifest signs of goodwill. Thus they stood wrapped in wonder, looking at one another. _Asal makes Hayy eat of his food._ Now _Asal_ had by him some of the remainder of the food which he had brought along with him, from the inhabited Island from whence he came. This he offered now to _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, but he did not know what it was; for he had never seen anything of that kind before. Then _Asal_, eating some of it himself, invited _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ to take some of it with him. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ bethought himself of those laws which he had prescribed to himself concerning the taking of his food, and seeing he knew not the nature of those things that were set before him, and whether it was lawful for him or not to partake thereof, restrained himself from eating. Whereupon _Asal_ continued urging him on and kindly invited him thereunto. _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan at last joins Asal at dinner, but repents afterwards._