When it was the Six Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
Shahrazad continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
Sa'adan having broken into the palace of King Jamak and pounded
to pieces those therein, the survivors cried out, "Quarter!
Quarter!"; and Sa'adan said to them, "Pinion your King!" So they
bound Jamak and took him up, and Sa'adan drove them before him
like sheep and brought them to Gharib's presence, after the most
part of the citizens had perished by the enemy's swords. When the
King of Babel came to himself, he found himself bound and heard
Sa'adan say, "I will sup to-night off this King Jamak:" whereupon
he turned to Gharib and cried to him, "I throw myself on thy
mercy." Replied Gharib, "Become a Moslem, and thou shalt be safe
from the Ghul and from the vengeance of the Living One who
ceaseth not." So Jamak professed Al-Islam with heart and tongue
and Gharib bade loose his bonds. Then he expounded The Faith to
his people and they all became True Believers; after which Jamak
returned to the city and despatched thence provaunt land henchmen
to Gharib; and wine to the camp before Babel where they passed
the night. On the morrow, Gharib gave the signal for the march
and they fared on till they came to Mayyáfárikín,
[FN#1] which
they found empty, for its people had heard what had befallen
Babel and had fled to Cufa-city and told Ajib. When he heard the
news, his Doom-day appeared to him and he assembled his braves
and informing them of the enemy's approach ordered them make
ready to do battle with his brother's host; after which he
numbered them and found them thirty-thousand horse and ten
thousand foot.
[FN#2] So, needing more, he levied other fifty-
thousand men, cavalry and infantry, and taking horse amid a
mighty host, rode forwards, till he came upon his brother's army
encamped before Mosul and pitched his tents in face of their
lines. Then Gharib wrote a writ and said to his officers, "Which
of you will carry this letter to Ajib?" Whereupon Sahim sprang to
his feet and cried, "O King of the Age, I will bear thy missive
and bring thee back an answer." So Gharib gave him the epistle
and he repaired to the pavilion of Ajib who, when informed of his
coming, said, "Admit him!" and when he stood in the presence
asked him, "Whence comest thou?" Answered Sahim, "From the King
of the Arabs and the Persians, son-in-law of Chosroë, King of the
world, who sendeth thee a writ; so do thou return him a reply."
Quoth Ajib, "Give me the letter;" accordingly Sahim gave it to
him and he tore it open and found therein, "In the name of Allah
the Compassionating, the Compassionate! Peace on Abraham the
Friend await! But afterwards. As soon as this letter shall come
to thy hand, do thou confess the Unity of the Bountiful King,
Causer of causes and Mover of the clouds;
[FN#3] and leave
worshipping idols. An thou do this thing, thou art my brother and
ruler over us and I will pardon thee the deaths of my father and
mother, nor will I reproach thee with what thou hast done. But an
thou obey not my bidding, behold, I will hasten to thee and cut
off thy head and lay waste thy dominions. Verily, I give thee
good counsel, and the Peace be on those who pace the path of
salvation and obey the Most High King!" When Ajib read these
words and knew the threat they contained, his eyes sank into the
crown of his head and he gnashed his teeth and flew into a
furious rage. Then he tore the letter in pieces and threw it
away, which vexed Sahim and he cried out upon Ajib, saying,
"Allah wither thy hand for the deed thou hast done!" With this
Ajib cried out to his men, saying, "Seize yonder hound and hew
him in pieces with your hangers.''
[FN#4] So they ran at Sahim;
but he bared blade and fell upon them and slew of them more than
fifty braves; after which he cut his way out, though bathed in
blood, and won back to Gharib, who said, "What is this case, O
Sahim?" And he told him what had passed, whereat he grew livid
for rage and crying "Allaho Akbar God is most great!" bade the
battle-drums beat. So the fighting-men donned their hauberks and
coats of straitwoven mail and baldrick'd themselves with their
swords; the footmen drew out in battle-array, whilst the horsemen
mounted their prancing horses and dancing camels and levelled
their long lances, and the champions rushed into the field. Ajib
and his men also took horse and host charged down upon host. --
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Gharib and his merry men took horse, Ajib and his troops also
mounted and host charged down upon host. Then ruled the Kazi of
Battle, in whose ordinance is no wrong, for a seal is on his lips
and he speaketh not; and the blood railed in rills and purfled
earth with curious embroidery; heads grew gray and hotter waxed
battle and fiercer. Feet slipped and stood firm the valiant and
pushed forwards, whilst turned the faint-heart and fled, nor did
they leave fighting till the day darkened and the night starkened
Then clashed the cymbals of retreat and the two hosts drew apart
each from other, and returned to their tents, where they righted.
Next morning, as soon as it was day, the cymbals beat to battle
and derring-do, and the warriors donned their harness of fight
and baldrick'd
[FN#5] their blades the brightest bright and with
the brown lance bedight mounted doughty steed every knight and
cried out, saying, "This day no flight!" And the two hosts drew
out in battle array, like the surging sea. The first to open the
chapter
[FN#6] of war was Sahim, who crave his destrier between
the two lines and played with swords and spears and turned over
all the Capitula of combat till men of choicest wits were
confounded. Then he cried out, saying, "Who is for fighting? Who
is for jousting? Let no sluggard come out nor weakling!"
Whereupon there rushed at him a horseman of the Kafirs, as he
were a flame of fire; but Sahim let him not stand long before him
ere he overthrew him with a thrust. Then a second came forth and
he slew him also, and a third and he tare him in twain, and a
fourth and he did him to death; nor did they cease sallying out
to him and he left not slaying them, till it was noon, by which
time he had laid low two hundred braves. Then Ajib cried to his
men, "Charge once more," and sturdy host on sturdy host down bore
and great was the clash of arms and battle-roar. The shining
swords out rang; the blood in streams ran and footman rushed upon
footman; Death showed in van and horse-hoof was shodden with
skull of man; nor did they cease from sore smiting till waned the
day and the night came on in black array, when they drew apart
and, returning to their tents, passed the night there. As soon as
morning morrowed the two hosts mounted and sought the field of
fight; and the Moslems looked for Gharib to back steed and ride
under the standards as was his wont, but he came not. So Sahim
sent to his brother's pavilion a slave who, finding him not,
asked the tent-pitchers,
[FN#7] but they answered, "We know naught
of him." Whereat he was greatly concerned and went forth and told
the troops, who refrained from battle, saying, "An Gharib be
absent, his foe will destroy us." Now there was for Gharib's
absence a cause strange but true which we will set out in order
due. And it was thus. When Ajib returned to his camp on the
preceding Night, he called one of his guardsmen by name Sayyar
and said to him, "O Sayyar, I have not treasured thee save for a
day like this; and now I bid thee enter among Gharib s host and,
pushing into the marquee of their lord, bring him hither to me
and prove how wily thy cunning be." And Sayyar said, "I hear and
I obey." So he repaired to the enemy's camp and stealing into
Gharib's pavilion, under the darkness of the Night, when all the
men had gone to their places of rest, stood up as though he were
a slave to serve Gharib, who present! being athirst, called to
him for water. So he brought him a pitcher of water, drugged with
Bhang, and Gharib could not fulfill his need ere he fell down
with head distancing heels, whereupon Sayyar wrapped him in his
cloak and carrying him to Ajib's tent, threw him down at his
feet. Quoth Ajib, "O Sayyar, what is this?" Quoth he, "This be
thy brother Gharib;" whereat Ajib rejoiced and said, "The
blessings of the Idols light upon thee! Loose him and wake him."
So they made him sniff up vinegar and he came to himself and
opened his eyes; then, finding himself bound and in a tent other
than his own, exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no
Might save in Allah, the Glorious the Great!" Thereupon Ajib
cried out at him, saying, "Dost thou draw on me, O dog, and seek
to slay me and take on me thy blood-wreak of thy father and thy
mother? I will send thee this very day to them and rid the world
of thee." Replied Gharib, Kafir hound! soon shalt thou see
against whom the wheels of fate shall revolve and who shall be
overthrown by the wrath of the Almighty King, Who wotteth what is
in hearts and Who shall leave thee in Gehenna tormented and
confounded! Have ruth on thyself and say with me, ‘There is no
god but the God and Abraham is the Friend of God!' " When Ajib
heard Gharib's words, he sparked and snorted and railed at his
god, the stone, and called for the sworder and the leather rug of
blood but his Wazir, who was at heart a Moslem though outwardly a
Miscreant, rose and kissing ground before him, said, "Patience, O
King, deal not hastily, but wait till we know the conquered from
the conqueror. If we prove the victors, we shall have power to
him and, if we be beaten, his being alive in our hands will be a
strength to us." And the Emirs said, "The Minister speaketh
sooth"! --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Ajib purposed to slay Gharib, the Wazir rose and said, "Deal not
hastily, for we have always power to kill him!" So Ajib bade lay
his brother Gharib in irons and chain him up in his own tent and
set a thousand stout warriors to guard him. Meanwhile Gharib's
host, when they awoke that morning and found not their King, were
as sheep sans a shepherd; but Sa'adan the Ghul cried out at them,
saying, "O folk, don your war-gear and trust to your Lord to
defend you!" So Arabs and Ajams mounted horse, after clothing
themselves in hauberks of iron and skirting themselves in
straight knit mail, and sallied forth to the field, the Chiefs
and the colours moving in van. Then dashed out the Ghul of the
Mountain, with a club on his shoulder, two hundred pounds in
weight, and wheeled and careered, saying, "Ho, worshippers of
idols, come ye out and renown it this day, for 'tis a day of
onslaught! Whoso knoweth me hath enough of my mischief and whoso
knoweth me not, I will make myself known to him. I am Sa'adan,
servant of King Gharib. Who is for jousting? Who is for fighting?
Let no faintheart come forth to me to-day nor weakling." And
there rushed upon him a Champion of the Infidels, as he were a
flame of fire, and drove at him, but Sa'adan charged home at him
and dealt him with his club a blow which broke his ribs and cast
him lifeless to the earth. Then he called out to his sons and
slaves, saying, "Light the bonfire, and whoso falleth of the
Kafirs do ye dress him and roast him well in the flame, then
bring him to me that I may break my fast on him!" So they kindled
a fire midmost the plain and laid thereon the slain, till he was
cooked, when they brought him to Sa'adan, who gnawed his flesh
and crunched his bones. When the Miscreants saw the Mountain-Ghul
do this deed they were Frighted with sore Wright, but Ajib cried
out to his men, saying, "Out on you! Fall upon the Ogre and hew
him in hunks with your scymitars!" So twenty-thousand men ran at
Sa'adan, whilst the footmen circled round him and rained upon him
darts and shafts so that he was wounded in four-and-twenty
places, and his blood ran down upon the earth, and he was alone.
Then the host of the Moslems crave at the heathenry, calling for
help upon the Lord of the three Worlds, and they ceased not from
fight and fray till the day came to an end, when they drew apart.
But the Infidels had captured Sa'adan, as he vere a drunken man
for loss of blood; and they bound him fast and set him by Gharib
who, seeing the Ghul a prisoner, said, "There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! O
Sa'adan, what case is this?" "O my lord," replied Sa'adan, "it is
Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) who ordaineth joy and annoy
and there is no help but this and that betide." And Gharib
rejoined, "Thou speakest sooth, O Sa'adan!" But Ajib passed the
night in joy and he said to his men, "Mount ye on the morrow and
fall upon the Moslems so shall not one of them be left alive."
And they replied, "Hearkening and obedience!" This is how it
fared with them but as regards the Moslems, they passed the
Night, dejected and weeping for their King and Sa'adan; but Sahim
said to them, "O folk, be not concerned, for the aidance of
Almighty Allah is nigh." Then he waited till midnight, when he
assumed the garb of a tent-pitcher; and, repairing to Ajib's
camp, made his way between the tents and pavilions till he came
to the King's marquee, where he saw him seated on his throne
surrounded by his Princes. So he entered and going up to the
candles which burnt in the tent snuffed them and sprinkled
levigated henbane on the wicks; after which he withdrew and
waited without the marquee, till the smoke of the burning henbane
reached Ajib and his Princes and they fell to the ground like
dead men. Then he left them and went to the prison tent, where he
found Gharib and Sa'adan, guarded by a thousand braves, who were
overcome with sleep. So he cried out at the guards, saying, "Woe
to you! Sleep not; but watch your prisoners and light the
cressets." Presently he filled a cresses with firewood, on which
he strewed henbane, and lighting it, went round about the tent
with it, till the smoke entered the nostrils of the guards, and
they all fell asleep drowned by the drug; when he entered the
tent and finding Gharib and Sa'adan also insensible he aroused
them by making them smell and sniff at a sponge full of vinegar
he had with him. Thereupon he loosed their bonds and collars, and
when they saw him, they blessed him and rejoiced In him. After
this they went forth and took all the arms of the guards and
Sahim said to them, "Go to your own camp;" while he re entered
Ajib's pavilion and, wrapping him in his cloak, lifted him up and
made for the Moslem encampment. And the Lord, Compassionate
protected him, so that he reached Gharib's tent in safety and
unrolled the cloak before him. Gharib looked at its contents and
seeing his brother Ajib bound, cried out, "Allaho Akbar --God is
Most Great! Aidance! Victory!" And he blessed Sahim and bade him
arouse Ajib. So he made him smell the vinegar mixed with incense,
and he opened his eyes and, finding himself bound and shackled,
hung down his head earth wards. --And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fortieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after Sahim
had aroused Ajib, whom he had made insensible with henbane and
had brought to his brother Gharib, the captive opened his eyes
and, feeling himself bound and shackled, hung down his head
earthwards. Thereupon cried Sahim, O Accursed, lift thy head!" So
he raised his eyes and found himself amongst Arabs and Ajamis and
saw his brother seated on the throne of his estate and the place
of his power, wherefore he was silent and spake not. Then Gharib
cried out and said, "Strip me this hound!" So they stripped him
and came down upon him with whips, till they weakened his body
and subdued his pride, after which Gharib set over him a guard of
an hundred knights. And when this fraternal correction had been
administered they heard shouts of, "There is no God but the God!"
and "God is Most Great!" from the camp of the Kafirs. Now the
cause of this was that, ten days after his nephew King Al-Damigh,
Gharib's uncle, had set out from Al-Jazirah, with twenty-thousand
horse, and on nearing the field of battle, had despatched one of
his scouts to get news. The man was absent a whole day, at the
end of which time he returned and told Al-Damigh all that had
happened to Gharib with his brother. So he waited till the Night,
when he fell upon the Infidels, crying out, "Allaho Akbar!" and
put them to the edge of the biting scymitar. When Gharib heard
the Takbir,
[FN#8] he said to Sahim, "Go find out the cause of
these shouts and war cries." So Sahim repaired to the field of
battle and questioned the slaves and camp followers, who told him
that King Al-Damigh had come up with twenty-thousand men and had
fallen upon the idolaters by Night, saying, "By the virtue of
Abraham the Friend, I will not forsake my brother's son, but will
play a brave man's part and beat back the host of Miscreants and
please the Omnipotent King!" So Sahim returned and told his
uncle's derring-do to Gharib, who cried out to his men, saying,
"Don your arms and mount your steeds and let us succour my
father's brother!" So they took horse and fell upon the Infidels
and put them to the edge of the sharp sword. By the morning they
had killed nigh fifty-thousand of the Kafirs and made other
thirty-thousand prisoners, and the rest of Ajib's army dispersed
over the length and breadth of earth. Then the Moslems returned
in victory and triumph, and Gharib rode out to meet his uncle,
whom he saluted and thanked for his help Quoth Al-Damigh, "I
wonder if that dog Ajib fell in this day's affair." Quoth Gharib,
"O uncle, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear:
know that he is with me in chains." When Al-Damigh heard this he
rejoiced with exceeding joy and the two kings dismounted and
entered the pavilion, but found no Ajib there; whereupon Gharib
exclaimed, "O glory of Abraham, the Friend (with whom be
peace!)," adding, "Alas, what an ill end is this to a glorious
day!" and he cried out to the tent-pitchers, saying, "Woe to you!
Where is my enemy who oweth me so much?" Quoth they, "When thou
mountedst and we went with thee, thou didst not bid us guard
him;" and Gharib exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no
Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" But Al-Damigh said
to him, "Hasten not nor be concerned, for where can he go, and we
in pursuit of him?" Now the manner of Ajib's escape was in this
wise. His page Sayyar had been ambushed in the camp and when he
saw Gharib mount and ride forth, leaving none to guard his enemy
Ajib, he could hardly credit his eyes. So he waited awhile and
presently crept to the tent and taking Ajib, who was senseless
for the pain of the bastinado, on his back, made off with him
into the open country and fared on at the top of his speed from
early night to the next day, till he came to a spring of water,
under an apple tree. There he set down Ajib from his back and
washed his face, whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing Sayyar,
said to him, "O Sayyar, carry me to Cufa that I may recover there
and levy horsemen and soldiers wherewith to overthrow my foe: and
know, O Sayyar, that I am anhungered." So Sayyar sprang up and
going out to the desert caught an ostrich-poult and brought it to
his lord. Then he gathered fuel and deftly using the fire sticks
kindled a fire,, by which he roasted the bird which he had
hallal'd
[FN#9] and fed Ajib with its flesh and gave him to drink
of the water of the spring, till his strength returned to hits,
after which he went to one of the Badawi tribal encampments, and
stealing thence a steed mounted Ajib upon it and journeyed on
with him for many days till they drew near the city of Cufa. The
Viceroy of the capital came out to meet and salute the King, whom
he found weak with the beating his brother had inflicted upon
him; and Ajib entered the city and called his physicians. When
they answered his summons, he bade them heal him in less than ten
days' time: they said, "We hear and we obey," and they tended him
till he became whole of the sickness that was upon him and of the
punishment. Then he commanded his Wazirs to write letters to all
his Nabobs and vassals, and he indited one-and-twenty writs and
despatched them to the governors, who assembled their troops and
set out for Cufa by forced marches. --And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-first Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ajib
sent orders to assemble the troops, who marched forthright to
Cufa. Meanwhile, Gharib, being troubled for Ajib's escape,
despatched in quest of him a thousand braves, who dispersed on
all sides and sought him a day and a Night, but found no trace of
him; so they returned and told Gharib, who called for his brother
Sahim, but found him not; whereat he was sore concerned, fearing
for him from the shifts of Fortune. And lo! Sahim entered and
kissed ground before Gharib, who rose, when he saw him, and
asked, "Where hast thou been, O Sahim?" He answered, "O King, I
have been to Cufa and there I find that the dog Ajib hath made
his way to his capital and is healed of his hurts: eke, he hath
written letters to his vassals and sent them to his Nabobs who
have brought him troops." When Gharib heard this, he gave the
command to march; so they struck tents and fared for Cufa. When
they came in sight of the city, they found it compassed about
with a host like the surging main, having neither beginning nor
end. So Gharib with his troops encamped in face of the Kafirs and
set up his standards, and darkness fell down upon the two hosts,
whereupon they lighted camp-fires and kept watch till daybreak.
Then King Gharib rose and making the Wuzu-ablution, prayed a two-
bow prayer according to the rite of our father Abraham the Friend
(on whom be the Peace!); after which he commanded the battle
drums to sound the point of war. Accordingly, the kettle-drums
beat to combat and the standards fluttered whilst the fighting-
men armour donned and their horses mounted and themselves
displayed and to plain fared. Now the first to open the gate of
war was King Al-Damigh, who urged his charger between the two
opposing armies and displayed himself and played with the swords
and the spears, till both hosts were confounded and at him
marvelled, after which he cried out, saying, "Who is for
jousting? Let no sluggard come out to me nor weakling; for I am
Al-Damigh, the King, brother of Kundamir the King." Then there
rushed forth a horseman of the Kafirs, as he were a flame of
fire, and crave at Al-Damigh, without word said; but the King
received him with a lance thrust in the breast so dour that the
point issued from between his shoulders and Allah hurried his
soul to the fire, the abiding-place dire. Then came forth a
second he slew, and a third he slew likewise, and they ceased not
to come out to him and he to slay them, till he had made an end
of six-and-seventy fighting-men. Hereupon the Miscreants and men
of might hung back and would not encounter him; but Ajib cried
out to his men and said, "Fie on you, O folk! if ye all go forth
to him, one by one, he will not leave any of you, sitting or
standing. Charge on him all at once and cleanse of them our
earthly wone and strew their heads for your horses' hoofs like a
plain of stone!" So they waved the ewe striking flag and host was
heaped upon host; blood rained in streams upon earth and railed
and the Judge of battle ruled, in whose ordinance is no upright.
The fearless stood firm on feet in the stead of fight, whilst the
faint-heart gave back and took to flight thinking the day would
never come to an end nor the curtains of gloom would be drawn by
the hand of Night; and they ceased not to battle with swords and
to smite till light darkened and murk starkened. Then the kettle-
drums of the Infidels beat the retreat, but Gharib, refusing to
stay his arms, crave at the Paynimry, and the Believers in Unity,
the Moslems, followed him. How many heads and hands they shore,
how many necks and sinews they tore, how many knees and spines
they mashed and how many grown men and youths they to death
bashed! With the first gleam of morning grey the Infidels broke
and fled away, in disorder and disarray; and the Moslems followed
them till middle-day and took over twenty-thousand of them, whom
they brought to their tents in bonds to stay. Then Gharib sat
down before the gate of Cufa and commanded a herald to proclaim
pardon and protection for every wight who should leave the
worship to idols dight and profess the unity of His All-might the
Creator of mankind and of light and night. So was made
proclamation as he bade in the streets of Cufa and all that were
therein embraced the True Faith, great and small; then they
issued forth in a body and renewed their Islam before King
Gharib, who rejoiced in them with exceeding joy and his breast
broadened and he threw off all annoy. Presently he enquired of
Mardas and his daughter Mahdiyah, and, being told that he had
taken up his abode behind the Red Mountain, he called Sahim and
said to him, "Find out for me what is become of thy father."
