Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 2.djvu/204

171 When Zoulmekan saw them, he was ware that they were a mighty host and said, “Who can have given these troops advice of us?” “O my brother,” replied Sherkan, “this is no time for talking, but for smiting with swords and shooting with arrows; so gird up your courage and strengthen your hearts, for this pass is like a street with two gates: though, by the virtue of the Lord of the Arabs and the Persians, were not the place so strait, I would bring them to nought, though they were a hundred thousand men!” “Had we known this,” said Zoulmekan, “we would have brought with us five thousand horse.” “If we had ten thousand,” rejoined the Vizier, “they would avail us nothing in this narrow place: but God will succour us against them. I know this defile and its straitness, and there are many places of refuge in it; for I have been here on an expedition with King Omar ben Ennuman, what while we laid siege to Constantinople. We camped in this place, and there is here water colder than snow. So come, let us win out of this pass ere the infidels increase on us and get the start of us to the mountain-top, that they may hurl down rocks upon us and we be powerless to come at them.” So they hurried