Sahim mounted steed without stay or delay and set his berry-brown
spear in rest and fared on in quest till he reached the Red
Mountain, where he sought for his father, yet found no trace of
him nor of his tribe; however, he saw in their stead an elder of
the Arabs, a very old man, broken with excess of years, and asked
him of the folk and whither they were gone. Replied he, "O my
son, when Mardas heard of Gharib's descent upon Cufa he feared
with great fear and, taking his daughter and his folk, set out
with his handmaids and negroes into the wild and word, and I wot
not whither he went." So Sahim, hearing the Shaykh's words,
returned to Gharib and told him thereof, whereat he was greatly
concerned. Then he sat down on his father's throne and, opening
his treasuries, distributed largesse to each and every of his
braves. And he took up his abode in Cufa and sent out spies to
get news of Ajib. He also summoned the Grandees of the realm, who
came and did him homage; as also did the citizens and he bestowed
on them sumptuous robes of honour and commended the Ryots to
their care. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-second Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Gharib,
after giving robes of honour to the citizens of Cufa and com
mending the Ryots to their care, went out on a day of the days to
hunt, with an hundred horse, and fared on till he came to a Wady,
abounding in trees and fruits and rich in rills and birds It was
a pasturing-place for roes and gazelles, to the spirit a delight
whose scents reposed from the langour of fight. They encamped in
the valley, for the day was dear and bright, and there passed the
night. On the morrow, Gharib made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed
the two-bow dawn-prayer, offering up praise and thanks to
Almighty Allah; when, lo and behold! there arose a clamour and
confusion in the meadows, and he bade Sahim go see what was to
do. So Sahim mounted forthright and rode till he espied goods
being plundered and horses haltered and women carried off and
children crying out. Whereupon he questioned one of the
shepherds, saying, "What be all this?"; and they replied, "This
is the Harim of Mardas, Chief of the Banu Kahtan, and his good
and that of his clan; for yesterday Jamrkan slew Mardas and made
prize of his women and children and household stuff and all the
belonging of his tribe. It is his wont to go a raiding and to cut
off highways and waylay wayfarers and he is a furious tyrant;
neither Arabs nor Kings can prevail against him and he is the
scourge and curse of the country." Now when Sahim heard these
news of his sire's slaughter and the looting of his Harim and
property, he returned to Gharib and told him the case, wherefore
fire was added to his fire and his spirit chafed to wipe out his
shame and his blood wit to claim: so he rode with his men after
the robbers till he overtook them and fell upon them, crying out
and saying, "Almighty Allah upon the rebel, the traitor, the
infidel!" and he slew in a single charge one-and-twenty fighting-
men. Then he halted in mid-field, with no coward's heart, and
cried out, "Where is Jamrkan? Let him come out to me, that I may
make him quaff the cup of disgrace and rid of him earth's face!"
Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when forth rushed Jamrkan,
as he were a calamity of calamities or a piece of a mountain,
cased in steel. He was a mighty huge
[FN#10] Amalekite; and he
crave at Gharib without speech or salute, like the fierce tyrant
he was. And he was armed with a mace of China steel, so heavy, so
potent, that had he smitten a hill he had smashed it. Now when he
charged, Gharib met him like a hungry lion, and the brigand aimed
a blow at his head with his mace; but he evaded it and it smote
the earth and sank therein half a cubit deep. Then Gharib took
his battle flail and smiting Jamrkan on the wrist, crushed his
fingers and the mace dropped from his grasp; whereupon Gharib
bent down from his seat in selle and snatching it up, swiftlier
than the blinding leven, smote him therewith full on the flat of
the ribs, and he fell to the earth like a long-stemmed palm-tree.
So Sahim took him and pinioning him, haled him off with a rope,
and Gharib's horsemen fell on those of Jamrkan and slew fifty of
them: the rest fled; nor did they cease flying till they reached
their tribal camp and raised their voices in clamour; whereupon
all who were in the Castle came out to meet them and asked the
news. They told the tribe what had passed; and, when they heard
that their chief was a prisoner, they set out for the valley
vying one with other in their haste to deliver him. Now when King
Gharib had captured Jamrkan and had seen his braves take flight,
he dismounted and called for Jamrkan, who humbled himself before
him, saying, "I am under thy protection, O champion of the Age!"
Replied Gharib, "O dog of the Arabs, dost thou cut the road for
the servants of Almighty Allah, and fearest thou not the Lord of
the Worlds?" "O my master," asked Jamrkan, "and who is the Lord
of the Worlds?" "O dog," answered Gharib, "and what calamity dost
thou worship?" He said, "O my lord, I worship a god made of
dates
[FN#11] kneaded with butter and honey, and at times I eat
him and make me another." When Gharib heard this, he laughed till
he fell backwards and said, "O miserable, there is none worship-
worth save Almighty Allah, who created thee and created all
things and provideth all creatures with daily bread, from whom
nothing is hid and He over all things is Omnipotent." Quoth
Jamrkan, "And where is this great god, that I may worship him?"
Quoth Gharib, "O fellow, know that this god's name is Allah--the
God--and it is He who fashioned the heavens and the earth and
garred the trees to grow and the waters to flow. He created wild
beasts and birds and Paradise and Hell-fire and veileth Himself
from all eyes seeing and of none being seen. He, and He only, is
the Dweller on high. Extolled be His perfection! There is no god
but He!" When Jamrkan heard these words, the ears of his heart
were opened; his skin shuddered with horripilation and he said,
"O my lord, what shall I say that I may become of you and that
this mighty Lord may accept of me?" Replied Gharib, "Say, ‘There
is no god but the God and Abraham the Friend is the Apostle of
God!'" " So he pronounced the profession of the Faith and was
written of the people of felicity. Then quoth Gharib, " Say me,
hast thou tasted the sweetness of Al-Islam?"; and quoth the
other, "Yes;" whereupon Gharib cried, "Loose his bonds!" So they
unbound him and he kissed ground before Gharib and his feet. Now
whilst this was going on, behold, they espied a great cloud of
dust that towered till it walled the word. --And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Jamrkan
islamised and kissed the ground between the hands of Gharib, and,
as they were thus, behold, a great cloud of dust towered till it
walled the wold and Gharib said to Sahim, "Go and see for us what
it be." So he went forth, like a bird in full flight, and
presently returned, saying, "O King of the Age, this dust is of
the Banu Amir, the comrades of Jamrkan." Whereupon quoth Gharib
to the new Moslem, "Ride out to thy people and offer to them Al-
Islam: an they profess, they shall be saved; but, an they refuse,
we will put them to the sword." So Jamrkan mounted and driving
steed towards his tribesmen, cried out to them; and they knew him
and dismounting, came up to him on foot and said, "We rejoice in
thy safety, O our lord!" Said he, "O folk, whoso obeyeth me shall
be saved; but whoso gainsayeth me, I will cut him in twain with
this scymitar." And they made answer, saying, "Command us what
thou wilt, for we will not oppose thy commandment." Quoth he,
"Then say with me, ‘There is no god but the God and Abraham is
the Friend of God!' " They asked, "O our lord, whence haddest
thou these words?" And he told them what had befallen him with
Gharib, adding, "O folk, know ye not that I am your chief in
battle-plain and where men of cut and thrust are fain; and yet a
man single-handed me to prisoner hath ta'en and made me the cup
of shame and disgrace to drain?" When they heard his speech, they
spoke the word of Unity and Jamrkan led them to Gharib, at whose
hands they renewed their profession of Al-Islam and wished him
glory and victory, after they had kissed the earth before him.
Gharib rejoiced in them and said to them, "O folk, return to your
people and expound Al-Islam to them;" but all replied, "O our
lord, we will never leave thee, whilst; we live; but we will go
and fetch our families and return to thee." And Gharib said, "Go,
and join me at the city of Cufa." So Jamrkan and his comrades
returned to their tribal camp and offered Al-Islam to their women
and children, who all to a soul embraced the True Faith, after
which they dismantled their abodes and struck their tents and set
out for Cufa, driving before them their steeds, camels and sheep.
During this time Gharib returned to Cufa, where the horsemen met
him in state. He entered his palace and sat down on his sire's
throne with his champions ranged on either hand. Then the spies
came forwards, and informed him that his brother Ajib had made
his escape and had taken refuge with Jaland
[FN#12] bin Karkar,
lord of the city of Oman and land of Al-Yaman; whereupon Gharib
cried aloud to his host, "O men, make you ready to march in three
days." Then he expounded Al-Islam to the thirty-thousand men he
had captured in the first affair and exhorted them to profess and
take service with him. Twenty-thousand embraced the Faith, but
the rest refused and he slew them. Then came forward Jamrkan and
his tribe and kissed the ground before Gharib, who bestowed on
him a splendid robe of honour and made him captain of his
vanguard, saying, "O Jamrkan, mount with the Chiefs of thy kith
and kin and twenty-thousand horse and fare on before us to the
land of Jaland bin Karkar." "Hearkening and obedience," answered
Jamrkan and, leaving the women and children of the tribe in Cufa,
he set forward. Then Gharib passed in review the Harim of Mardas
and his eye lit upon Mahdiyah, who was among the women, wherewith
he fell down fainting. They sprinkled rose-water on his face,
till he came to himself, when he embraced Mahdiyah and carried
her into a sitting-chamber, where he sat with her; and they twain
lay together that night without fornication. Next morning he went
out and sitting down on the throne of his kingship, robed his
uncle Al-Damigh with a robe of honour; and appointed him his
viceroy over all Al-Irak, commending Mahdiyah to his care, till
he should return from his expedition against Ajib; and, when the
order was accepted, he set out for the land of Al-Yaman and the
City of Oman with twenty-thousand horse and ten thousand foot.
Now, when Ajib and his defeated army drew in sight of Oman, King
Jaland saw the dust of their approach and sent to find out its
meaning, scouts who returned and said, "Verily this is the dust
of one highs Ajib, lord of Al-Irak." And Jaland wondered at his
coming to his country and, when assured of the tidings, he said
to his officers, "Fare ye forth and meet him." So they went out
and met him and pitched tents for him at the city-gate; and Ajib
entered in to Jaland, weeping eyed and heavy-hearted. Now
Jaland's wife was the daughter of Ajib's paternal uncle and he
had children by her; so, when he saw his kinsman in this plight,
he asked for the truth of what ailed him and Ajib told him all
that had befallen him, first and last, from his brother and said,
"O King, Gharib biddeth the folk worship the Lord of the Heavens
and forbiddeth them from the service of simulacres and other of
the gods." When Jaland heard these words he raged and revolted
and said, "By the virtue of the Sun, Lord of Life and Light, I
will not leave one of thy brother's folk in existence! But where
didst thou quit them and how many men are they?" Answered Ajib,
"I left them in Cufa and they be fifty-thousand horse." Whereupon
Jaland called his Wazir Jawámard,
[FN#13] saying, "Take thee
seventy-thousand horse and fare to Cufa and bring me the Moslems
alive, that I may torture them with all manner of tortures." So
Jawamard departed with his host and fared through the first day
and the second till the seventh day, when he came to a Wady
abounding in trees and rills and fruits. Here he called a halt --
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Jaland sent Jawamard with his army to Cufa, they came upon a Wady
abounding in trees and rills where a halt was called and they
rested till the middle of the Night, when the Wazir gave the
signal for departure and mounting, rode on before them till hard
upon dawn, at which time he descended into a well-wooded valley,
whose flowers were fragrant and whose birds warbled on boughs, as
they swayed gracefully to and fro, and Satan blew into his sides
and puffed him up with pride and he improvised these couplets and
cried,
"I plunge with my braves in the seething sea;
Seize the foe in
my strength and my valiancy;
And the doughtiest knights wot me well to be
Friend to friend
and fierce foe to mine enemy.
I will load Ghanb with the captive's chains
Right soon, and
return in all Joy and glee;
For I've donned my mail and my weapons wield
And on all sides
charge at the chivalry."[FN#14]
Hardly had Jawamard made an end of his verses when there came out
upon him from among the trees a horseman of terrible mien covered
and clad in steely sheen, who cried out to him, saying, "Stand, O
riff-raff of the Arabs! Doff thy dress and ground thine arms gear
and dismount thy destrier and be off with thy life!" When
Jawamard heard this, the light in his eyes became darkest night
and he drew his sabre and drove at Jamrkan, for he it was,
saying, "O thief of the Arabs, wilt thou cut the road for me, who
am captain of the host of Jaland bin Karkar and am come to bring
Gharib and his men in bond?" When Jamrkan heard these words, he
said, "How cooling is this to my heart and liver!" And he made at
Jawamard versifying in these couplets,
"I'm the noted knight in the field of fight,
Whose sabre and
spear every foe affright!
Jamrkan am I, to my foes a fear,
With a lance lunge known unto
every knight:
Gharib is my lord, nay my pontiff, my prince,
Where the two
hosts dash very lion of might:
An Imam of the Faith, pious, striking awe
On the plain where
his foes like the fawn take flight;
Whose voice bids folk to the faith of the Friend,
False,
doubling idols and gods despite!"
Now Jamrkan had fared on with his tribesmen ten days' journey
from Cufa city and called a halt on the eleventh day till
midnight, when he ordered a march and rode on devancing them till
he descended into the valley aforesaid and heard Jawamard
reciting his verses. So he crave at him as the driving of a
ravening lion, and smiting him with his sword, clove him in twain
and waited till his captains came up, when he told them what had
passed and said to them. "Take each of you five thousand men and
disperse round about the Wady, whilst I and the Banu Amir fall
upon the enemy's van, shouting, Allaho Akbar God is Most Great!
When ye hear my slogan, do ye charge them, crying like me upon
the Lord, and smite them with the sword." "We hear and we obey,"
answered they and turning back to their braves did his bidding
and spread themselves about the sides of the valley in the
twilight forerunning the dawn. Presently, lo and behold! up came
the army of Al-Yaman, like a flock of sheep, filling plain and
steep, and Jamrkan and the Banu Amir fell upon them, shouting,
"Allaho Akbar!" till all heard it, Moslems and Miscreants.
Whereupon the True Believers ambushed in the valley answered from
every side and the hills and mountains responsive cried and all
things replied, green and dried, saying, "God is Most Great!
,Aidance and Victory to us from on High! Shame to the Miscreants
who His name deny!" And the Kafirs were confounded and smote one
another with sabres keen whilst the True Believers and pious fell
upon them like flames of fiery sheen and naught was seen but
heads flying and blood jetting and faint-hearts hieing. By the
time they could see one another's faces, two-thirds of the
Infidels had perished and Allah hastened their souls to the fire
and abiding-place dire. The rest fled and to the deserts sped
whilst the Moslems pursued them to slay and take captives till
middle-day, when they returned in triumph with seven thousand
prisoners; and but six and twenty-thousand of the Infidels
escaped and the most of them wounded. Then the Moslems collected
the horses and arms, the loads and tents of the enemy and
despatched them to Cufa with an escort of a thousand horse;--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Jamrkan in
his battle with Jawamard slew him and slew his men; and, after
taking many prisoners and much money and many horses and loads,
sent them with an escort of a thousand riders, to Cufa city. Then
he and the army of Al-Islam dismounted and expounded The saving
Faith to the prisoners, who made profession with heart and
tongue; whereupon they released them from bonds and embraced them
and rejoiced in them. Then Jamrkan made his troops, who had
swelled to a mighty many, rest a day and a night and marched with
the dawn, intending to attack Jaland bin Karkar in the city Of
Oman; whilst the thousand horse fared back to Cufa with the loot.
When they reached the city, they went in to King Gharib and told
him what had passed, whereat he rejoiced and gave them joy and,
turning to the Ghul of the Mountain, said, "Take horse with
twenty-thousand and follow Jamrkan." So Sa'adan and his sons
mounted and set out, amid twenty-thousand horse for Oman.
Meanwhile, the fugitives of the defeated Kafirs reached Oman and
went in to Jaland, weeping and crying, "Woe!" and "Ruin!" whereat
he was confounded and said to them, "What calamity hath befallen
you?" So they told him what had happened and he said, "Woe to
you! How many men were they?" They replied, "O King, there were
twenty standards, under each a thousand men." When Jaland heard
these words he said, "May the sun pour no blessing on you! Fie
upon you! What, shall twenty-thousand overcome you, and you
seventy-thousand horse and Jawamard able to withstand three
thousand in field of fight?" Then, in the excess of his rage and
mortification, he bared his blade and cried out to those who were
present, saying, "Fall on them!" So the courtiers drew their
swords upon the fugitives and annihilated them to the last man
and cast them to the dogs. Then Jaland cried aloud to his son,
saying, "Take an hundred thousand horse and go to Al-Irak and lay
it waste altogether." Now this son's name was Kúraján and there
was no doughtier knight in all the force; for he could charge
single handed three thousand riders. So he and his host made
haste to equip themselves and marched in battle-array, rank
following rank, with the Prince at their head, glorying in
himself and improvising these couplets,
"I'm Al-Kurajan, and my name is known
To beat all who in wold
or in city wone!
How many a soldier my sword at will
Struck down like a cow on
the ground bestrown?
How many a soldier I've forced to fly
And have rolled their
heads as a ball is thrown?
Now I'll drive and harry the land Irak[FN#15]
And like rain
I'll shower the blood of fone;
And lay hands on Ghanb and his men, whose doom
To the wise a
warning shall soon be shown!"
The host fared on twelve days' journey and, while they were still
marching, behold, a great dust cloud arose before them and walled
the horizon and the whole region. So Kurajan sent out scouts,
saying, "Go forth and bring me tidings of what meaneth this
dust." They went till they passed under the enemy's standards and
presently returning said, "O King, verily this is the dust of the
Moslems." Whereat he was glad and said, "Did ye count them?" And
they answered, "We counted the colours and they numbered twenty."
Quoth he, "By my faith, I will not send one man-at-arms against
them, but will go forth to them alone by myself and strew their
heads under the horses' hooves!" Now this was the army of Jamrkan
who, espying the host of the Kafirs and seeing them as a surging
sea, called a halt; so his troops pitched the tents and set up
the standards, calling upon the name of the All-wise One, the
Creator of light and gloom, Lord of all creatures, Who seeth
while Him none see, the High to infinity, extolled and exalted be
He! There is no God but He! The Miscreants also halted and
pitched their tents, and Kurajan said to them "Keep on your arms,
and in armour sleep, for during the last watch of the night we
will mount and trample yonder handful under feet!" Now one of
Jamrkan's spies was standing nigh and heard what Kurajan had
contrived; so he returned to the host and told his chief who said
to them, "Arm yourselves and as soon as it is Night, bring me all
the mules and camels and hang all the bells and clinkets and
rattles ye have about their necks." Now they had with them more
than twenty-thousand camels and mules. So they waited till the
Infidels fell asleep, when Jamrkan com-mended them to mount, and
they rose to ride and on the Lord of the Worlds they relied. Then
said Jamrkan, "Drive the camels and mules to the Miscreants' camp
and push them with your spears for goads!" They did as he bade
and the beasts rushed upon the enemy's tents, whilst the bells
and clinkets and rattles jangled
[FN#16] and the Moslems followed
at their heels, shouting, "God is Most Great!'' till all the
hills and mountains resounded with the name of the Highmost
Deity, to whom belong glory and majesty! The cattle hearing this
terrible din, took fright and rushed upon the tents and trampled
the folk, as they lay asleep.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Jamrkan fell upon them with his men and steeds and camels, and
the camp lay sleeping, the idolaters started up in confusion and,
snatching up their arms, fell upon one another with smiting, till
the most part was slaughtered. And when the day broke, they
looked and found no Moslem slain, but saw them all on horseback,
armed and armoured; wherefore they knew that this was a sleight
which had been played upon them, and Kurajan cried out to the
remnant of his folk, "O sons of whores, what we had a mind to do
with them, that have they done with us and their craft hath
gotten the better of our cunning." And they were about to charge
when, lo and behold! a cloud of dust rose high and walled the
horizon-sky, when the wind smote it, so that it spired aloft and
spread pavilion-wise in the lift and there it hung; and presently
appeared beneath it the glint of helmet and gleam of hauberk and
splendid warriors, baldrick'd with their tempered swords and
holding in rest their supple spears. When the Kafirs saw this,
they held back from the battle and each army sent out, to know
the meaning of this dust, scouts, who returned with the news that
it was an army of Moslems. Now this was the host of the Mountain-
Ghul whom Gharib had despatched to Jamrkan's aid, and Sa'adan
himself rode in their van. So the two hosts of the True Believers
joined company and rushing upon the Paynimry like a flame of
fire, plied them with keen sword and Rudaynian spear and
quivering lance, what while day was darkened and eyes for the
much dust starkened. The valiant stood fast and the faint-hearted
coward fled and to the wilds and the words swift sped, whilst the
blood over earth was like torrents shed; nor did they cease from
fight till the day took flight and in gloom came the night. Then
the Moslems drew apart from the Miscreants and returned to their
tents, where they ate and slept, till the darkness fled away and
gave place to smiling day; when they prayed the dawn prayer and
mounted to battle. Now Kurajan had said to his men as they drew
off from fight (for indeed two thirds of their number had
perished by sword and spear), "O folk, to-morrow, I will champion
it in the stead of war where cut and thrust jar, and where braves
push and wheel I will take the field." So, as soon as light was
seen and morn appeared with its shine and sheen, took horse the
hosts twain and shouted their slogans amain and bared the brand
and hent lance in hand and in ranks took stand. The first to open
the door of war was Kurajan, who cried out, saying, "Let no
coward come out to me this day nor craven!" Whereupon Jamrkan and
Sa'adan stood by the colours, but there ran at him a captain of
the Banu Amir and the two crave each at other awhile, like two
rams butting. Presently Kurajan seized the Moslem by the jerkin
under his hauberk and, dragging him from his saddle, dashed him
to the ground where he left him; upon which the Kafirs laid hands
on him and bound him and bore him off to their tents; whilst
Kurajan wheeled about and careered and offered battle, till
another captain came out, whom also he took prisoner; nor did he
leave to do thus till he had made prize of seven captains before
mid day. Then Jamrkan cried out with so mighty a cry, that the
whole field made reply and heard it the armies twain, and ran at
Kurajan with a heart in rageful pain, improvising these couplets,
"Jamrkan am I! and a man of might,
Whom the warriors fear with
a sore affright:
I waste the forts and I leave the walls
To wail and weep for
the wights I smite:
Then, O Kurajan, tread the rightful road
And quit the paths of
thy foul upright:
Own the One True God, who dispread the skies
And made founts to
flow and the hills pegged tight:
An the slave embrace the True Faith, he'll ‘scape
Hell pains
and in Heaven be decks and dight!"
When Kurajan heard these words, he sparked and snorted and foully
abused the sun and the moon and crave at Jamrkan, versifying with
these couplets,
"I'm Kurajan, of this age the knight;
And my shade to the
lions of Shara'[FN#17] is blight:
I storm the forts and snare kings of beasts
And warriors fear
me in field of fight;
Then, Harkye Jamrkan, if thou doubt my word,
Come forth to the
combat and try my might!"
When Jamrkan heard these verses, he charged him with a stout
heart d they smote each at other with swords till the two hosts.
lamented for them, and they lunged with lance and great was the
clamour between them: nor did they leave fighting till the time
of mid-afternoon prayer was passed and the day began to wane.
Then Jamrkan crave at Kurajan and smiting him on the breast with
his mace,
[FN#18] cast him to the ground, as he were the trunk of
a palm-tree; and the Moslems pinioned him and dragged him off
with ropes like a camel. Now when the Miscreants saw their Prince
captive, a hot fever-fit of ignorance seized on them and they
bore down upon the True Believers thinking to rescue him; but the
Moslem champions met them and left most of them prostrate on the
earth, whilst the rest turned and sought safety in flight,
seeking surer site, while the clanking sabres their back-sides
smite. The Moslems ceased not pursuing them till they had
scattered them over mount and word, when they returned from them
to the spoil; whereof was great store of horses and tents and so
forth: good look to it for a spoil! Then Jamrkan went in to
Kurajan and expounded to him Al-Islam, threatening him with death
unless he embraced the Faith. But he refused; so they cut off his
head and stuck it on a spear, after which they fared on towards
Oman
[FN#19] city. But as regards the Kafirs, the survivors
returned to Jaland and made known to him the slaying of his son
and the slaughter of his host, hearing which he cast his crown to
the ground and buffeting his face, till the blood ran from his
nostrils, fell fainting to the floor. They sprinkled rose-water
on his head, till he came to himself and cried to his Wazir,
"Write letters to all my Governors and Nabobs, and bid them leave
not a smiter with the sword nor a lunger with the lance nor a
bender of the bow, but bring them all to me in one body." So he
wrote letters and despatched them by runners to the Governors,
who levied their power and joined the King with a prevailing
host, whose number was one hundred and eighty-thousand men. Then
they made ready tents and camels and noble steeds and were about
to march when, behold, up came Jamrkan and Sa'adan the Ghul, with
seventy-thousand horse, as they were lions fierce-faced, all
steel-encased. When Jaland saw the Moslems trooping on he
rejoiced and said, "By the virtue of the Sun, and her resplendent
light, I will not leave alive one of my foes; no, not one to
carry the news, and I will lay waste the land of Al-Irak, that I
may take my wreak for my son, the havoc making champion bold; nor
shall my fire be quenched or cooled!" Then he turned to Ajib and
said to him, "O dog of Al-Irak, ‘twas thou broughtest this
calamity on us! But by the virtue of that which I worship, except
I avenge me of mine enemy I will do thee die after foulest
fashion!" When Ajib heard these words he was troubled with sore
trouble and blamed himself; but he waited till nightfall, when
the Moslems had pitched their tents for rest. Now he had been
degraded and expelled the royal camp together with those who were
left to him of his suite: so he said to them, "O my kinsmen, know
that Jaland and I are dismayed with exceeding dismay at the
coming of the Moslems, and I know that he will not avail to
protect me from my brother nor from any other; so it is my
counsel that we make our escape, whilst all eyes sleep, and flee
to King Ya'arub bin Kahtán,
[FN#20] for that he hath more of men
and is stronger of reign." They, hearing his advice exclaimed
"Right is thy rede," whereupon he bade them kindle fires at their
tent-doors and march under cover of the night. They did his
bidding and set out, so by daybreak they had already fared far
away. As soon as it was morning Jaland mounted with two hundred
and sixty-thousand fighting-men, clad cap-ŕ-pie in hauberks and
cuirasses and strait-knit mail-coats, the kettle-drums beat a
point of war and all drew out for cut and thrust and fight and
fray. Then Jamrkan and Sa'adan rode out with forty-thousand
stalwart fighting-men, under each standard a thousand cavaliers,
doughty champions, foremost in champaign. The two hosts drew out
in battles and bared their blades and levelled their limber
lances, for the drinking of the cup of death. The first to open
the gate of strife was Sa'adan, as he were a mountain of syenite
or a Marid of the Jinn. Then dashed out to him a champion of the
Infidels, and the Ghul slew him and casting him to the earth,
cried out to his sons and slaves, saying, "Light the fire and
roast me this dead one." They did as he bade and brought him the
roast and he ate it and crunched whilst the Kafirs stood looking
on from afar; and they cried out, "Oh for aid from the light-
giving Sun!" and were affrighted at the thought of being slain by
Sa'adan. Then Jaland shouted to his men, saying, "Slay me yonder
loathsome beast!" Whereupon another captain of his host drove at
the Ghul; but he slew him and he ceased not to slay horseman
after horseman, till he had made an end of thirty men. With this
the blamed Kafirs held back and feared to face him, crying, "Who
shall cope with Jinns and Ghuls?" But Jaland raised his voice
saying, "Let an hundred horse charge him and bring him to me,
bound or slain." So an hundred horse set upon Sa'adan with swords
and spears, and he met them with a heart firmer than flint,
proclaiming the unity of the Requiting King, whom no one thing
diverteth from other thing. Then he cried aloud, "Allaho Akbar!"
and, smiting them with his sword, made their heads fly and in one
onset he slew of them four-and-seventy whereupon the rest took to
flight. So Jaland shouted aloud to ten of his captains, each
commanding a thousand men, and said to them, "Shoot his horse
with arrows till it fall under him, and then lay hands on him."
Therewith ten thousand horse drove at Sa'adan who met them with a
stout heart; and Jamrkan, seeing this, bore down upon the
Miscreants with his Moslems, crying out, "God is Most Great!"
Before they could reach the Ghul, the enemy had slain his steed
and taken him prisoner; but they ceased not to charge the
Infidels, till the day grew dark for dust and eyes were blinded,
and the sharp sword clanged while firm stood the valiant cavalier
and destruction overtook the faint-heart in his fear; till the
Moslems were amongst the Paynims like a white patch on a black
bull.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that battle
raged between the Moslems and the Paynims till the True Believers
were like a white patch on a black bull. Nor did they stint from
the mellay till the darkness fell down, when they drew apart,
after there had been slain of the Infidels men without compt.
Then Jamrkan and his men returned to their tents; but they were
in great grief for Sa'adan, so that neither meat nor sleep was
sweet to them, and they counted their host and found that less
than a thousand had been slain. But Jamrkan said, "O folk, to-
morrow I will go forth into the battle-plain and place where cut
and thrust obtain, and slay their champions and make prize of
their families after taking them captives and I will ransom
Sa'adan therewith' by the leave of the Requiting King, whom no
one thing diverteth from other thing!" Wherefore their hearts
were heartened and they joyed as they separated to their tents.
Meanwhile Jaland entered his pavilion and sitting down on his
sofa of estate, with his folk about him, called for Sa'adan and
forthright on his coming, said to him, "O dog run wood and least
of the Arab brood and carrier of firewood, who was it slew my son
Kurajan, the brave of the age, slayer of heroes and caster down
of warriors?" Quoth the Ghul, "Jamrkan slew him, captain of the
armies of King Gharib, Prince of cavaliers, and I roasted and ate
him, for I was anhungered." When Jaland heard these words, his
eyes sank into his head for rage and he bade his swordbearer
smite Sa'adan's neck. So he came forward in that intent,
whereupon Sa'adan stretched himself mightily and bursting his
bonds, snatched the sword from the headsman and hewed off his
head. Then he made at Jaland who threw himself down from the
throne and fled; whilst Sa'adan fell on the bystanders and killed
twenty of the King's chief officers, and all the rest took to
flight. Therewith loud rose the crying in the camp of the
Infidels and the Ghul sallied forth of the pavilion and falling
upon the troops smote them with the sword, right and left, till
they opened and left a lane for him to pass; nor did he cease to
press forward, cutting at them on either side, till he won free
of the Miscreants' tents and made for the Moslem camp. Now these
had heard the uproar among their enemies and said, "Haply some
calamity hath befallen them." But whilst they were in perplexity,
behold, Sa adan stood amongst them and they rejoiced at his
coming with exceeding joy; more especially Jamrkan, who saluted
him with the salam as did other True Believers and gave him joy
of his escape. Such was the case with the Moslems; but as regards
the Miscreants, when, after the Ghul's departure, they and their
King returned to their tents, Jaland said to them, "Ofolk, by the
virtue of the Sun's light-giving ray and by the darkness of the
Night and the light of the Day and the Stars that stray, I
thought not this day to have escaped death in mellay; for, had I
fallen into yonder fellow's hands, he had eaten me, as I were a
kernel of wheat or a barley corn or any other grain." They re
plied, "O King, never saw we any do the like of this Ghul." And
he said, "O folk, to-morrow do ye all don arms and mount steed
and trample them under your horses' hooves." Meanwhile the
Moslems had ended their rejoicings at Sa'adan's return and
Jamrkan said to them, "To-morrow, I will show you my derring-do
and what behoveth the like of me, for by the virtue of Abraham
the Friend, I will slay them with the foulest of slaughters and
smite them with the bite of the sword, till all who have under
standing confounded at them shall stand. But I mean to attack
both right and left wings; so, when ye see me drive at the King
under the standards, do ye charge behind me with a resolute
charge, and Allah's it is to decree what thing shall be!" Accord
ingly the two sides lay upon their arms till the day broke
through night and the sun appeared to sight. Then they mounted
swiftlier than the twinkling of the eyelid; the raven of the wold
croaked and the two hosts, looking each at other with the eye of
fascina tion, formed in line-array and prepared for fight and
fray. The first to open the chapter of war was Jamrkan who
wheeled and careered and offered fight in field; and Jaland and
his men were about to charge when, behold, a cloud of dust
uprolled till it walled the wold and overlaid the day. Then the
four winds smote it and away it floated, torn to rags, and there
appeared beneath it cavaliers, with helms black and garb white
and many a princely knight and lances that bite and swords that
smite and footmen who lion-like knew no affright Seeing this,
both armies left fighting and sent out scouts to reconnoitre and
report who thus had come in main and might. So they went and
within the dust cloud disappeared from sight, and returned after
awhile with the news aright that the approaching host was one of
Moslems, under the command of King Gharib. When the True
Believers heard from the scouts of the coming of their King, they
rejoiced and driving out to meet him, dismounted and kissed the
earth between his hands--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Moslems saw the presence of their King Gharib, they joyed with
exceeding joy; and, kissing the earth between his hands, saluted
him and get around him whilst he welcomed them and rejoiced in
their safety. Then they escorted him to their camp and pitched
pavilions for him and set up standards; and Gharib sat down on
his couch of estate, with his Grandees about him; and they
related to him all that had befallen, especially to Sa'adan
Meanwhile the Kafirs sought for Ajib and finding him not among
them nor in their tents, told Jaland of his flight, whereat his
Doomsday rose and he bit his fingers, saying, "by the Sun's
light-giving round, he is a perfidious hound and hath fled with
his rascal rout to desert ground. But naught save force of hard
fighting will serve us to repel these foes; so fortify your
resolves and hearten your hearts and beware of the Moslems." And
Gharib also said to the True Believers, "Strengthen your courage
and fortify your hearts and seek aid of your Lord, beseeching him
to vouchsafe you the victory over your enemies." They replied, "O
King, soon thou shalt see what we will do in battle-plain where
men cut and thrust amain." So the two hosts slept till the day
arose with its sheen and shone and the rising sun rained light
upon hill and down, when Gharib prayed the two-bow prayer, after
the rite of Abraham the Friend (on whom be the Peace!) and wrote
a letter, which he despatched by his brother Sahim to the King of
the Kafirs. When Sahim reached the enemies' camp, the guards
asked him what he wanted, and he answered them, "I want your
ruler.''
[FN#21] Quoth they, "Wait till we consult him anent
thee;" and he waited, whilst they went in to their Sovran and
told him of the coming of a messenger, and he cried, "Hither with
him to me!" So they brought Sahim before Jaland, who said to him,
"Who hath sent thee?" Quoth he, King Gharib sends me, whom Allah
hath made ruler over Arab and Ajam; receive his letter and return
its reply." Jaland took the writ and opening it, read as follows,
"In the name of Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate *
the One, the All-knowing, the supremely Great * the Immemorial,
the Lord of Noah and Sálih and Húd and Abraham and of all things
He made! * The Peace be on him who followeth in the way of
righteousness and who feareth the issues of frowardness * who
obeyeth the Almighty King and followeth the Faith saving and
preferreth the next world to any present thing! * But afterwards:
O Jaland, none is worthy of worship save Allah alone, the
Victorious, the One, Creator of night and day and the sphere
revolving alway * Who sendeth the holy Prophets and garreth the
streams to flow and the trees to grow, who vaulted the heavens
and spread out the earth like a carpet below * Who feedeth the
birds in their nests and the wild beasts in the deserts * for He
is Allah the All-powerful, the Forgiving, the Long-suffering, the
Protector, whom eye comprehendeth on no wise and who maketh night
on day arise * He who sent down the Apostles and their Holy Writ.
Know, O Jaland, that there is no faith but the Faith of Abraham
the Friend; so cleave to the Creed of Salvation and be saved from
the biting glaive and the Fire which followeth the grave * But,
an thou refuse Al-Islam, look for ruin to haste and thy reign to
be waste and thy traces untraced * And, lastly, send me the dog
Ajib hight that I may take from him my father's and mother's
blood-wit."
When Jaland had read this letter, he said to Sahim,
"Tell thy lord that Ajib hath fled, he and his folk, and I know
not whither he is gone; but, as for Jaland, he will not forswear
his faith, and to-morrow, there shall be battle between us and
the Sun shall give us the victory." So Sahim returned to his
brother with this reply, and when the morning morrowed, the
Moslems donned their arms and armour and bestrode their stout
steeds, calling aloud on the name of the All-conquering King,
Creator of bodies and souls, and magnifying Him with "Allaho
Akbar." Then the kettle-drums of battle beat until earth
trembled, and sought the field all the lordly warriors and
doughty champions: The first to open the gate of battle was
Jamrkan, who crave his charger into mid-plain and played with
sword and javelin, till the understanding was amazed; after which
he cried out, saying, "Ho! who is for tilting? Ho! who is for
fighting? Let no sluggard come out to me to-day nor weakling! I
am the slayer of Kurajan bin Jaland; who will come forth to
avenge him?" When Jaland heard the name of his son, he cried out
to his men, "O whore-sons, bring me yonder horseman who slew my
son, that I may eat his flesh and drink his blood." So an hundred
fighting-men charged at Jamrkan, but he slew the most part of
them and put their chief to flight; which feat when Jaland saw,
he cried out to his folk, "At him all at once and assault him
with one assault." Accordingly they waved the awe-striking
banners and host was heaped on host; Gharib rushed on with his
men and Jamrkan did the same and the two sides met like two seas
together clashing. The Yamáni sword and spear wrought havoc and
breasts and bellies were rent, whilst both armies saw the Angel
of Death face to face and the dust of the battle rose to the
skirts of the sky. Ears went deaf and tongues went dumb and doom
from every side came on whilst valiant stood fast and faint-heart
fled: and they ceased not from fight and fray till ended the day,
when the drums beat the retreat and the two hosts drew apart and
returned, each to its tents.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King
Gharib ended the battle and the two hosts drew apart and each had
returned to his own tents, he sat down on the throne of his realm
and the place of his reign, whilst his chief officers ranged
themselves about him, and he said, "I am sore concerned for the
flight of the cur Ajib and I know not whither he has gone. Except
I overtake him and take my wreak of him, I shall die of despite."
Whereupon Sahim came forward and kissing the earth before him,
said, "O King, I will go to the army of the Kafirs and find out
what is come of the perfidious dog Ajib." Quoth Gharib, "Go, and
learn the truth anent the hog." So Sahim disguised himself in the
habit of the Infidels and became as he were of them; then, making
for the enemy's camp, he found them all asleep, drunken with war
and battle, and none were on wake save only the guards. He passed
on and presently came to the King's pavilion where he found King
Jaland asleep unattended; so he crept up and made him smell and
sniff up levigated Bhang and he became as one dead. Then Sahim
went out and took a male mule, and wrapping the King in the
coverlet of his bed, laid him on its back; after which he threw a
mat over him and led the beast to the Moslem camp. Now when he
came to Gharib's pavilion and would have entered, the guards knew
him not and prevented him, saying, "Who art thou?'' He laughed
and uncovered his face, and they knew him and admitted him. When
Gharib saw him he said, "What bearest there, O Sahim?"; and he
replied, "O King, this is Jaland bin Karkar." Then he uncovered
him, and Gharib knew him and said,"Arouse him, O Sahim," So he
made him smell vinegar
[FN#22] and frankincense; and he cast the
Bhang from his nostrils and, opening his eyes, found himself
among the Moslems; whereupon quoth he, "What is this foul dream?"
and closing his eyelids again, would have slept; but Sahim dealt
him a kick, saying, "Open thine eyes, O accursed!" So he opened
them and asked, "Where am I?"; and Sahim answered, "Thou art in
the presence of King Gharib bin Kundamir, King of Irak." When
Jaland heard this, he said, "O King, I am under thy protection!
Know that I am not at fault, but that who led us forth to fight
thee was thy brother, and the same cast enmity between us and
then fled." Quoth Gharib, "Knowest thou whither he is gone?"; and
quoth Jaland, "No, by the light-giving sun, I know not whither."
Then Gharib bade lay him in bonds and set guards over him, whilst
each captain returned to his own tent, and Jamrkan while wending
said to his men, "O sons of my uncle, I purpose this night to do
a deed wherewith I may whiten my face with King Gharib." Quoth
they, "Do as thou wilt, we hearken to thy commandment and obey
it." Quoth he, "Arm yourselves and, muffling your steps while I
go with you, let us fare softly and disperse about the Infidels'
camp, so that the very ants shall not be ware of you; and, when
you hear me cry ‘Allaho Akbar,' do ye the like and cry out,
saying, ‘God is Most Great!' and hold back and make for the city-
gate; and we seek aid from the Most High." So the folk armed
themselves cap-ŕ-pie and waited till the noon of Night, when they
dispersed about the enemy's camp and tarried awhile when, lo and
behold! Jamrkan smote shield with sword and shouted, "Allaho
Akbar'" Thereupon they all cried out the like, till rang again
valley and mountain, hills, sands and ruins. The Miscreants awoke
in dismay and fell one upon other, and the sword went round
amongst them; the Moslems drew back and made for the city-gates,
where they slew the warders and entering, made themselves masters
of the town with all that was therein of treasure and women. Thus
it befel with Jamrkan; but as regards King Gharib, hearing the
noise and clamour of "God is Most Great," he mounted with his
troops to the last man and sent on in advance Sahim who, when he
came near the field of fight, saw that Jamrkan had fallen upon
the Kafirs with the Banu Amir by night and made them drink the
cup of death. So he returned and told all to his brother, who
called down blessings on Jamrkan. And the Infidels ceased not to
smite one another with the biting sword and expending their
strength till the day rose and lighted up the land, when Gharib
cried out to his men, "Charge, O ye noble, and do a deed to
please the All-knowing King!" So the True Believers fell upon the
idolaters and plied upon every false hypocritical breast the keen
sword and the quivering spear. They sought to take refuge in the
city; but Jamrkan came forth upon them with his kinsmen, who
hemmed them in between two mountain-ranges, and slew an
innumerable host of them, and the rest fled into the wastes and
words.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fiftieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the Moslem host charged upon the Miscreants they hewed them in
pieces with the biting scymitar and the rest fled to the wastes
and words; nor did the Moslems cease pursuing them with the
sword, till they had scattered them abroad in the plains and
stony places. Then they returned to Oman city, and King Gharib
entered the palace of the King and, sitting down on the throne of
his kingship, with his Grandees and Of ficers ranged right and
left, sent for Jaland. They brought him in haste and Gharib ex
pounded to him Al-Islam; but he rejected it; wherefore Gharib
bade crucify him on the gate of the city, and they shot at him
with shafts till he was like unto a porcupine. Then Gharib
honourably robed Jamrkan and said to him, "Thou shalt be lord of
this city arid ruler thereof with power to loose and to bind
therein, for it was thou didst open it with thy sword and thy
folk." And Jamrkan kissed the King's feet, thanked him and wished
him abiding victory and glory and every blessing Morever Gharib
opened Jaland's treasuries and saw what was therein of coin,
whereof he gave largesse to his captains and standard bearers and
fighting-men, yea, even to the girls and children; and thus he
lavished his gifts ten days long. After this, one night he dreamt
a terrible dream and awoke, troubled and trembling. So he aroused
his brother Sahim and said to him, "I saw in my vision that we
were in a wide valley, when there pounced down on us two ravening
birds of prey, never in my life saw I greater than they; their
legs were like lances, and as they swooped we were in sore fear
of them." Replied Sahim, "O King, this be some great enemy; so
stand on thy guard against him." Gharib slept not the rest of the
night and, when the day broke, he called for his courser and
mounted. Quoth Sahim, "Whither goest thou, my brother?" and quoth
Gharib, "I awoke heavy at heart; so I mean to ride abroad ten
days and broaden my breast." Said Sahim, "Take with thee a
thousand braves;" but Gharib replied, "I will not go forth but
with thee and only thee." So the two brothers mounted and,
seeking the dales and leasows, fared on from Wady to Wady and
from meadow to meadow, till they came to a valley abounding in
streams and sweet-smelling flowers and trees laden with all
manner eatable fruits, two of each kind. Birds warbled on the
branches their various strains; the mocking bird trilled out her
sweet notes fain and the turtle filled with her voice the plain.
There sang the nightingale, whose chant arouses the sleeper, and
the merle with his note like the voice of man and the cushat and
the ring-dove, whilst the parrot with its eloquent tongue
answered the twain. The valley pleased them and they ate of its
fruits and drank of its waters, after which they sat under the
shadow of its trees till drowsiness overcame them and they slept,
glory be to Him who sleepeth not! As they lay asleep, lo! two
fierce Marids swooped down on them and, taking each one on his
shoulders, towered with them high in air, till they were above
the clouds. So Gharib and Sahim awoke and found themselves
betwixt heaven and earth; whereupon they looked at those who bore
them and saw that they were two Marids, the head of the one being
as that of a dog and the head of the other as that of an
ape
[FN#23] with hair like horses' tails and claws like lions'
claws, and both were big as great palm-trees. When they espied
this case, they exclaimed,, "There is no Majesty and there is no
Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" Now the cause of
this was that a certain King of the Kings of the Jinn, highs
Mura'ash, had a son called Sá'ik, who loved a damsel of the Jinn,
named Najmah;
[FN#24] and the twain used to foregather in that
Wady under the sem blance of two birds. Gharib and Sahim saw them
thus and deeming them birds, shot at them with shafts but
wounding only Sa'ik whose blood flowed. Najmah mourned over him;
then, fearing lest the like calamity befal herself, snatched up
her lover and flew with him to his father's palace, where she
cast him down at the gate. The warders bore him in and laid him
before his sire who, seeing the pile sticking in his rib
exclaimed, "Alas, my son! Who hath done with thee this thing,
that I may lay waste his abiding-place and hurry on his
destruction, though he were the greatest of the Kings of the
Jann?" Thereupon Sa'ik opened his eyes and said, "O my father,
none slew me save a mortal in the Valley of Springs." Hardly had
he made an end of these words, when his soul departed; whereupon
his father buffeted his face, till the blood streamed from his
mouth, and cried out to two Marids, saying, "Hie ye to the Valley
of Springs and bring me all who are therein." So they betook
themselves to the Wady in question, where they found Gharib and
Sahim asleep, and, snatching them up, carried them to King
Mura'ash.
[FN#25]--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
two Marids, after snatching up Gharib and Sahim in their sleep,
carried them to Mura'ash, king of the Jann, whom they saw seated
on the throne of his kinship, as he were a huge mountain, with
four heads on his body,
[FN#26] the first that of a lion, the
second that of an elephant, the third that of a panther, and the
fourth that of a lynx. The Marids set them down before Mura'ash
and said to him, "O King, these twain be they we found in the
Valley of Springs." Thereupon he looked at them with wrathful
eyes and sparked and snorted and shot sparks from his nostrils,
so that all who stood by feared him. Then said he, "O dogs of
mankind, ye have slain my son and lighted fire in my liver."
Quoth Gharib, "Who is thy son, and who hath seen him?" Quoth
Mura'ash "Were ye not in the Valley of Springs and did ye not see
my son there, in the guise of a bird, and did ye not shoot at him
with wooden bolts that he died?" Replied Gharib, "I know not who
slew him; and, by the virtue of the Great God, the One, the
Immemorial who knoweth things all, and of Abraham the Friend, we
saw no bird, neither slew we bird or beast!" Now when Mura'ash
heard Gharib swear by Allah and His greatness and by Abraham the
Friend, he knew him for a Moslem (he himself being a worshipper
of Fire, not of the All-powerful Sire), so he cried out to his
folk, "Bring me my Goddess.
[FN#27]" Accordingly they brought a
brazier of gold and, setting it before him, kindled therein fire
and cast on drugs, whereupon there arose therefrom green and blue
and yellow flames and the King and all who were present
prostrated themselves before the brazier, whilst Gharib and Sahim
ceased not to attest the Unity of Allah Almighty, to cry out "God
is Most Great" and to bear witness to His Omnipotence. Presently,
Mura'ash raised his head and, seeing the two Princes standing in
lieu of falling down to worship, said to them, "O dogs, why do ye
not prostrate yourselves?" Replied Gharib, "Out on you, O ye
accursed! Prostration befitteth not man save to the Worshipful
King, who bringeth forth all creatures into beingness from
nothingness and maketh water to well from the barren rockwell,
Him who inclineth heart of sire unto new-born scion and who may
not be described as sitting or standing; the God of Noah and
Salih and Hud and Abraham the Friend, Who created Heaven and Hell
and trees and fruit as well,
[FN#28] for He is Allah, the One, the
All-powerful." When Mura'ash heard this, his eyes sank into his
head
[FN#29] and he cried out to his guards, saying, "Pinion me
these two dogs and sacrifice them to my Goddess." So they bound
them and were about to cast them into the fire when, behold, one
of the crenelles of the palace parapet fell down upon the brazier
and brake it and put out the fire, which became ashes flying in
air. Then quoth Gharib, "God is Most Great! He giveth aid and
victory and He forsaketh those who deny Him, worshipping Fire and
not the Almighty King!" Presently quoth Mura'ash, "Thou art a
sorcerer and hast bewitched my Goddess, so that this thing hath
befallen her." Gharib replied, "O madman, an the fire had soul or
sense it would have warded off from self all that hurteth it."
When Mura'ash heard these words, he roared and bellowed and
reviled the Fire, saying, "By my faith, I will not kill you save
by the fire!" Then he bade cast them into gaol; and, calling an
hundred Marids, made them bring much fuel and set fire thereto.
So they brought great plenty of wood and made a huge blaze, which
flamed up mightily till the morning, when Mura'ash mounted an
elephant, bearing on its back a throne of gold dubbed with
jewels, and the tribes of the Jinn gathered about him in their
various kinds. Presently they brought in Gharib and Sahim who,
seeing the flaming of the fire, sought help of the One, the All-
conquering Creator of night and day, Him of All-might, whom no
sight comprehendeth, but who comprehendeth all sights, for He is
the Subtle, the All-knowing. And they ceased not humbly
beseeching Him till, behold, a cloud arose from West to East and,
pouring down showers of rain, like the swollen sea, quenched the
fire. When the King saw this, he was affrighted, he and his
troops, and entered the palace, where he turned to the Wazirs and
Grandees and said to them, "How say ye of these two men?" They
replied, "O King, had they not been in the right, this thing had
not befallen the fire; wherefore we say that they be true men
which speak sooth." Rejoined Mura'ash, "Verily the Truth hath
been displayed to me, ay, and the manifest way, and I am
certified that the worship of the fire is false; for, were it
goddess, it had warded off from itself the rain which quenched it
and the stone which broke its brazier and beat it into ashes.
Wherefore I believe in Him Who created the fire and the light and
the shade and the heat. And ye, what say ye?" They answered, "O
King, we also hear and follow and obey." So the King called for
Gharib and embraced him and kissed him between the eyes and then
summoned Sahim; whereupon the bystanders all crowded to kiss
their hands and heads.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifth-second Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Mura'ash and his men found salvation in the Saving Faith, Al-
Islam, he called for Gharib and Sahim and kissed them between the
eyes and so did all the Grandees who crowded to buss their hands
and heads. Then Mura'ash sat down on the throne of his kingship
and, seating Gharib on his right and Sahim on his left hand, said
to them, "O mortals, what shall we say, that we may become
Moslems?" Replied Gharib, "Say, ‘There is no god but the God, and
Abraham is the Friend of God!'" So the King and his folk
professed Al-Islam with heart and tongue, and Gharib abode with
them awhile, teaching them the ritual of prayer. But presently he
called to mind his people and sighed, whereupon quoth Mura'ash,
"Verily, trouble is gone and joy and gladness are come." Quoth
Gharib, "O King, I have many foes and I fear for my folk from
them." Then he related to him his history with his brother Ajib
from first to last, and the King of the Jinns said, "O King of
men, I will send one who shall bring thee news of thy people, for
I will not let thee go till I have had my fill of thy face." Then
he called two doughty Marids, by name Kaylaján and Kúraján, and
after they had done him homage, he bade them repair to Al-Yaman
and bring him news of Gharib's army. They replied, "To hear is to
obey," and departed. Thus far concerning the brothers; but as
regards the Moslems, they arose in the morning and led by their
captains rode to King Gharib's palace, to do their service to
him; but the eunuchs told them that the King had mounted with his
brother and had ridden forth at peep o' day. So they made for the
valleys and mountains and followed the track of the Princes, till
they came to the Valley of Springs, where they found their arms
cast down and their two gallant steeds grazing and said, "The
King is missing from this place, by the glory of Abraham the
Friend!" Then they mounted and sought in the valley and the
mountains three days, but found no trace of them; whereupon they
began the mourning ceremonies and, send ing for couriers, said to
them, "Do ye disperse yourselves about the cities and sconces and
castles, and seek ye news of our King." "Harkening and
obedience!" cried the couriers, who dispersed hither and thither
each over one of the Seven Climes and sought everywhere for
Gharib, but found no trace of him. Now when the tidings came to
Ajib by his spies that his brother was lost and there was no news
of the missing, he rejoiced and going in to King Ya'arub bin
Kahtan, sought of him aid which he granted and gave him two
hundred thousand Amalekites, wherewith he set out for Al-Yaman
and sat down before the city of Oman. Jamrkan and Sa'adan sallied
forth and offered him battle, and there were slain of the Moslems
much folk, so the True Believers retired into the city and shut
the gates and manned the walls. At this moment came up the two
Marids Kaylajan and Kurajan and, seeing the Moslem beleaguered
waited till nightfall, when they fell upon the miscreants and
plied them with sharp swords of the swords of the Jinn, each
twelve cubits long, if a man smote therewith a rock, verily he
would cleave it in sunder. They charged the Idolaters, shouting,
"Allaho Akbar! God is Most Great! He giveth aid and victory and
forsaketh those who deny the Faith of Abraham the Friend!" and
whilst they raged amongst the foes, fire issued from their mouths
and nostrils, and they made great slaughter amongst them.
Thereupon the Infidels ran out of their tents offering battle
but, seeing these strange things, were confounded and their hair
stood on end and their reason fled. So they snatched up their
arms and fell one upon other, whilst the Marids shore off their
heads, as a reaper eareth grain, crying, "God is Most Great! We
are the lads of King Gharib, the friend of Mura'ash, King of the
Jinn!" The sword ceased not to go round amongst them till the
night was half spent, when the Misbelievers, imagining that the
mountains were all Ifrits, loaded their tents and treasure and
baggage upon camels and made off; and the first to fly was Ajib.-
-And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Misbelievers made off and the first
to fly was Ajib. Thereupon the Moslems gathered together, marvelling at this that had betided
the Infidels and fearing the tribesmen of the Jinn. But the Marids ceased not from pursuit, till
they had driven them far away into the hills and words; and but fifty-thousand Rebels
[FN#30] of
two hundred thousand escaped with their lives and made for their own land, wounded and sore
discomforted. Then the two Jinns returned and said to them, "O host of the Moslems, your lord
King Gharib and his brother Sahim salute you; they are the guests of Mura'ash, King of the Jann,
and will be with you anon " When Gharib's men heard that he was safe and well, they joyed with
exceeding joy and said to the Marids, "Allah gladden you twain with good news, O noble
spirits!" So Kurajan and Kaylajan returned to Mura'ash and Gharib; and acquainted them with
that which had happened, whereat Gharib finding the two sitting together felt heart at ease and
said, "Allah abundantly requite you!" Then quoth King Mura'ash, "O my brother, I am minded
to show thee our country and the city of Japhet
[FN#31] son of Noah (on whom be peace!)"
Quoth Gharib, "O King, do what seemeth good to thee." So he called for three noble steeds and
mounting, he and Gharib and Sahim, set out with a thousand Marids, as they were a piece of a
mountain cloven lengthwise. They fared on, solacing themselves with the sight of valleys and
mountains, till they came to Jabarsá,
[FN#32] the city of Japhet son of Noah (on whom be
peace!) where the townsfolk all, great and small, came forth to meet King Mura'ash and brought
them into the city in great state. Then Mura'ash went up to the palace of Japhet son of Noah and
sat down on the throne of his kingship, which was of alabaster, ten stages high and latticed with
wands of gold wherefrom hung all manner coloured silks. The people of the city stood before
him and he said to them, "O seed of Yafis bin Nuh, what did your fathers and grandfathers
worship?" They replied, "We found them worshipping Fire and followed their example, as thou
well knowest." "O folk," rejoined Mura'ash, "we have been shown that the fire is but one of the
creatures of Almighty Allah, Creator of all things; and when we knew this, we submitted
ourselves to God, the One, the All-powerful, Maker of night and day and the sphere revolving
alway, Whom compre hendeth no sight, but Who comprehendeth all sights, for He is the Subtle,
the All-wise. So seek ye Salvation and ye shall be saved from the wrath of the Almighty One and
from the fiery doom in the world to come." And they embraced Al-Islam with heart and tongue.
Then Mura'ash took Gharib by the hand and showed him the palace and its ordinance and all the
marvels it contained, till they came to the armoury, wherein were the arms .of Japhet son of
Noah. Here Gharib saw a sword hanging to a pin of gold and asked, "O King, whose is that?"
Mura'ash answered, " 'Tis the sword of Yafis bin Nuh, wherewith he was wont to do battle
against men and Jinn. The sage Jardúm forged it and graved on its back names of might.
[FN#33]
It is named Al-Máhík the Annihilator for that it never descendeth upon a man, but it annihilateth
him, nor upon a Jinni, but it crusheth him; and if one smote therewith a mountain ‘twould
overthrow it." When Gharib heard tell of the virtues of the sword, he said, "I desire to look on
this blade;" and Mura'ash said, "Do as thou wilt." So Gharib put out his hand, and, hending the
sword, drew it from its sheath; whereupon it flashed and Death crept on its edge and glittered;
and it was twelve spans long and three broad. Now Gharib wished to become owner of it, and
King Mura'ash said, "An thou canst smite with it,take it." " 'Tis well," Gharib replied, and took
it up, and it was in his hand as a staff; wherefore all who were present, men and Jinn, marvelled
and said, "Well done, O Prince of Knights!" Then said Mura'ash "Lay thy hand on this hoard for
which the Kings of the earth sigh in vain, and mount, that I may show thee the city." Then they
took horse and rode forth the palace, with men and Jinns attending them on foot,--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib and King Mura'ash rode
forth the palace of Japhet, with men and Jinns attending them on foot, they passed through the
streets and thoroughfares of the town, by palaces and deserted mansions and gilded doorways,
till they issued from the gates and entered gardens full of trees fruit-bearing and waters welling
and birds speaking and celebrating the praises of Him to whom belong Majesty and Eternity; nor
did they cease to solace themselves in the land till nightfall, when they returned to the palace of
Japhet son of Noah and they brought them the table of food So they ate and Gharib turned to the
King of the Jann and said to him, "O King, I would fain return to my folk and my force; for I
know not their plight after me." Replied Mura'ash, "By Allah, O my brother, I will not part with
thee for a full month, till I have had my fill of thy sight." Now Gharib could not say nay, so he
abode with him in the city of Japhet, eating and drinking and making merry, till the month
ended, when Mura'ash gave him great store of gems and precious ores, emeralds and balass-
rubies, diamonds and other jewels, ingots of gold and silver and likewise ambergis and musk and
brocaded silks and else of rarities and things of price. Moreover he clad him and Sahim in silken
robes of honour gold inwoven and set on Gharib's head a crown jewelled with pearls and
diamonds of inestimable value. All these treasures he made up into even loads for him and,
calling five hundred Marids, said to them, "Get ye ready to travel on the morrow, that we may
bring King Gharib and Sahim back to their own country." And they answered, "We hear and we
obey." So they passed the night in the city, purposing to depart on the morrow, but, next
morning, as they were about to set forth behold, they espied a great host advancing upon the city,
with horses neighing and kettle-drums beating and trumpets braying and riders filling the earth
for they numbered threescore and ten thousand Marids, flying and diving, under a King called
Barkan. Now this Barkan was lord of the City of Carnelian and the Castle of Gold and under his
rule were five hill-strongholds, in each five hundred thousand Marids; and he and his tribe
worshipped the Fire, not the Omnipotent Sire. He was a cousin of Mura'ash, the son of his
father's brother, and the cause of his coming was that there had been among the subjects of King
Mura'ash a misbelieving Marid, who professed Al-Islam hypocritically, and he stole away from
his people and made for the Valley of Carnelian, where he went in to King Barkan and, kissing
the earth before him, wished him abiding glory and prosperity. Then he told him of Mura'ash
being converted to Al-Islam, and Barkan said, "How came he to tear himself away from his
faith
[FN#34]?'' So the rebel told him what had passed and, when Barkan heard it, he snorted and
sparked and railed at Sun and Moon and sparkling Fire, saying, "By the virtue of my faith, I will
surely slay mine uncle's son and his people and this mortal, nor will I leave one of them alive!"
Then he cried out to the legions of the Jinn and choosing of them seventy-thousand Marids, set
out and fared on till he came to Jabarsá
[FN#35] the city of Japhet and encamped before its gates.
When Mura'ash saw this, he despatched a Marid, saying, "Go to this host and learn all that it
wanteth and return hither in haste." So the messenger rushed away to Barkan's camp, where the
Marids flocked to meet him and said to him, "Who art thou?" Replied he, "An envoy from King
Mura'ash;" whereupon they carried him in to Barkan, before whom he prostrated himself,
saying, "O my lord, my master hath sent me to thee, to learn tidings of thee." Quoth Barkan,
"Return to thy lord and say to him, ‘This is thy cousin Barkan, who is come to salute thee.'"--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Marid-envoy of Mura'ash was
borne before Barkan and said to him, "O my lord, my master hath sent me to thee to learn tidings
of thee," Barkan replied, "Return to thy lord and say to him, ‘This is thy cousin Barkan who is
come to salute thee!'" So the messenger went back and told Mura'ash, who said to Gharib, "Sit
thou on thy throne whilst I go and salute my cousin and return to thee." Then he mounted and
rode to the camp of his uncle's son. Now this was a trick
[FN#36] of Barkan, to bring Mura'ash
out and seize upon him, and he said to his Marids, whom he had stationed about him, "When ye
see me embrace him,
[FN#37] lay hold of him and pinion him." And they replied, "To hear is to
obey." So, when King Mura'ash came up and entered Barkan's pavilion, the owner rose to him
and threw his arms round his neck; whereat the Jann fell upon Mura'ash and pinioned him and
chained him. Mura'ash looked at Barkan and said, "What manner of thing is this?" Quoth
Barkan, "O dog of the Jann, wilt thou leave the faith of thy fathers and grandfathers and enter a
faith thou knowest not?" Rejoined Mura'ash, "O son of my uncle, indeed I have found the faith
of Abraham the Friend to be the True Faith and all other than it vain." Asked Barkan, "And who
told thee of this?"; and Mura'ash answered, "Gharib, King of Irak, whom I hold in the highest
honour." "By the right of the Fire and the Light and the Shade and the Heat," cried Barkan, "I
will assuredly slay both thee and him!" And he cast him into gaol. Now when Mura'ash's
henchman saw what had befallen his lord, he fled back to the city and told the King's legionaries
who cried out and mounted. Quoth Gharib, "What is the matter?" And they told him all that had
passed, whereupon he cried out to Sahim, "Saddle me one of the chargers that King Mura'ash
gave me." Said Sahim, "O my brother, wilt thou do battle with the Jinn?" Gharib replied, "Yes, I
will fight them with the sword of Japhet son of Noah, seeking help of the Lord of Abraham the
Friend (on whom be the Peace!); for He is the Lord of all things and sole Creator!" So Sahim
saddled him a sorrel horse of the horses of the Jinn, as he were a castle strong among castles, and
he armed and mounting, rode out with the legions of the Jinn, hauberk'd cap-ŕ-pie. Then Barkan
and his host mounted also and the two hosts drew out in lines facing each other. The first to open
the gate of war was Gharib, who crave his steed into the mid-field and bared the enchanted
blade, whence issued a glittering light that dazzled the eyes of all the Jinn and struck terror to
their hearts. Then he played
[FN#38] with the sword till their wits were wildered, and cried out,
saying, "Allaho Akbar! I am Gharib, King of Irak. There is no Faith save the Faith of Abraham
the Friend!" Now when Barkan heard Gharib's words, he said, "This is he who seduced my
cousin from his religion; so, by the virtue of my faith, I will not sit down on my throne till I have
decapitated this Gharib and suppressed his breath of life and forced my cousin and his people
back to their belief: and whoso baulketh me, him will I destroy." Then he mounted an elephant
paper-white as he were a tower plastered with gypsum, and goaded him with a spike of steel
which ran deep into his flesh, whereupon the elephant trumpeted and made for the battle-plain
where cut and thrust obtain; and, when he drew near Gharib, he cried out to him, saying, "O dog
of mankind, what made thee come into our land, to debauch my cousin and his folk and pervert
them from one faith to other faith. Know that this day is the last of thy worldly days." Gharib
replied, ‘‘Avaunt,
[FN#39] O vilest of the Jann!" Therewith Barkan drew a javelin and making it
quiver
[FN#40] in his hand, cast it at Gharib; but it missed him. So he hurled a second javelin at
him; but Gharib caught it in mid air and after poising it launched it at the elephant. It smote him
on the flank and came out on the other side, whereupon the beast fell to the earth dead and
Barkan was thrown to the ground, like a great palm-tree. Before he could stir, Gharib smote him
with the flat of Japhet's blade on the nape of the neck, and he fell upon the earth in a fainting fit;
whereupon the Marids swooped down on him and surrounding him pinioned his elbows. When
Barkan's people saw their king a prisoner, they drove at the others, seeking to rescue him, but
Gharib and the Islamised Jinn fell upon them and gloriously done for Gharib! indeed that day he
pleased the Lord who answereth prayer and slaked his vengeance with the talisman-sword!
Whomsoever he smote, he clove him in sunder and before his soul could depart he became a
heap of ashes in the fire; whilst the two hosts of the Jinn shot each other with flamy meteors till
the battle-field was wrapped in smoke. And Gharib tourneyed right and left among the Kafirs
who gave way before him, till he came to King Barkan's pavilion, with Kaylajan and Kurajan on
his either hand, and cried out to them, "Loose your lord!" So they unbound Mura'ash and broke
his fetters and----And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Gharib cried out to
Kaylajan and Kurajan, saying, "Loose your lord!", they unbound Mura'ash and broke his fetters,
and he said to them, "Bring me my arms and my winged horse." Now he had two flying steeds,
one of which he had given to Gharib and the other he had kept for himself; and this he mounted
after he had donned his battle harness. Then he and Gharib fell upon the enemy, flying through
the air on their winged horses, and the true believing Jinn followed them, shouting "Allaho
Akbar--God is Most Great!"--till plains and hills, valleys and mountains re-worded the cry. The
Infidels fled before them and they returned, after having slain more than thirty thousand Marids
and Satans, to the city of Japhet, where the two Kings sat down on their couches of estate and
sought Barkan, but found him not; for after capturing him they were diverted from him by stress
of battle, where an Ifrit of his servants made his way to him and loosing him, carried him to his
folk, of whom he found part slain and the rest in full flight. So he flew up with the King high in
air and sat him down in the City of Carnelian and Castle of Gold, where Barkan seated himself
on the throne of his kingship. Presently, those of his people who had survived the affair came in
to him and gave him joy of his safety; and he said, "O folk, where is safety? My army is slain
and they took me prisoner and have rent in pieces mine honour among the tribes of the Jann."
Quoth they, "O King, 'tis ever thus that kings still afflict and are afflicted." Quoth he, "There is
no help but I take my wreak and wipe out my shame, else shall I be for ever disgraced among the
tribes of the Jann." Then he wrote letters to the Governors of his fortresses, who came to him
right loyally and, when he reviewed them, he found three hundred and twenty-thousand fierce
Marids and Satans, who said to him, "What is thy need?" And he replied, "Get ye ready to set
out in three days' time;" whereto they rejoined "Harkening and obedience!" On this wise it befel
King Barkan; but as regards Mura'ash, when he discovered his prisoner's escape, it was grievous
to him and he said, "Had we set an hundred Marids to guard him, he had not fled; but whither
shall he go from us?" Then said he to Gharib, "Know, O my brother, that Barkan is perfidious
and will never rest from wreaking blood-revenge on us, but will assuredly assemble his legions
and return to attack us; wherefore I am minded to forestall him and follow the trail of his defeat,
whilst he is yet weakened thereby." Replied Gharib, "This is the right rede and will best serve
our need;" and Mura'ash, said, "Oh my brother, let the Marids bear thee back to thine own
country and leave me to fight the battles of the Faith against the Infidels, that I may be lightened
of my sin-load." But Gharib rejoined "By the virtue of the Clement, the Bountiful, the Veiler, I
will not go hence till I do to death all the misbelieving Jinn; and Allah hasten their souls to the
fire and dwelling-place dire; and none shall be saved but those who worship Allah the One the
Victorious! But do thou send Sahim back to the city of Oman, so haply he may be healed of his
ailment." For Sahim was sick. So Mura'ash cried to the Marids, saying, "Take ye up Sahim and
these treasures and bear them to Oman city." And after replying, "We hear and we obey," they
took them and made for the land of men. Then Mura'ash wrote letters to all his Governors and
Captains of fortresses and they came to him with an hundred and sixty-thousand warriors. So
they made them ready and departed for the City of Carnelian and the Castle of Gold, covering in
one day a year's journey and halted in a valley, where they encamped and passed the night. Next
morning as they were about to set forth, behold, the vanguard of Barkan's army appeared,
whereupon the Jinn cried out and the two hosts met and fell each upon other in that valley. Then
the engagement was dight and there befel a sore fight as though an earthquake shook the site and
fair plight waxed foul plight. Earnest came and jest took flight, and parley ceased ‘twixt wight
and wight,
[FN#41] whilst long lives were cut short in a trice and the Unbelievers fell into
disgrace and despite; for Gharib charged them, proclaiming the Unity of the Worshipful, the All-
might and shore through necks and left heads rolling in the dust; nor did night betide before nigh
seventy thousand of the Miscreants were slain, and of the Moslemised over ten thousand Marids
had fallen Then the kettle-drums beat the retreat, and the two hosts drew apart,--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased Baying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the two hosts drew apart, Gharib
and Mura'ash returned to their tents, after wiping their weapons, and supper being set before
them, they ate and gave each other joy of their safety, and the loss of their Marids being so
small. As for Barkan, he returned to his tent, grieving for the slaughter of his champions, and
said to his officers, "O folk, an we tarry here and do battle with them on this wise in three days'
time we shall be cut off to the last wight." Quoth they, "And how shall we do, O King?" Quoth
Barkan, "We will fall upon them under cover of night whilst they are deep in sleep, and not one
of them shall be left to tell the tale. So take your arms and when I give the word of command,
attack and fall on your enemies as one." Now there was amongst them a Marid named Jandal
whose heart inclined to Al-Islam; so, when he heard the Kafirs' plot, he stole away from them
and going in to King Mura'ash and King Gharib, told the twain what Barkan had devised;
whereupon Mura'ash turned to Gharib and said to him, "O my brother, what shall we do?"
Gharib replied, "To-night we will fall upon the Miscreants and chase them into the wilds and the
words if it be the will of the Omnipotent King." Then he summoned the Captains of the Jann and
said to them, "Arm yourselves, you and yours; and, as soon as 'tis dark, steal out of your tents on
foot, hundreds after hundreds, and lie in ambush among the mountains; and when ye see the
enemy engaged among the tents, do ye fall upon them from all quarters. Hearten your hearts and
rely on your Lord, and ye shall certainly conquer; and behold, I am with you!" So, as soon as it
was dark Night, the Infidels attacked the camp, invoking aid of the fire and light; but when they
came among the tents, the Moslems fell upon them, calling for help on the Lord of the Worlds
and saying, "O Most Merciful of Mercifuls, O Creator of all createds!" till they left them like
mown grass, cut down and dead. Nor did morning dawn before the most part of the unbelievers
were species without souls and the rest made for the wastes and marshes, whilst Gharib and
Mura'ash returned triumphant and victorious; and, making prize of the enemy's baggage, they
rested till the morrow, when they set out for the City of Carnelian and Castle of Gold. As for
Barkan, when the battle had turned against him and most of his lieges were slain, he fled through
the dark with the remnant of his power to his capital where he entered his palace and assembling
his legionaries said to them, "O folk, whoso hath aught of price, let him take it and follow me to
the Mountain Káf, to the Blue King, lord of the Pied Palace; for he it is who shall avenge us." So
they took their women and children and goods and made for the Caucasus mountain. Presently
Mura'ash and Gharib arrived at the City of Carnelian and Castle of Gold to find the gates open
and none left to give them news; whereupon they entered and Mura'ash led Gharib that he might
show him the city, whose walls were builded of emeralds and its gates of red carnelian, with
studs of silver, and the terrace-roofs of its houses and mansions reposed upon beams of lign
aloes and sandle-wood. So they took their pleasure in its streets and alleys, till they came to the
Palace of Gold and entering passed through seven vestibules, when they drew near to a building,
whose walls were of royal balass rubies and its pavement of emerald and jacinth. The two Kings
were astounded at the goodliness of the place and fared on from vestibule to vestibule, till they
had passed through the seventh and happened upon the inner court of the palace wherein they
saw four daises, each different from the others, and in the midst a jetting fount of red gold,
compassed about with golden lions,
[FN#42] from whose mouths issued water. These were things
to daze man's wit. The estrade at the upper end was hung and carpeted with brocaded silks of
various colours and thereon stood two thrones of red gold, inlaid with pearls and jewels. So
Mura'ash and Gharib sat down on Barkan's thrones and held high state in the Palace of Gold.--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Mura'ash and Gharib took seat on
Barkan's thrones and held high state. Then said Gharib to Mura'ash, "What thinkest thou to do?"
And Mura'ash replied, "O King of mankind, have despatched an hundred horse to learn where
Barkan is, that we may pursue him." Then they abode three days in the palace, the scouting
Marids returned with the news that Barkan had fled to the Mountain Kaf and craved protection
of the Blue King who granted it; whereupon quoth Mura'ash to Gharib, "What sayest thou, O my
brother?" and quoth Gharib, "Except we attack them they will attack us." So they bade the host
make ready for departure and after three days, they were about to set out with their troops, when
the Marids, who had carried Sahim and the presents back to Oman, returned and kissed ground
before Gharib. He questioned them of his people and they replied, "After the last affair, thy
brother Ajib, leaving Ya'arub bin Kahtan, fled to the King of Hind and, submitting his case,
sought his protection. The King granted his prayer and writing letters to all his governors, levied
an army as it were the surging sea, having neither beginning nor end, wherewith he purposeth to
invade Al-Irak and lay it waste." When Gharib heard this, he said, "Perish the Misbelievers!
Verily, Allah Almighty shall give the victory to Al-Islam and I will soon show them hew and
foin." Said Mura'ash, "O King of humans, by the virtue of the Mighty Name, I must needs go
with thee to thy kingdom and destroy thy foes and bring thee to thy wish." Gharib thanked him
and they rested on this resolve till the morrow, when they set out, intending for Mount Caucasus
and marched many days till they reached the City of Alabaster and the Pied Palace. Now this city
was fashioned of alabaster and precious stones by Bárik bin Fáki', father of the Jinn, and he also
founded the Pied Palace, which was so named because edified with one brick of gold alternating
with one of silver, nor was there builded aught like it in all the world. When they came within
half a day's journey of the city, they halted to take their rest, and Mura'ash sent out to
reconnoitre a scout who returned and said, "O King, within the City of Alabaster are legions of
the Jinn, for number as the leaves of the trees or as the drops of rain." So Mura'ash said to
Gharib, "How shall we do, O King of Mankind?" He replied, "O King, divide your men into four
bodies and encompass with them the camp of the Infidels; then, in the middle of the Night, let
them cry out, saying, ‘God is Most Great!' and withdraw and watch what happeneth among the
tribes of the Jinn." So Mura'ash did as Gharib counselled and the troops waited till midNight,
when they encircled the foe and shouted "Allaho Akbar! Ho for the Faith of Abraham the Friend,
on whom be the Peace!" The Misbelievers at this cry awoke in affright and snatching up their
arms, fell one upon other till the morning, when most part of them were dead bodies and but few
remained. Then Gharib cried out to the True Believers, saying, "Up and at the remnant of the
Kafirs! Behold I am with you, and Allah is your helper!" So the Moslems crave at the enemy and
Gharib bared his magical blade Al-Mahik and fell upon the foe, lopping off noses and making
heads wax hoary and whole ranks turn tail. At last be came up with Barkan and smote him and
bereft him of life and he fell down, drenched in his blood. On like wise he did with the Blue
King, and by undurn-hour not one of the Kafirs was left alive to tell the tale. Then Gharib and
Mura'ash entered the Pied Palace and found its walls builded of alternate courses of gold and
silver, with door-sills of crystal and keystones of greenest emerald. In its midst was a fountain
adorned with bells and pendants and figures of birds and beasts spouting forth water, and thereby
a daďs
[FN#43] furnished with gold-brocaded silk, bordered or embroidered with jewels: and they
found the treasures of the palace past count or description. Then they entered the women's court,
where they came upon a magnificent serraglio and Gharib saw, among the Blue King's woman-
folk a girl clad in a dress worth a thousand dinars, never had he beheld a goodlier. About her
were an hundred slave-girls, upholding her train with golden hooks, and she was in their midst as
the moon among stars. When he saw her, his reason was confounded and he said to one of the
waiting-women, "Who may be yonder maid?" Quoth they, "This is the Blue King's daughter,
Star o' Morn."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib asked the slave women
saying, "Who may be yonder maid," they replied, "This is Star o' Morn, daughter to the Blue
King." Then Gharib turned to Mura'ash and said to him, "O King of the Jinn, I have a mind to
take yonder damsel to wife." Replied Mura'ash, "The palace and all that therein is, live stock
and dead, are the prize of thy right hand; for, hadst thou not devised a stratagem to destroy the
Blue King and Barkan, they had cut us off to the last one: wherefore the treasure is thy treasure
and the folk thy thralls." Gharib thanked him for his fair speech and going up to the girl, gazed
steadfastly upon her and loved her with exceeding love, forgetting Fakhr Taj the Princess and
even Mahdiyah. Now her mother was the Chinese King's daughter whom the Blue King had
carried off from her palace and perforce deflowered, and she conceived by him and bare this girl,
whom he named Star o' Morn, by reason of her beauty and loveliness; for she was the very
Princess of the Fair. Her mother died when she was a babe of forty days, and the nurses and
eunuchs reared her, till she reached the age of seventeen; but she hated her sire and rejoiced in
his slaughter. So Gharib put his palm to hers
[FN#44] and went in unto her that night and found
her a virgin. Then he bade pull down the Pied Palace and divided the spoil with the true-
believing Jinn, and there fell to his share one-and-twenty thousand bricks of gold and silver and
money and treasure beyond speech and count. Then Mura'ash took Gharib and showed him the
Mountain Kaf and all its marvels; after which they returned to Barkan's fortress and dismantled
it and shared the spoil thereof. Then they repaired to Mura'ash's capital, where they tarried five
days, when Gharib sought to revisit his native country and Mura'ash said, "O King of mankind, I
will ride at thy stirrup and bring thee to thine own land." Replied Gharib, "No, by the virtue of
Abraham the Friend, I will not suffer thee to weary thyself thus, nor will I take any of the Jinn
save Kaylajan and Kurajan." Quoth the King, "Take with thee ten thousand horsemen of the
Jinn, to serve thee;" but quoth Gharib, "I will take only as I said to thee." So Mura'ash bade a
thousand Marids carry him to his native land, with his share of the spoil; and he commanded
Kaylajan and Kurajan to follow him and obey him; and they answered, "Hearkening and
obedience." Then said Gharib to the Marids, "Do ye carry the treasure and Star o' Morn;" for he
himself thought to ride his flying steed. But Mura'ash said to him, "This horse, O my brother,
will live only in our region, and, if it come upon man's earth, ‘twill die: but I have in my stables
a sea-horse, whose fellow is not found in Al-Irak, no, nor in all the world is its like." So he
caused bring forth the horse, and when Gharib saw it, it interposed between him and his
wits.
[FN#45] Then they bound it and Kaylajan bore it on his shoulders and Kurajan took what he
could carry. And Mura'ash embraced Gharib and wept for parting from him, saying, "O my
brother, if aught befal thee wherein thou art powerless, send for me and I will come to thine aid
with an army able to lay waste the whole earth and what is thereon." Gharib thanked him for his
kindness and zeal for the True Faith and took leave of him; whereupon the Marids set out with
Gharib and his goods; and, after traversing fifty years' journey in two days and a Night, alighted
near the city of Oman and halted to take rest. Then Gharib sent out Kaylajan, to learn news of his
people, and he returned and said, "O King, the city is beleaguered by a host of Infidels, as they
were the surging sea, and thy people are fighting them. The drums beat to battle and Jamrkan
goeth forth as champion in the field." When Gharib heard this, he cried aloud, "God is Most
Great!" and said to Kaylajan, "Saddle me the steed and bring me my arms and spear; for to-day
the valiant shall be known from the coward in the place of war and battle-stead." So Kaylajan
brought him all he sought and Gharib armed and belting in baldrick Al-Mahik, mounted the sea
horse and made toward the hosts. Quoth Kaylajan and Kurajan to him, Set thy heart at rest and
let us go to the Kafirs and scatter them abroad in the wastes and wilds till, by the help of Allah,
the All-powerful, we leave not a soul alive, no, not a blower of the fire." But Gharib said "By the
virtue of Abraham the [Friend, I will not let you fight them without me and behold, I mount!"
Now the cause of the coming of that great host was right mar vellous.
[FN#46]--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib had bidden Kaylajan go
and learn news of his people, the Jinn fared forth and presently returning said, "Verily around
thy city is a mighty host!" Now the cause of its coming was that Ajib, having fled the field after
Ya'arub's army had been put to the rout, said to his people, "O folk, if we return to Ya'arub bin
Kahtan, he will say to us, ‘But for you, my son and my people had not been slain; and he will put
us to death, even to the last man.' Wherefore, methinks we were better go to Tarkanán, King of
Hind, and beseech him to avenge us." Replied they, "Come, let us go thither; and the blessing of
the Fire be upon thee!" So they fared days and nights till they reached King Tarkanan's capital
city and, after asking and obtaining permission to present himself, Ajib went in to him and
kissed ground before him. Then he wished him what men use to wish to monarchy and said to
him, "O King, protect me, so may protect thee the sparkling Fire and the Night with its thick
darkness!" Tarkanan looked at Ajib and asked, "Who art thou and what dost thou want?"; to
which the other answered, "I am Ajib King of Al-Irak; my brother hath wronged me and gotten
the mastery of the land and the subjects have submitted themselves to him. Moreover, he hath
embraced the faith of Al-Islam and he ceaseth not to chase me from country to country; and
behold, I am come to seek protection of thee and thy power." When Tarkanan heard Ajib's
words, he rose and sat down and cried, "By the virtue of the Fire, I will assuredly avenge thee
and will let none serve other than my goddess the Fire!" And he called aloud to his son, saying,
"O my son, make ready to go to Al-Irak and lay it waste and bind all who serve aught but the
Fire and torment them and make example of them; yet slay them not, but bring them to me, that I
may ply them with various tortures and make them taste the bitterness of humiliation and leave
them a warning to whoso will be warned in this our while." Then he chose out to accompany
him eighty-thousand fighting-men on horseback and the like number on giraffes,
[FN#47]
besides ten thousand elephants, bearing on their backs seats
[FN#48] of sandal-wood, latticed
with golden rods, plated and studded with gold and silver and shielded with pavoises of gold and
emerald; moreover he sent good store of war-chariots, in each eight men fighting with all kinds
of weapons. Now the Prince's name was Ra'ad Sháh,
[FN#49] and he was the cham pion of his
time, for prowess having no peer. So he and his army equipped them in ten days' time, then set
out, as they were a bank of clouds, and fared on two months' journey, till they came upon Oman
city and encompassed it, to the joy of Ajib, who thought himself assured of victory. Jamrkan and
Sa'adan and all their fighting-men sallied forth into the field of fight whilst the kettle-drums beat
to battle and the horses neighed. At this moment up came King Gharib, who, as we have said,
had been warned by Kaylajan; and he urged on his destrier and entered among the Infidels
waiting to see who should come forth and open the chapter of war. Then out rushed Sa'adan the
Ghul and offered combat, whereupon there issued forth to him one of the champions of Hind;
but Sa'adan scarce let him take stand in front ere he smote him with his mace and crushed his
bones and stretched him on the ground; and so did he with a second and a third, till he had slain
thirty fighting-men. Then there dashed out at him an Indian cavalier, by name Battásh al-
Akrán,
[FN#50] uncle to King Tarkanan and of his day the doughtiest man, reckoned worth five
thousand horse in battle-plain and cried out to Sa'adan, saying, "O thief of the Arabs, hath thy
daring reached that degree that thou shouldst slay the Kings of Hind and their champions and
capture their horsemen? But this day is the last of thy worldly days." When Sa'adan heard these
words, his eyes waxed blood-red and he crave at Battash and aimed a stroke at him with his club;
but he evaded it and the force of the blow bore Sa'adan to the ground; and before he could
recover himself, the Indians pinioned him and haled him off to their tents. Now when Jamrkan
saw his comrade a prisoner, he cried out, saying, "Ho for the Faith of Abraham the Friend!" and
clapping heel to his horse, ran at Battash. They wheeled about awhile, till Battash charged
Jamrkan and catching him by his jerkin
[FN#51] tare him from his saddle and cast him to the
ground; whereupon the Indians bound him and dragged him away to their tents. And Battash
ceased not to overcome all who came out to him, Captain after Captain till he had made
prisoners of four-and-twenty Chiefs of the Moslems, whereat the True Believers were sore
dismayed. When Gharib saw what had befallen his braves, he drew from beneath his
knee
[FN#52] a mace of gold weighing six-score pounds which had belonged to Barkan King of
the Jann--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib beheld what had befallen his
braves he drew forth a golden mace which had belonged to Barkan King of the Jann and clapped
heel to his sea horse, which bore him like the wind gust into mid-field. Then he let drive at
Battash, crying out, "God is Most Great! He giveth aid and victory and He abaseth whoso reject
the Faith of Abraham the Friend!" and smote him with the mace, whereupon he fell to the
ground and Gharib, turning to the Moslems, saw his brother Sahim and said to him, "Pinion me
this hound." When Sahim heard his brother's words, he ran to Battash and bound him hard and
fast and bore him off, whilst the Moslem braves wondered who this knight could be and the
Indians said one to other, "Who is this horseman which came out from among them and hath
taken our Chief prisoner?" Meanwhile Gharib continued to offer battle and there issued forth to
him a captain of the Hindis whom he felled to earth with his mace, and Kaylajan and Kurajan
pinioned him and delivered him over to Sahim; nor did Gharib leave to do thus, till he had taken
prisoner two-and-fifty of the doughtiest Captains of the army of Hind. Then the day came to an
end and the kettle-drums beat the retreat; whereupon Gharib left the field and rode towards the
Moslem camp. The first to meet him was Sahim, who kissed his feet in the stirrups and said,
"May thy hand never wither, O champion of the age! Tell us who thou art among the braves." So
Gharib raised his vizor of mail and Sahim knew him and cried out, saying, "This is your King
and your lord Gharib, who is come back from the land of the Jann!" When the Moslems heard
Gharib ‘s name, they threw themselves off their horses' backs, and, crowding about him, kissed
his feet in the stirrups and saluted him, rejoicing in his safe return. Then they carried him into the
city of Oman, where he entered his palace and sat down on the throne of his kingship, whilst his
officers stood around him in the utmost joy. Food was set on and they ate, after which Gharib
related to them all that had betided him with the Jinn in Mount Kaf, and they marvelled thereat
with exceeding marvel and praised Allah for his safety. Then he dismissed them to their sleeping
places; so they withdrew to their several lodgings, and when none abode with him but Kaylajan
and Kurajan, who never left him, he said to them, "Can ye carry me to Cufa that I may take my
pleasure in my Harim, and bring me back before the end of the night?" They replied, "O our
lord, this thou askest is easy." Now the distance between Cufa and Oman is sixty days' journey
for a diligent horseman, and Kaylajan said to Kurajan, "I will carry him going and thou coming
back." So he took up Gharib and flew off with him, in company with Kurajan; nor was an hour
past before they set him down at the gate of his palace, in Cufa. He went in to his uncle Al-
Damigh, who rose to him and saluted him; after which quoth Gharib, "How is it with my wives
Fakhr Taj
[FN#53] and Mahdiyah?" Al-Damigh answered, "They are both well and in good
case." Then the eunuch went in and acquainted the women of the Harim with Gharib's coming,
whereat they rejoiced and raised the trill of joy and gave him the reward for good news.
Presently in came King Gharib, and they rose and saluting him, conversed with him, till Al-
Damigh entered, when Gharib related to them all that had befallen him in the land of the Jinn,
whereat they all marvelled. Then he lay with Fakhr Taj till near daybreak, when he took leave of
his wives and his uncle and mounted Kurajan's back, nor was the darkness dispelled before the
two Marids set him down in the city of Oman. Then he and his men armed and he bade open the
gates when, behold, up came a horseman from the host of the Indians, with Jamrkan and Sa'adan
and the rest of the captive captains whom he had delivered, and committed them to Gharib. The
Moslems, rejoicing in their safety, donned their mails and took horse, while the kettle-drums
beat a point of war; and the Miscreants also drew up in line.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-second Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Moslem host mounted and
rode to the plain of cut and thrust, the first to open the door of war was King Gharib who,
drawing his sword Al-Mahik, drove his charger between the two ranks and cried out, saying,
"Whoso knoweth me hath enough of my mis chief and whoso unknoweth me, to him I will make
myself known. I am Gharib, King of Al-Irak and Al-Yaman, brother of Ajib." When Ra'ad Shah,
son of the King of Hind, heard this, he shouted to his captains, "Bring me Ajib." So they brought
him and Ra'ad Shah said to him, "Thou wottest that this quarrel is thy quarrel and thou art the
cause of all this slaughter. Now yonder standeth thy brother Gharib amiddle-most the fightfield
and stead where sword and spear we shall wield; go thou to him and bring him to me a prisoner,
that I may set him on a camel arsy-versy, and make a show of him and carry him to the land of
Hind." Answered Ajib, "O King, send out to him other than I, for I am in ill-health this
morning." But Ra'ad Shah sparked and snorted and cried, "By the virtue of the sparkling Fire
and the light and the shade and the heat, unless thou fare forth to thy brother and bring him to me
in haste, I will cut off thy head and make an end of thee." So Ajib took heart and urging his
horse up to his brother in mid-field, said to him, "O dog of the Arabs and vilest of all who
hammer down tent pegs, wilt thou contend with Kings? Take what to thee cometh and receive
the glad tidings of thy death." When Gharib heard this, he said to him, "Who art thou among the
Kings? And Ajib answered, saying, "I am thy brother, and this day is the last of thy worldly
days." Now when Gharib was assured that he was indeed his brother Ajib, he cried out and said,
"Ho, to avenge my father and mother!" Then giving his sword to Kaylajan,
[FN#54] he crave at
Ajib and smote him with his mace a smashing blow and a swashing, that went nigh to beat in his
ribs, and seizing him by the mail gorges tore him from the saddle and cast him to the ground;
whereupon the two Marids pounced upon him and binding him fast, dragged him off dejected
and abject; whilst Gharib rejoiced in the capture of his enemy and repeated these couplets of the
poet,
"I have won my wish and my need have scored
Unto Thee be the praise and the thanks, O our
Lord!
I grew up dejected and abject; poor,
But Allah vouchsafed me all boons implored:
I have conquered countries and mastered men
But for Thee were I naught, O thou Lord
adored!"
When Ra'ad Shah saw how evilly Ajib fared with his brother, he called for his charger and
donning his harness and habergeon, mounted and dashed out a field. As soon as he drew near
King Gharib, he cried out at him, saying, "O basest of Arabs and bearer of scrubs,
[FN#55] who
art thou, that thou shouldest capture Kings and braves? Down from thy horse and put elbows
behind back and kiss my feet and set my warriors free and go with me in bond of chains to my
reign that I may pardon thee and make thee a Shayth in our own land, so mayst thou eat there a
bittock of bread." When Gharib heard these words he laughed till he fell backwards and
answered, saying, "O mad hound and mangy wolf, soon shalt thou see against whom the shifts of
Fortune will turn!" Then he cried out to Sahim, saying, "Bring me the prisoners; so he brought
them, and Gharib smote off their heads whereupon Ra'ad Shah crave at him, with the driving of
a lordly champion and the onslaught of a fierce slaughterer and they falsed and feinted and
fought till nightfall, when the kettle-drums beat the retreat.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-third Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the kettledrums beat the retreat,
the two Kings parted and returned, each to his own place where his people gave him joy of his
safety. And the Moslems said to Gharib, " 'Tis not thy wont O King, to prolong a fight;" and he
replied, "O folk, I have done battle with many royalties
[FN#56] and champions; but never saw I
a harder hitter than this one. Had I chosen to draw Al-Mahik upon him, I had mashed his bones
and made an end of his days: but I delayed with him, thinking to take him prisoner and give him
part enjoyment in Al-Islam." Thus far concerning Gharib; but as regards Ra'ad Shah, he returned
to his marquee and sat upon his throne, when his Chiefs came in to him and asked him of his
adversary, and he answered, "By the truth of the sparkling Fire, never in my life saw I the like of
yonder brave! But to-morrow I will take him prisoner and lead him away dejected and abject."
Then they slept till daybreak, when the battle-drums beat to fight and the swords in baldric were
dight; and war-cries were cried amain and all mounted their horses of generous strain and drew
out into the field, filling every wide place and hill and plain. The first to open the door of war
was the rider outrageous and the lion rageous, King Gharib, who crave his steed between the two
hosts and wheeled and careered over the field, crying, "Who is for fray, who is for fight? Let no
sluggard come out to me this day nor dullard!" Before he had made an end of speaking, out
rushed Ra'ad Shah, riding on an elephant, as he were a vast tower, in a eat girthed with silken
bands; and between the elephant's ears at the driver, bearing in hand a hook, wherewith he
goaded the beast and directed him right and left. When the elephant drew near Gharib's horse,
and the steed saw a creature it had never before set eyes on, it took fright;
[FN#57] wherefore
Gharib dismounted and gave the horse to Kaylajan. Then he drew Al-Mahik and advanced to
meet Ra'ad Shah a-foot, walking on till he faced the elephant. Now it was Ra'ad Shah's wont,
when he found himself overmatched by any brave, to mount an elephant, taking with him an
implement called the lasso,
[FN#58] which was in the shape of a net, wide at base and narrow at
top with a running cord of silk passed through rings along its edges. With this he would attack
horsemen and casting the meshes over them, draw the running noose and drag the rider off his
horse and make him prisoner; and thus had he conquered many cavaliers. So, as Gharib came up
to him, he raised his hand and, despreading the net over him, pulled him on to the back of the
elephant and cried out to the beast to return to the Indian camp. But Kaylajan and Kurajan had
not left Gharib and, when they beheld what had befallen their lord, they laid hold of the elephant,
whilst Gharib strove with the net, till he rent it in sunder. Upon this the two Marids seized Ra'ad
Shah and bound him with a cord of palm fibre. Then the two armies drove each at other and met
with a shock like two seas crashing or two mountains together dashing, whilst the dust rose to
the confines of the sky and blinded was every eye. The battle waxed fierce and fell, the blood ran
in rills, nor did they cease to wage war with lunge of lance and sway of sword in lustiest way, till
the day darkened and the night starkened, when the drums beat the retreat and the two hosts drew
asunder.
[FN#59] Now the Moslems were evilly entreated that day by reason of the riders on
elephants and giraffes,
[FN#60] and many of them were killed and most of the rest were
wounded. This was grievous to Gharib who commanded the hurt to be medicined and turning to
his Chief Officers, asked them what they counselled. Answered they, "O King, 'tis only the
elephants and giraffes that irk us; were we but quit of them, we should overcome the enemy."
Quoth Kaylajan and Kurajan, "We twain will unsheath our swords and fall on them and slay the
most part of them." But there came forward a man of Oman, who had been privy counsellor to
Jaland and said, "O King, I will be surety for the host, an thou wilt but hearken to me and follow
my counsel." Gharib turned to his Captains and said to them, "Whatsoever this wise man shall
say to you that do."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Gharib said to his Captains, "Whatsoever this wise man shall say
to you, that do"; they replied, "Hearing and obeying!" So the
Omani chose out ten captains and asked them, "How many braves
have ye under your hands?"; and they answered, "Ten thousand
fighting-men." Then he carried them into the armoury and armed
five thousand of them with harquebuses and other five thousand
with cross bows and taught them to shoot with these new
weapons.
[FN#61] Now as soon as it was day, the Indians came out
to the field, armed cap-ŕ-pie, with the elephants, giraffes and
champions in their van; whereupon Gharib and his men mounted and
both hosts drew out and the big drums beat to battle. Then the
man of Oman cried out to the archers and harquebusiers to shoot,
and they plied the elephants and giraffes with shafts and leaden
bullets, which entered the beasts' flanks, whereat they roared
out and turning upon their own ranks, trod them down with their
hoofs. Presently the Moslems charged the Misbelievers and
outflanked them right and left, whilst the elephants and giraffes
trampled them and drove them into the hills and words, whither
the Moslems followed hard upon them with the keen-edged sword and
but few of the giraffes and elephants escaped. Then King Gharib
and his folk returned, rejoicing in their victory; and on the
morrow they divided the loot and rested five days; after which
King Gharib sat down on the throne of his kingship and sending
for his brother Ajib, said to him, "O dog, why hast thou
assembled the Kings against us? But He who hath power over all
things hath given us the victory over thee. So embrace the Saving
Faith and thou shalt be saved, and I will forbear to avenge my
father and mother on thee therefor, and I will make thee King
again as thou west, placing myself under thy hand." But Ajib
said, "I will not leave my faith." So Gharib bade lay him in
irons and appointed an hundred stalwart slaves to guard him;
after which he turned to Ra'ad Shah and said to him, "How sayst
thou of the faith of Al-Islam?" Replied he, "O my lord, I will
enter thy faith; for, were it not a true Faith and a goodly, thou
hadst not conquered us. Put forth thy hand and I will testify
that there is no god but the God and that Abraham the Friend is
the Apostle of God." At this Gharib rejoiced and said to him, "Is
thy heart indeed stablished in the sweetness of this Belief?" And
he answered, saying, "Yes, O my lord!" Then quoth Gharib, "O.
Ra'ad Shah, wilt thou go to thy country and thy kingdom?" and
quoth he, "O. my lord, my father will put me to death, for that I
have left his faith." Gharib rejoined, "I will go with thee and
make thee king of the country and constrain the folk to obey
thee, by the help of Allah the Bountiful, the Beneficent." And
Ra'ad Shah kissed his hands and feet. Then Gharib rewarded the
counsellor who had caused the rout of the foe and gave him great
wealth; after which he turned to Kaylajan and Kurajan, and said
to them, "Harkye, Chiefs of the Jinn, 'tis my will that ye carry
me, together with Ra'ad Shah and Jamrkan and Sa'adan to the land
of Hind." "We hear and we obey," answered they. So Kurajan took
up Jamrkan and Sa'adan, whilst Kaylajan took Gharib and Ra'ad
Shah and made for the land of Hind.--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and and Sixty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the two Marids had taken up Gharib
and Jamrkan, Sa'adan the Ghul and Ra'ad Shah, they flew on with them from sundown till the
last of the Night, when they set them down on the terrace of King Tarkanan's palace at
Cashmere. Now news was brought to Tarkanan by the remnants of his host of what had befallen
his son, whereat he slept not neither took delight in aught, and he was troubled with sore trouble.
As he sat in his Harim, pondering his case, behold, Gharib and his company descended the
stairways of the palace and came in to him; and when he saw his son and those who were with
him, he was confused and fear took him of the Marids. Then Ra'ad Shah turned to him and said,
"How long wilt thou persist in thy frowardness, O traitor and worshipper of the Fire? Woe to
thee! Leave worshipping the Fire and serve the Magnanimous Sire, Creator of day and Night,
whom attaineth no sight." When Tarkanan heard his son's speech, he cast at him an iron club he
had by him; but it missed him and fell upon a buttress of the palace and smote out three stones.
Then cried the King, "O dog, thou hast destroyed mine army and hast forsaken thy faith and
comest now to make me do likewise!" With this Gharib went up to him and dealt him a cuff on
the neck which knocked him down; whereupon the Marids bound him fast and all the Harim-
women fled. Then Gharib sat down on the throne of kingship and said to Ra'ad Shah, "Do thou
justice upon thy father." So Ra'ad Shah turned to him and said, ‘O perverse old man, become
one of the saved and thou shalt be saved from the fire and the wrath of the All-powerful" But
Tarkanan cried, "I will not die save in my own faith" Whereupon Gharib drew Al-Mahik and
smote him therewith and he fell to the earth in two pieces, and Allah hurried his soul to the fire
and abiding-place dire.
[FN#62] Then Gharib bade hang his body over the palace gate and they
hung one half on the right hand and the other on the left and waited till day, when Gharib caused
Ra'ad Shah don the royal habit and sit down on his father's throne, with himself on his dexter
hand and Jamrkan and Sa'adan and the Marids standing right and left; and he said to Kaylajan
and Kurajan, "Whoso entereth of the Princes and Officers, seize him and bind him, and let not a
single Captain escape you." And they answered, "Hearkening and obedience!" Presently the
Officers made for the palace, to do their service to e King, and the first to appear was the Chief
Captain who, seeing King Tarkanan's dead body cut in half and hanging on either side of the
gate, was seized with terror and amazement. Then Kaylajan laid hold of him by the collar and
threw him and intoned him; after which he dragged him into the palace and before sunrise they
had bound three hundred and fifty Captains and set them before Gharib, who said to them, "O
folk, have you seen your King hanging at the palace gate?" Asked they, "Who hath done this
deed?"; and he answered, "I did it, by the help of Allah Almighty; and whoso opposeth me, I
will do with him likewise." Then quoth they, "What is thy will with us?"; and quoth he, "I am
Gharib, King of Al-Irak, he who slew your warriors; and now Ra'ad Shah hath embraced the
Faith of Salvation and is become a mighty King and ruler over you. So do ye become True
Believers and all shall be well with you; but, if ye refuse, you shall repent it." So they
pronounced the profession of the Faith and were enrolled among the people of felicity. Then said
Gharib, "Are your hearts indeed stablished in the sweetness of the Belief?"; and they replied,
"Yes"; whereupon he bade release them and clad them in robes of honour, saying, "Go to your
people and expound Al-Islam to them. Whoso accepteth the Faith spare him; but if he refuse slay
him."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Gharib said to the troops of
Ra'ad Shah, "Go to your people and offer Al-Islam to them. Whoso accepteth the Faith spare
him; but if he refuse, slay him." So they went out and, assembling the men under their command,
explained what had taken place and expounded Al-Islam to them and they all professed. except a
few, whom they put to death; after which they returned and told Gharib, who blessed Allah and
glorified Him, saying, "Praised be the Almighty who hath made this thing easy to us without
strife!" Then he abode in Cashmere of India forty days, till he had ordered the affairs of the
country and cast down the shrines and temples of the Fire and built in their stead mosques and
cathedrals, whilst Ra'ad Shah made ready for him rarities and treasures beyond count and
despatched them to Al-Irak in ships Then Gharib mounted on Kaylajan's back and Jamrkan and
Sa'adan on that of Kurajan, after they had taken leave of Ra'ad Shah; and journeyed through the
night till break of day, when they reached Oman city where their troops met them and saluted
them and rejoiced in them. Then they set out for Cufa where Gharib called for his brother Ajib
and commanded to hang him. So Sahim brought hooks of iron and driving them into the tendons
of Ajib's heels, hung him over the gate; and Gharib bade them shoot him; so they riddled him
with arrows, till he was like unto a porcupine. Then Gharib entered his palace and sitting down
on the throne of his kingship, passed the day in ordering the affairs of the state. At nightfall he
went in to his Harim, where Star o' Morn came to meet him and embraced him and gave him
joy, she and her women, of his safety. He spent that day and lay that night with her and on the
morrow, after he had made the Ghusl-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer, he sat down on his
throne and commanded preparation to be made for his marriage with Mahdiyah. Accordingly
they slaughtered three thousand head of sheep and two thousand oxen and a thousand he goats
and five hundred camels and the like number of horses, beside four thousand fowls and great
store of geese; never was such wedding in Al-Islam to that day. Then he went in to Mahdiyah
and took her maidenhead and abode with her ten days; after which he committed the kingdom to
his uncle Al-Damigh, charging him to rule the lieges justly, and journeyed with his women and
warriors, till he came to the ships laden with the treasures and rarities which Ra'ad Shah had sent
him, and divided the monies among his men who from poor became rich. Then they fared on till
they reached the city of Babel, where he bestowed on Sahim Al-Layl a robe of honour and
appointed him Sultan of the city.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Gharib, after robing his brother Sahim
and appointing him Sultan, abode with him ten days, after which he set out again and journeyed
nor stinted travel till he reached the castle of Sa'adan the Ghul, where they rested five days.
Then quoth Gharib to Kaylajan and Kurajan' "Pass over to Isbánír al-Madáin, to the palace of
the Chosroe, and find what is come of Fakhr Taj and bring me one of the King's kinsmen, who
shall acquaint me with what hath passed." Quoth they, "We hear and we obey," and set out
forthright for Isbanir. As they flew between heaven and earth, behold, they caught sight of a
mighty army, as it were the surging sea, and Kaylajan said to Kurajan, "Let us descend and
determine what be this host." So they alighted and walking among the troops, found them
Persians and questioned the soldiers whose men they were and whither they were bound;
whereto they made answer, "We are en route for Al-Irak, to slay Gharib and all who company
him." When the Marids heard these words, they repaired to the pavilion of the Persian general,
whose name was Rustam, and waited till the soldiers slept, when they took up Rustam, bed and
all, and made for the castle where Gharib lay. They arrived there by midnight and going to the
door of the King's pavilion, cried, "Permission!" which when he heard, he sat up and said,
"Come in." So they entered and set down the couch with Rustam asleep thereon. Gharib asked,
"Who be this?" and they answered, "This be a Persian Prince, whom we met coming with a great
host, thinking to slay thee and thine, and we have brought him to thee, that he may tell thee what
thou hast a mind to know." "Fetch me an hundred braves!" cried Gharib, and they fetched them;
whereupon he bade them, "Draw your swords and stand at the head of this Persian carle!" Then
they awoke him and he opened his eyes; and, finding an arch of steel over his head, shut them
again, crying, "What be this foul dream?" But Kaylajan pricked him with his sword point and he
sat up and said, "Where am I?" Quoth Sahim, "Thou art in the presence of King Gharib, son-in-
law of the King of the Persians. What is thy name and whither goest thou?" When Rustam heard
Gharib's name' he bethought himself and said in his mind, "Am I asleep or awake? Whereupon
Sahim dealt him a buffet, saying, "Why dost thou not answer?" And he raised his head and
asked, "Who brought me from my tent out of the midst of my men?" Gharib answered, "These
two Marids brought thee." So he looked at Kaylajan and Kurajan and skited in his bag-trousers.
Then the Marids fell upon him, baring their tusks and brandishing their blades, and said to him,
"Wilt thou not rise and kiss ground before King Gharib?" And he trembled at them and was
assured that he was not asleep; so he stood up and kissed the ground between the hands of
Gharib, saying, "The blessing of the Fire be on thee, and long life be thy life, O King!" Gharib
cried, "O dog of the Persians, fire is not worshipful, for that it is harmful and profiteth not save
in cooking food." Asked Rustam, "Who then is worshipful?"; and Gharib answered, "Alone
worshipworth is God, who formed thee and fashioned thee and created the heavens and the
earth." Quoth the Ajami, "What shall I say that I may become of the party of this Lord and enter
thy Faith?"; and quoth Gharib, "Say, ‘There is no god but the God, and Abraham is the Friend of
God'." So Rustam pronounced the profession of the Faith and was enrolled among the people of
felicity. Then said he to Gharib, "Know, O my lord, that thy father-in-law, King Sabur, seeketh
to slay thee; and indeed he hath sent me with an hundred thousand men, charging me to spare
none of you." Gharib rejoined, "Is this my reward for having delivered his daughter from death
and dishonour? Allah will requite him his ill intent. But what is thy name?" The Persian
answered, "My name is Rustam, general of Sabur;" and Gharib, "Thou shalt have the like rank in
my army," adding, "But tell me, O Rustam, how is it with the Princess Fakhr Taj?" "May thy
head live, O King of the age!" "What was the cause of her death?" Rustam replied, "O my lord,
no sooner hadst thou left us than one of the Princess's women went in to King Sabur and said to
him, ‘O my master, didst thou give Gharib leave to lie with the Princess my mistress?' whereto
he answered, ‘No, by the virtue of the fire!' and drawing his sword, went in to his daughter and
said to her, ‘O foul baggage, why didst thou suffer yonder Badawi to sleep with thee, without
dower or even wedding?' She replied, ‘O my papa, 'twas thou gayest him leave to sleep with
me.' Then he asked, ‘Did the fellow have thee?' but she was silent and hung down her head.
Hereupon he cried out to the midwives and slave-girls, saying, ‘Pinion me this harlot's elbows
behind her and look at her privy parts.' So they did as he bade them and after inspecting her slit
said to him, ‘O King, she hath lost her maidenhead Whereupon he ran at her and would have
slain her, but her mother rose up and threw herself between them crying, ‘O King, slay her not,
lest thou be for ever dishonoured; but shut her in a cell till she die.' So he cast her into prison till
nightfall, when he called two of his courtiers and said to them, ‘Carry her afar off and throw her
into the river Jayhun and tell none.' They did his commandment, and indeed her memory is
forgotten and her time is past."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib asked news of Fakhr Taj,
Rustam informed him that she had been drowned in the river by her sire's command. And when
Gharib heard this, the world waxed wan before his eyes and he cried, "By the virtue of Abraham
the Friend, I will assuredly go to yonder dog and overwhelm him and lay waste his realm!" Then
he sent letters to Jamrkan and to the governors of Mosul and Mayyáfáríkín; and, turning to
Rustam, said to him, "How many men hadst thou in thine army?" He replied, "An hundred
thousand Persian horse;" and Gharib rejoined, "Take ten thousand horse and go to thy people
and occupy them with war; I will follow on thy trail." So Rustam mounted and taking ten
thousand Arab horse made for his tribe, saying in himself, "I will do a deed shall whiten my face
with King Gharib." So he fared on seven days, till there remained but half a day's journey
between him and the Persian camp; when, dividing his host into four divisions he said to his
men, "Surround the Persians on all sides and fall upon them with the sword." They rode on from
eventide till midnight, when they had compassed the camp of the Ajamis, who were asleep in
security, and fell upon them, shouting, "God is Most Great!" Whereupon the Persians started up
from sleep and their feet slipped and the sabre went round amongst them; for the All-knowing
King was wroth with them, and Rustam wrought amongst them as fire in dry fuel; till, by the end
of the night, the whole of the Persian host was slain or wounded or fled, and the Moslems made
prize of their tents and baggage, horses, camels and treasure-chests. Then they alighted and
rested in the tents of the Ajamis till King Gharib came up and, seeing what Rustam had done and
how he had gained by stratagem a great and complete victory, he invested him with a robe of
honour and said to him, "O Rustam, it was thou didst put the Persians to the rout; wherefore all
the spoil is thine." So he kissed Gharib's hand and thanked him, and they rested till the end of
the day, when they set out for King Sabur's capital. Meanwhile, the fugitives of the defeated
force reached Isbanir and went in to Sabur, crying out and saying, "Alas!" and "Well-away!" and
"Woe worth the day!" Quoth he, "What hath befallen you and who with his mischief hath
smitten you?" So they told him all that had passed and said, "Naught befel us except that thy
general Rustam, fell upon us in the darkness of the night because he had turned Moslem; nor did
Gharib come near us." When the King heard this, he cast his crown to the ground and said,
"There is no worth left us!" Then he turned to his son Ward Shah
[FN#63] and said to him, "O
my son, there is none for this affair save thou." Answered Ward Shah, "By thy life, O my father,
I will assuredly bring Gharib and his chiefs of the people in chains and slay all who are with
him" Then he numbered his army and found it two hundred and twenty-thousand men. So they
slept, intending to set forth on the morrow; but, next morning, as they were about to march,
behold, a cloud of dust arose and spread till it walled the world and baffled the sight of the
farthest seeing wight. Now Sabur had mounted to farewell his son, and when he saw this mighty
great dust, he let call a runner and said to him, "Go find me out the cause of this dust-cloud."
The scout went and returned, saying, "O my lord, Gharib and his braves are upon you;"
whereupon they unloaded their bât-beasts and drew out in line of battle. When Gharib came up
and saw the Persians ranged in row, he cried out to his men, saying, "Charge with the blessing of
Allah!" So they waved the flags, and the Arabs and the Ajamis crave one at other and folk were
heaped upon folk. Blood ran like water and all souls saw death face to face; the brave advanced
and pressed forward to assail and the coward hung back and turned tail and they ceased not from
fight and fray till ended day, when the kettle-drums beat the retreat and the two hosts drew apart.
Then Sabur commanded to pitch his camp hard over the city-gate, and Gharib set up his
pavilions in front of theirs; and every one went to his tent.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the two hosts drew apart, every one
went to his tent until the morning. As soon as it was day, the two hosts mounted their strong
steeds and levelled their lances and wore their harness of war; then they raised their slogan cries
and drew out in battle-array, whilst came forth all the lordly knights and the lions of fights. Now
the first to open the gate of battle was Rustam, who urged his charger into mid-field and cried
out, "God is most Great! I am Rustam, champion-in-chief of the Arabs and Ajamis. Who is for
tilting, who is for fighting? Let no sluggard come out to me this day nor weakling!" Then there
rushed forth to him a champion of the Persians; the two charged each other and there befel
between them a sore fight, till Rustam sprang upon his adversary and smote him with a mace he
had with him, seventy pounds in weight, and beat his head down upon his breast, and he fell to
the earth, dead and in his blood drowned. This was no light matter to Sabur and he commanded
his men to charge; so they crave at the Moslems, invoking the aid of the light-giving Sun, whilst
the True Believers called for help upon the Magnanimous King. But the Ajamis, the Miscreants,
outnumbered the Arabs, the Moslems, and made them drain the cup of death; which when
Gharib saw he drew his sword Al-Mahik and crying out his war-cry, fell upon the Persians, with
Kaylajan and Kurajan at either stirrup; nor did he leave playing upon them with blade till he
hewed his way to the standard-bearer and smote him on the head with the flat of his sword,
whereupon he fell down in a fainting-fit and the two Marids bore him off to their camp. When
the Persians saw the standard fall, they turned and fled and for the city-gates made; but the
Moslems followed them with the blade and they crowded together to enter the city, so that they
could not shut the gates and there died of them much people. Then Rustam and Sa'adan,
Jamrkan and Sahim, Al-Damigh, Kaylajan and Kurajan and all the braves Mohammedan and the
champions of Faith Unitarian fell upon the misbelieving Persians in the gates, and the blood of
the Kafirs ran in the streets like a torrent till they threw down their arms and harness and called
out for quarter; whereupon the Moslems stayed their swords from the slaughter and drove them
to their tents, as one driveth a flock of sheep. Meanwhile Gharib returned to his pavilion, where
he doffed his gear and washed himself of the blood of the Infidels; after which he donned his
royal robes and sat down on his chair of estate. Then he called for the King of the Persians and
said to him, "O dog of the Ajams, what moved thee to deal thus with thy daughter? How seest
thou me unworthy to be her baron?" And Sabur answered, saying, "O King, punish me not
because of that deed which I did; for I repent me and confronted thee not in fight but in my fear
of thee.''
[FN#64] When Gharib heard these words he bade throw him flat and beat him. So they
bastinadoed him, till he could no longer groan, and cast him among the prisoners. Then Gharib
expounded Al-Islam to the Persians and one hundred and twenty-thousand of them embraced
The Faith, and the rest he put to the sword. Moreover all the citizens professed Al-Islam and
Gharib mounted and entered in great state the city Isbanir Al-Madain. Then he went into the
King's palace and sitting down on Sabur's throne, gave robes and largesse and distributed the
booty and treasure among the Arabs and Persians, wherefore they loved him and wished him
victory and honour and endurance of days. But Fakhr Taj's mother remembered her daughter
and raised the voice of mourning for her, and the palace was filled with wails and cries. Gharib
heard this and entering the Harim, asked the women what ailed them, whereupon the Princess's
mother came forward and said, "O my lord, thy presence put me in mind of my daughter and
how she would have joyed in thy coming, had she been alive and well." Gharib wept for her and
sitting down on his throne, called for Sabur, and they brought him stumbling in his shackles.
Quoth Gharib to him, "O dog of the Persians, what didst thou do with thy daughter?" "I gave her
to such an one and such an one," quoth the King, "saying, ‘Drown her in the river Jayhún.'" So
Gharib sent for the two men and asked them, "Is what he saith true?" Answered they, "Yes; but,
O King, we did not drown her, nay we took pity on her and left her on the bank of the Jayhun,
saying, ‘Save thyself and return not to the city, lest the King slay thee and slay us with thee.'
This is all we know of her."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
two men ended the tale of Fakhr Taj with these words, "And we
left her upon the bank of the river Jayhun!" Now, when Gharib
heard this he bade bring the astrologers and said to them,
"Strike me a board of geomancy and find out what is come of Fakhr
Taj, and whether she is still in the bonds of life or dead." They
did so and said, "O King of the age, it is manifest to us that
the Princess is alive and hath borne a male child; but she is
with a tribe of the Jinn, and will be parted from thee twenty
years; count, therefore, how many years thou hast been absent in
travel." So he reckoned up the years of his absence and found
them eight years and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no
Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!''
[FN#65] Then he
sent for all Sabur's Governors of towns and strongholds and they
came and did him homage. Now one day after this, as he sat in his
palace, behold, a cloud of dust appeared in the distance and
spread till it walled the whole land and darkened the horizon. So
he summoned the two Marids and bade them reconnoitre, and they
went forth under the dust-cloud and snatching up a horseman of
the advancing host, returned and set him down before Gharib,
saying, "Ask this fellow, for he is of the army." Quoth Gharib,
"Whose power is this?" and the man answered, "O King, 'tis the
army of Khirad Shah,
[FN#66] King of Shiras, who is come forth to
fight thee." Now the cause of Khirad Shah's coming was this. When
Gharib defeated Sabur's army, as hath been related, and took him
prisoner, the King's son fled, with a handful of his father's
force and ceased not flying till he reached the city of Shiras,
where he went into King Khirad Shah and kissed ground before him,
whilst the tears ran down his cheeks. When the King saw him in
this case, he said to him, "Lift thy head, O youth, and tell me
what maketh thee weep." He replied, "O King, a King of the Arabs,
by name Gharib, hath fallen on us and captured the King my sire
and slain the Persians making them drain the cup of death." And
he told him all that had passed from first to last Quoth Khirad
Shah, "Is my wife
[FN#67] well?" and quoth the Prince "Gharib hath
taken her." Cried the King "As my head liveth I will not leave a
Badawi or a Moslem on the face of the earth'" So he wrote letters
to his Viceroys, who levied their troops and joined him with an
army which when reviewed numbered eighty-five thousand men. Then
he opened his armouries and distributed arms and armour to the
troops, after which he set out with them and journeyed till he
came to Isbanir, and all encamped before the city-gate. Hereupon
Kaylajan and Kurajan came in to Gharib and kissing his knee, said
to him, "O our Lord, heal our hearts and give us this host to our
share." And he said, "Up and at them!" So the two Marids flew
aloft high in the lift and lighting down in the pavilion of the
King of Shiras, found him seated on his chair of estate, with the
Prince of Persia Ward Shah son of Sabur, sitting on his right
hand, and about him his Captains, with whom he was taking counsel
for the slaughter of the Moslems. Kaylajan came forward and
caught up the Prince and Kurajan snatched Up the King and the
twain flew back with them to Gharib, who caused beat them till
they fainted Then the Marids returned to the Shirazian camp and,
drawing their swords, which no mortal man had strength to wield,
fell upon the Misbelievers and Allah hurried their souls to the
Fire and abiding-place dire, whilst they saw no one and nothing
save two swords flashing and reaping men, as a husbandman reaps
corn. So they left their tents and mounting their horses bare-
backed, fled, and the Marids pursued them two days and slew of
them much people; after which they returned and kissed Gharib's
hand. He thanked them for the deed they had done and said to
them, "The spoil of the Infidels is yours alone: none shall share
with you therein." So they called down blessings on him and going
forth, gathered the booty together and abode in their own homes.
On this wise it fared with them; but as regards Gharib and his
lieges,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-first Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after
Gharib had put to flight the host of Khirad Shah, he bade
Kaylajan and Kurajan take the spoil to their own possession nor
hare it with any; so they gathered the booty and abode in their
own homes. Meanwhile the remains of the beaten force ceased not
flying till they reached the city of Shiras and there lifted up
the voice of weeping and began the ceremonial lamentations for
those of them that had been slain. Now King Khirad Shah had a
brother Sírán the Sorcerer highs, than whom there was no greater
wizard in his day, and he lived apart from his brother in a
certain stronghold, called the Fortalice of Fruits,
[FN#68] in a
place abounding in trees and streams and birds and blooms, half a
day's journey from Shiras. So the fugitives betook them thither
and went in to Siran the Sorcerer, weeping and wailing aloud.
Quoth he, "O folk, what garreth you weep?" and they told him all
that had happened, especially how the two Marids had carried off
his brother Khirad Shah; whereupon the light of his eyes became
night and he said, "By the virtue of my faith, I will certainly
slay Gharib and all his men and leave not one alive to tell the
tale!" Then he pronounced certain magical words and summoned the
Red King, who appeared and Siran said to him, "Fare for Isbanir
and fall on Gharib, as he sitteth upon his throne." Replied he,
"Hearkening and obedience!" and, gathering his troops, repaired
to Isbanir and assailed Gharib, who seeing him, drew his sword
Al-Mahik and he and Kaylajan and Kurajan fell upon the army of
the Red King and slew of them five hundred and thirty and wounded
the King himself with a grevious wound; whereupon he and his
people fled and stayed not in their flight, till they reached the
Fortalice of Fruits and went into Siran, crying out and
exclaiming, "Woe!" and "Ruin!" And the Red King said to Siran, "O
sage, Gharib hath with him the enchanted sword of Japhet son of
Noah, and whomsoever he smiteth therewith he severeth him in
sunder, and with him also are two Marids from Mount Caucasus,
given to him by King Mura'ash. He it is who slew the Blue King
and Barkan Lord of the Carnelian City, and did to death much
people of the Jinn." When the Enchanter heard this, he said to
the Red King "Go," and he went his ways; whereupon he resumed his
conjurations, and calling up a Marid, by name Zu'ázi'a gave him a
drachm of levigated Bhang and said to him, "Go thou to Isbanir
and enter King Gharib's palace and assume the form of a sparrow.
Wait till he fall asleep and there be none with him; then put the
Bhang up his nostrils and bring him to me." "To hear is to obey,"
replied the Marid and flew to Isbanir, where, changing himself
into a sparrow, he perched on the window of the palace and waited
till all Gharib's attendants retired to their rooms and the King
himself slept. Then he flew down and going up to Gharib, blew the
powdered Bhang into his nostrils, till he lost his senses,
whereupon he wrapped him in the bed-coverlet and flew off with
him, like the storm wind, to the Fortalice of Fruits; where he
arrived at midnight and laid his prize before Siran. The Sorcerer
thanked him and would have put Gharib to death, as he lay
senseless under Bhang; but a man of his people withheld him
saying, "O Sage, an thou slay him, his friend King Mura'ash will
fall on us with all his Ifrits and lay waste our realm." "How
then shall we do with him?" asked Siran, and the other answered,
"Cast him into the Jayhun while he is still in Bhang and he shall
be drowned and none will know who threw him in." And Siran bade
the Marid take Gharib and cast him into Jayhun river.--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-second Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Marid took Gharib and carried him to the Jayhun purposing to cast
him therein, but it was grievous to him to drown him, wherefore
he made a raft of wood and binding it with cords, pushed it out
(and Gharib thereon) into the current, which carried it away.
Thus fared it with Gharib; but as regards his people, when they
awoke in the morning and went in to do their service to their
King, they found him not and seeing his rosary on the throne,
awaited him awhile, but he came not. So they sought out the head
Chamberlain and said to him, "Go into the Harim and look for the
King: for it is not his habit to tarry till this time."
Accordingly, the Chamberlain entered the Serraglio and enquired
for the King, but the women said, "Since yesterday we have not
seen him." Thereupon he returned and told the Officers, who were
confounded and said, "Let us see if he have gone to take his
pleasure in the gardens." Then they went out and questioned the
gardeners if they had seen the King, and they answered, "No;"
whereat they were sore concerned and searched all the garths till
the end of the day, when they returned in tears. Moreover, the
two Marids sought for him all round the city, but came back after
three days, without having happened on any tidings of him. So the
people donned black and made their complaint to the Lord of all
worshipping men who cloth as he is fain. Meanwhile, the current
bore the raft along for five days till it brought it to the salt
sea, where the waves disported with Gharib and his stomach, being
troubled, threw up the Bhang. Then he opened his eyes and finding
himself in the midst of the main, a plaything of the billows,
said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great! Would to Heaven I wot who hath done this
deed by me!" Presently as he lay, perplexed concerning his case,
lo! he caught sight of a ship sailing by and signalled with his
sleeve to the sailors, who came to him and took him up, saying,
"Who art thou and whence comest thou?" He replied, "Do ye feed me
and give me to drink, till I recover myself, and after I will
tell you who I am." So they brought him water and victual, and he
ate and drank and Allah restored to him his reason. Then he asked
them, "O folk, what countrymen are ye and what is your Faith?;"
and they answered, "We are from Karaj
[FN#69] and we worship an
idol called Minkásh." Cried Gharib, "Perdition to you and your
idol! O dogs, none is worthy of wor strip save Allah who creased
all things, who saith to a thing Be! and it becometh." When they
heard this, they rose up and fell upon him in great wrath and
would have seized him. Now he was without weapons, but whomsoever
he struck, he smote down and deprived of life, till he had felled
forty men, after which they overcame him by force of numbers and
bound him fast, saying, "We will not slay him save in our own
land, that we may first show him to our King." Then they sailed
on till they came to the city of Karaj.--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
ship's crew seized Gharib and bound him fast they said, "We will
not slay him save in our own land." Then they sailed on till they
came to the city of Karaj, the builder whereof was an Amalekite,
fierce and furious; and he had set up at each gate of the city a
magical figure of copper which, whenever a stranger entered, blew
a blast on a trumpet, that all in the city heard it and fell upon
the stranger and slew him, except they embraced their creed When
Gharib entered the city, the figure stationed at the gate blew
such a horrible blast that the King was affrighted and going into
his idol, found fire and smoke issuing from its mouth, nose and
eyes. Now a Satan had entered the belly of the idol and speaking
as with its tongue, said, "O King, there is come to thy city one
highs Gharib, King of Al-Irak, who biddeth the folk quit their
belief and worship his Lord; wherefore, when they bring him
before thee, look thou spare him not." So the King went out and
sat down on his throne; and presently, the sailors brought in
Gharib and set him before the presence, saying, "O King, we found
this youth shipwrecked in the midst of the sea, and he is a Kafir
and believeth not in our gods." Then they told him all that had
passed and the King said, "Carry him to the house of the Great
Idol and cut his throat before him, so haply our god may look
lovingly upon us." But the Wazir said, "O King, it befitteth not
to slaughter him thus, for he would die in a moment: better we
imprison him and build a pyre of fuel and burn him with fire."
Thereupon the King commanded to cast Gharib into gaol and caused
wood to be brought, and they made a mighty pyre and set fire to
it, and it burnt till the morning. Then the King and the people
of the city came forth and the Ruler sent to fetch Gharib; but
his lieges found him not; so they returned and told their King
who said, "And how made he his escape?" Quoth they, ‘We found the
chains and shackles cast down and the doors fast locked." Whereat
the King marvelled and asked, Hath this fellow to Heaven up flown
or into the earth gone down?;' and they answered, "We know not."
Then said the King, "I will go and question my God, and he will
inform me whither he is gone." So he rose and went in, to
prostrate himself to his idol, but found it not and began to rub
his eyes and say, "Am I in sleep or on wake?" Then he turned to
his Wazir and said to him, "Where is my God and where is my
prisoner? By my faith, O dog of Wazirs, haddest thou not
counselled me to burn him, I had slaughtered him; for it is he
who hath stolen my god and fled; and there is no help but I take
brood-wreak of him!" Then he drew his sword and struck off the
Wazir's head. Now there was for Gharib's escape with the idol a
strange cause and it was on this wise. When they had shut him up
in a cell adjoining the doomed shrine under which stood the idol,
he rose to pray, calling upon the name of Almighty Allah and
seeking deliverance of Him, to whom be honour and glory! The
Marid who had charge of the idol and spoke in its name, heard him
and fear got hold upon his heart and he said, "O shame upon me!
Who is this seeth me while I see him not?" So he went in to
Gharib and throwing himself at his feet, said to him, "O my Lord,
what must I say that I may become of thy company and enter thy
religion?" Replied Gharib, "Say, ‘There is no god but the God and
Abraham is the Friend of God.'" So the Marid pronounced the
profession of Faith and was enrolled among the people of
felicity. Now his name was Zalzál, son of Al-Muzalzil,
[FN#70] one
of the Chiefs of the Kings of the Jinn. Then he unbound Gharib
and taking him and the idol, made for the higher air.--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Marid
took up Gharib and the idol and made for the higher air. Such was
his case; but as regards the King, when his soldiers saw what had
befallen and the slaughter of the Wazir they renounced the
worship of the idol and drawing their swords, slew the King;
after which they fell on one another, and the sword went round
amongst them three days, till there abode alive but two men, one
of whom prevailed over the other and killed him. Then the boys
attacked the survivor and slew him and fell to fighting amongst
themselves, till they were all killed; and the women and girls
fled to the hamlets and forted villages; wherefore the city
became desert and none dwelt therein but the owl. Meanwhile, the
Marid Zalzal flew with Gharib towards his own country, the Island
of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal and the Land of the
Enchanted Calf, so called because its King Al Muzalzil, had a
pied calf, which he had clad in housings brocaded with red gold,
and worshipped as a god. One day the King and his people went in
to the calf and found him trembling; so the King said, "O my God,
what hath troubled thee?" whereupon the Satan in the calf's belly
cried out and said, "O Muzalzil, verily thy son hath deserted to
the Faith of Abraham the Friend at the hands of Gharib Lord of
Al-Irak;" and went on to tell him all that had passed from first
to last. When the King heard the words of his calf he was
confounded and going forth, sat down upon his throne. Then he
summoned his Grandees who came in a body, and he told them what
he had heard from the idol, whereat they marvelled and said,
"What shall we do, O King?" Quoth he, "When my son cometh and ye
see him embrace him, do ye lay hold of him." And they said,
"Hearkening and obedience!" After two days came Zalzal and
Gharib, with the King's idol of Karaj, but no sooner had they
entered the palace-gate than the Jinn seized on them and carried
them before Al-Muzalzil, who looked at his son with eyes of ire
and said to him, "O dog of the Jann, hast thou left thy Faith and
that of thy fathers and grandfathers?" Quoth Zalzal, "I have
embraced the True Faith, and on like wise do thou (Woe be to
thee!) seek salvation and thou shalt be saved from the wrath of
the King Almighty in sway, Creator of Night and Day." Therewith
his father waxed wroth and said, "O son of adultery, dost
confront me with these words?" Then he bade clap him in prison
and turning to Gharib, said to him, "O wretch of a mortal, how
hast thou abused my son's wit and seduced him from his Faith?"
Quoth Gharib, "Indeed, I have brought him out of wrongousness
into the way of righteousness, out of Hell into Heaven and out of
unfaith to the True Faith." Whereupon the King cried out to a
Marid called Sayyár, saying "Take this dog and cast him into the
Wady of Fire, that he may perish." Now this valley was in the
"Waste Quarter
[FN#71]" and was thus named from the excess of its
heat and the flaming of its fire, which was so fierce that none
who went down therein could live an hour, but was destroyed; and
it was compassed about by mountains high and slippery wherein was
no opening. So Sayyar took up Gharib and flew with him towards
the Valley of Fire, till he came within an hour's journey
thereof, when being weary, he alighted in a valley full of trees
and streams and fruits, and setting down from his back Gharib
chained as he was, fell asleep for fatigue. When Gharib heard him
snore, he strove with his bonds till he burst them; then, taking
up a heavy stone, he cast it down on the Marid's head and crushed
his bones, so that he died on the spot. Then he fared on into the
valley.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Gharib
after killing the Marid fared on into the valley and found
himself in a great island in mid-ocean, full of all fruits that
lips and tongue could desire. So he abode alone on the island,
drinking of its waters and eating of its fruits and of fish that
he caught, and days and years passed over him, till he had
sojourned there in his solitude seven years. One day, as he sat,
be hold, there came down on him from the air two Marids, each
carrying a man; and seeing him they said, "Who art thou, O
fellow, and of which of the tribes art thou?" Now they took him
for a Jinni, because his hair was grown long; and he replied,
saying, "I am not of the Jann," whereupon they questioned him,
and he told them all that had befallen him. They grieved for him
and one of the Ifrits said, "Abide thou here till we bear these
two lambs to our King, that he may break his fast on the one and
sup on the other, and after we will come back and carry thee to
thine own country." He thanked them and said, " Where be the
lambs?" Quoth they, "These two mortals are the lambs." And Gharib
said, "I take refuge with Allah the God of Abraham the Friend,
the Lord of all creatures, who hath power over everything! Then
the Marids flew away and Gharib abode awaiting them two days,
when one of them returned, bringing with him a suit of clothes
wherewith he clad him. Then he took him up and flew with him sky-
high out of sight of earth, till Gharib heard the angels
glorifying God in Heaven, and a flaming shaft issued from amongst
them and made for the Marid, who fled from it towards the earth.
The meteor pursued him, till he came within a spear's cast of the
ground, when Gharib leaped from his shoulders and the fiery shaft
overtook the Marid, who became a heap of ashes. As for Gharib, he
fell into the sea and sank two fathoms deep, after which he rose
to the surface and swam for two days and two nights, till his
strength failed him and he made certain of death. But, on the
third day as he was despairing he caught sight of an island steep
and mountainous; so he swam for it and landing, walked on inland,
where he rested a day and a Night, feeding on the growth of the
ground. Then he climbed to the mountain top, and, descending the
opposite slope, fared on two days till he came in sight of a
walled and bulwarked city, abounding in trees and rills. He
walked up to it; but, when he reached the gate, the warders
seized on him, and carried him to their Queen, whose name was Ján
Sháh.
[FN#72] Now she was five hundred years old, and every man
who entered the city, they brought to her and she made him sleep
with her, and when he had done his work, she slew him and so had
she slain many men. When she saw Gharib, he pleased her mightily;
so she asked him, "What be thy name and Faith and whence comest
thou?" and he answered, "My name is Gharib King of Irak, and I am
a Moslem." Said she, "Leave this Creed and enter mine and I will
marry thee and make thee King." But he looked at her with eyes of
ire and cried, "Perish thou and thy faith!" Cried she, "Dost thou
blaspheme my idol, which is of red carnelian, set with pearls and
gems?" And she called out to her men, saying, "Imprison him in
the house of the idol; haply it will soften his heart." So they
shut him up in the domed shrine and locking the doors upon him,
went their way.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
they took Gharib, they jailed him in the idol's domed shrine; and
locking the doors upon him, went their way. As soon as they were
gone, Gharib gazed at the idol, which was of red carnelian, with
collars of pearls and precious stones about its neck, and
presently he went close to it and lifting it up, dashed it on the
ground and brake it in bits; after which he lay down and slept
till daybreak. When morning morrowed, the Queen took seat on her
throne and said, "O men, bring me the prisoner." So they opened
the temple doors and entering, found the idol broken in pieces,
whereupon they buffeted their faces till the blood ran from the
corners of their eyes. Then they made at Gharib to seize him; but
he smote one of them with his fist and slew him, and so did he
with another and yet another, till he had slain five-and-twenty
of them and the rest fled and went in to Queen Jan Shah,
shrieking loudly. Quoth she, "What is the matter?" and quoth
they, "The prisoner hath broken thine idol and slain thy men,"
and told her all that had passed. When she heard this, she cast
her crown to the ground and said, "There is no worth left in
idols!" Then she mounted amid a thousand fighting-men and rode to
the temple, where she found Gharib had gotten him a sword and
come forth and was slaying men and overthrowing warriors. When
she saw his prowess, her heart was drowned in the love of him and
she said to herself, "I have no need of the idol and care for
naught save this Gharib, that he may lie in my bosom the rest of
my life." Then she cried to her men, "Hold aloof from him and
leave him to himself!"; then, going up to him she muttered
certain magical words, whereupon his arm became benumbed, his
forearm relaxed and the sword dropped from his hand. So they
seized him and pinioned him, as he stood confounded, stupefied.
Then the Queen returned to her palace, and seating herself on her
seat of estate, bade her people withdraw and leave Gharib with
her. When they were alone, she said to him, " O dog of the Arabs,
wilt thou shiver my idol and slay my people?" He replied, "O
accursed woman, had he been a god he had defended himself!" Quoth
she, "Stroke me and I will forgive thee all thou hast done." But
he replied, saying, "I will do nought of this." And she said, "By
the virtue of my faith, I will torture thee with grievous
torture!" So she took water and conjuring over it, sprinkled it
upon him and he became an ape. And she used to feed and water and
keep him in a (loses, appointing one to care for him; and in this
plight he abode two years. Then she called him to her one day and
said to him, "Wilt thou hearken to me?" And he signed to her with
his head, "Yes." So she rejoiced and freed him from the
enchantment. Then she brought him food and he ate and toyed with
her and kissed her, so that she trusted in him. When it was night
she lay down and said to him, "Come, do thy business." He
replied, " 'Tis well;" and, mounting on her breast, seized her by
the neck and brake it, nor did he arise from her till life had
left her. Then, seeing an open cabinet, he went in and found
there a sword of damascened
[FN#73] steel and a targe of Chinese
iron; so he armed himself cap-ŕ-pie and waited till the day. As
soon as it was morning, he went forth and stood at the gate of
the palace. When the Emirs came and would have gone in to do
their service to the Queen, they found Gharib standing at the
gate, clad in complete war-gear; and he said to them, "O folk,
leave the service of idols and worship the All-wise King, Creator
of Night and Day, the Lord of men, the Quickener of dry bones,
for He made all things and hath dominion over all." When the
Kafirs heard this, they ran at him, but he fell on them like a
rending lion and charged through them again and again, slaying of
them much people;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Kafirs fell upon Gharib, he slew of them much people; but, when
the night came, they overcame him by dint of numbers and would
have taken him by strenuous effort, when behold, there descended
upon the Infidels a thousand Marids, under the command of Zalzal,
who plied them with the keen sabre and made them drink the cup of
destruction, whilst Allah hurried their souls to Hell-fire, till
but few were left of the people of Jan Shah to tell the tale and
the rest cried out, "Quarter! Quarter!" and believed in the
Requiting King, whom no one thing diverteth from other thing, the
Destroyer of the Jabábirah
[FN#74] and Exterminator of the
Akásirah, Lord of this world and of the next. Then Zalzal saluted
Gharib and gave him joy of his safety; and Gharib said to him,
"How knowest thou of my case?" and he replied, "O my lord, my
father kept me in prison two years, after sending thee to the
Valley of Fire; then he released me, and I abode with him another
year, till I was restored to favour with him, when I slew him and
his troops submitted to me. I ruled them for a year's space till,
one Night, I lay down to sleep, having thee in thought, and saw
thee in a dream, fighting against the people of Jan Shah;
wherefore I took these thousand Marids and came to thee." And
Gharib marvelled at this happy conjuncture. Then he seized upon
Jan Shah's treasures and those of the slain and appointed a ruler
over the city; after which the Marids took up Gharib and the
monies and he lay the same night in the Castle of Crystal. He
abode Zalzal's guest six months, when he desired to depart; so
Zalzal gave him rich presents and despatched three thousand
Marids, who brought the spoils of Karaj-city and added them to
those of Jan Shah. Then Zalzal loaded forty-thousand Marids with
the treasure and himself taking up Gharib, flew with his host
towards the city of Isbanir al-Madain where they arrived at
midnight. But as Gharib glanced around he saw the walls invested
on all sides by a conquering army,
[FN#75] as it were the surging
sea, so he said to Zalzal, "O my brother, what is the cause of
this siege and whence came this army?" Then he alighted on the
terrace roof of his palace and cried out, saying, "Ho, Star o'
Morn! Ho, Mahdiyah!" Whereupon the twain started up from sleep in
amazement and said, "Who calleth us at this hour?" Quoth he, "
'Tis I, your lord, Gharib, the Marvellous One of the deeds
wondrous." When the Princesses heard their lord's voice, they
rejoiced and so did the women and the eunuchs. Then Gharib went
down to them and they threw themselves upon him and lullilooed
with cries of joy, so that all the palace rang again and the
Captains of the army awoke and said, "What is to do?" So they
made for the palace and asked the eunuchs, "Hath one of the
King's women given birth to a child?"; and they answered, "No;
but rejoice ye, for King Gharib hath returned to you." So they
rejoiced, and Gharib, after salams to the women came forth
amongst his comrades, who threw themselves upon him and kissed
his hands and feet, returning thanks to Almighty Allah and
praising Him. Then he sat down on his throne, with his officers
sitting about him, and questioned them of the beleaguering army.
They replied, "O King, these troops sat down before the city
three days ago and there are amongst them Jinns as well as men;
but we know not what they want, for we have had with them neither
battle nor speech." And presently they added, "The name of the
commander of the besieging army is Murad Shah and he hath with
him an hundred thousand horse and three thousand foot, besides
two hundred tribesmen of the Jinn." Now the manner of his coming
was wondrous.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the cause
of this army coming upon Isbanir city was wondrous. When the two
men, whom Sabur had charged to drown his daughter Fakhr Taj, let
her go, bidding her flee for her life, she went forth distracted,
unknowing whither to turn and saying, "Where is thine eye, O
Gharib, that thou mayst see my case and the misery I am in?"; and
wandered on from country to country, and valley to valley, till
she came to a Wady abounding in trees and streams, in whose midst
stood a strong-based castle and a lofty-builded as it were one of
the pavilions of Paradise. So she betook herself thither and
entering the fortalice, found it hung and carpeted with stuffs of
silk and great plenty of gold and silver vessels; and therein
were an hundred beautiful damsels. When the maidens saw Fakhr
Taj, they came up to her and saluted her, deeming her of the
virgins of the Jinn, and asked her of her case. Quoth she, "I am
daughter to the Persians' King;" and told them all that had
befallen her; which when they heard, they wept over her and
condoled with her and comforted her, saying, "Be of good cheer
and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for here shalt thou have meat
and drink and raiment, and we all are thy handmaids." She called
down blessings on them and they brought her food, of which she
ate till she was satisfied. Then quoth she to them, "Who is the
owner of this palace and lord over you girls?" and quoth they,
"King Salsál, son of Dal, is our master; he passeth a night here
once in every month and fareth in the morning to rule over the
tribes of the Jann." So Fakhr Taj took up her abode with them and
after five days she gave birth to a male child, as he were the
moon. They cut his navel cord and kohl'd his eyes then they named
him Murad Shah, and he grew up in his mother's lap. After a while
came King Salsal, riding on a paper white elephant, as he were a
tower plastered with lime and attended by the troops of the Jinn.
He entered the palace, where the hundred damsels met him and
kissed ground before him, and amongst them Fakhr Taj. When the
King saw her, he looked at her and said to the others, "Who is
yonder damsel?"; and they replied, "She is the daughter of Sabur,
King of the Persians and Turks and Daylamites." Quoth he, "Who
brought her hither?" So they repeated to him her story; whereat
he was moved to pity for her and said to her, "Grieve not, but
take patience till thy son be grown a man, when I will go to the
land of the Ajamis and strike off thy father's head from between
his shoulders and seat thy son on the throne in his stead." So
she rose and kissed his hands and blessed him. Then she abode in
the castle and her son grew up and was reared with the children
of the King. They used to ride forth together a-hunting and
birding and he became skilled in the chase of wild beasts and
ravening lions and ate of their flesh, till his heart became
harder than the rock. When he reached the age of fifteen, his
spirit waxed big in him and he said to Fakhr Taj, "O my mamma,
who is my papa?" She replied, "O my son, Gharib, King of Irak, is
thy father and I am the King's daughter, of the Persians," and
she told him her story. Quoth he, "Did my grandfather indeed give
orders to slay thee and my father Gharib?"; and quoth she, "Yes."
Whereupon he, "By the claim thou hast on me for rearing me, I
will assuredly go to thy father's city and cut off his head and
bring it into thy pre sence!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Murad
Shah son of Fakhr Taj thus bespake his mother, she rejoiced in
his speech. Now he used to go a-riding with two hundred Marids
till he grew to man's estate, when he and they fell to making
raids and cutting off the roads and they pushed their razzias
farther till one day he attacked the city of Shiraz and took it.
Then he proceeded to the palace and cut off the King's head, as
he sat on his throne, and slew many of his troops, whereupon the
rest cried "Quarter! Quarter!" and kissed his stirrups. Finding
that they numbered ten thousand horse, he led them to Balkh,
where he slew the King of the city and put his men to the rout
and made himself master of the riches of the place. Thence he
passed to Núrayn,
[FN#76] at the head of an army of thirty-
thousand horse, and the Lord of Nurayn came out to him, with
treasure and tribute, and did him homage. Then he went on to
Samarcand of the Persians and took the city, and after that to
Akhlát
[FN#77] and took that town also; nor was there any city he
came to but he captured it. Thus Murad Shah became the head of a
mighty host, and all the booty he made and spoils in the sundry
cities he divided among his soldiery, who loved him for his
velour and munificence. At last he came to Isbanir al-Madain and
sat down before it, saying, "Let us wait till the rest of my army
come up, when I will seize on my grandfather and solace my
mother's heart by smiting his neck in her presence." So he sent
for her, and by reason of this, there was no battle for three
days, when Gharib and Zalzal arrived with the forty-thousand
Marids, laden with treasure and presents. They asked concerning
the besiegers, but none could enlighten them beyond saying that
the host had been there encamped for three days without a fight
taking place. Presently came Fakhr Taj, and her son Murad Shah
embraced her saying, "Sit in thy tent till I bring thy father to
thee." And she sought succour for him of the Lord of the Worlds,
the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earths. Next morning,
as soon as it was day, Murad Shah mounted and rode forth, with
the two hundred Marids on his right hand and the Kings of men on
his left, whilst the kettle-drums beat to battle. When Gharib
heard this, he also took to horse and, calling his people to the
combat, rode out, with the jinn on his dexter hand and the men on
his sinistral. Then came forth Murad Shah, armed cap-ŕ-pie and
crave his charger right and left, crying, "O folk, let none come
forth to me but your King. If he conquer me, he shall be lord of
both armies, and if I conquer him, I will slay him, as I have
slain others." When Gharib heard his speech, he said, "Avaunt, O
dog of the Arabs!" And they charged at each other and lunged with
lances, till they broke, then hewed at each other with swords,
till the blades were notched; nor did they cease to advance and
retire and wheel and career, till the day was half spent and
their horses fell down under them, when they dismounted and
gripped each other. Then Murad Shah seizing Gharib lifted him up
and strove to dash him to the ground; but Gharib caught him by
the ears and pulled him with his might, till it seemed to the
youth as if the heavens were. falling on the earth
[FN#78] and he
cried out, with his heart in his mouth, saying, "I yield myself
to thy mercy, O Knight of the Age!" So Gharib bound him,--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Eightieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Gharib caught Murad Shah by the ears and well nigh tore them off
he cried, "I yield myself to thy mercy, O Knight of the Age!" So
Gharib bound him, and the Marids his comrades would have charged
and rescued him, but Gharib fell on them with a thousand Marids
and was about to smite them down, when they cried out "Quarter!
Quarter!" and threw away their arms. Then Gharib returned to his
Shahmiyánah which was of green silk, embroidered with red gold
and set with pearls and gems; and, seating himself on his throne,
called for Murad Shah. So they brought him, shuffling in his
manacles and shackles. When the prisoner saw him, he hung down
his head for shame; and Gharib said to him, "O dog of the Arabs,
who art thou that thou shouldst ride forth and measure thyself
against kings?" Replied Murad Shah, "O my lord, reproach me not,
for indeed I have excuse." Quoth Gharib, "What manner of excuse
hast thou?"; And quoth he, "Know, O my lord, that I came out to
avenge my mother and my father on Sabur, King of the Persians;
for he would have slain them; but my mother escaped and I know
not whether he killed my father or not." When Gharib heard these
words, he replied, "By Allah, thou art indeed excusable! But who
were thy father and mother and what are their names?" Murad Shah
said, "My sire was Gharib, King of Al-Irak, and my mother Fakhr
Taj, daughter of King Sabur of Persia." When Gharib heard this,
he gave a great cry and fell down fainting. They sprinkled rose-
water on him, till he came to himself, when he said to Murad
Shah, "Art thou indeed Gharib's son by Fakhr Taj?"; and he
replied, "Yes." Cried Gharib, "Thou art a champion, the son of a
champion. Loose my child!" And Sahim and Kaylajan went up to
Murad Shah and set him free. Then Gharib embraced his son and,
seating him beside himself, said to him, "Where is thy mother?"
"She is with me in my tent," answered Murad Shah; and Gharib
said, "Bring her to me." So Murad Shah mounted and repaired to
his camp, where his comrades met him, rejoicing in his safety,
and asked him of his case; but he answered, "This is no time for
questions." Then he went in to his mother and told her what had
passed whereat she was gladdened with exceeding gladness: so he
carried her to Gharib, and they two embraced and rejoiced in each
other. Then Fakhr Taj and Murad Shah islamised and expounded The
Faith to their troops, who all made profession with heart and
tongue. After this, Gharib sent for Sabur and his son Ward Shah,
and upbraided them for their evil dealing and expounded Al-Islam
to them; but they refused to profess wherefore he crucified them
on the gate of the city and the people decorated the town and
held high festival. Then Gharib crowned Murad Shah with the crown
of the Chosroës and made him King of the Persians and Turks and
Medes; moreover, he made his uncle Al-Damigh, King over Al-Irak,
and all the peoples and lands submitted themselves to Gharib.
Then he abode in his kingship, doing justice among his lieges,
wherefore all the people loved him, and he and his wives and
comrades ceased not from all solace of life, till there came to
them the Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of Societies, and
extolled be the perfection of Him whose glory endureth for ever
and aye and whose boons embrace all His creatures! This is every
thing that hath come down to us of the history of Gharib and
Ajib. And Abdullah bin Ma'amar al Kaysi hath thus related the
tale of OTBAH AND RAYYA.
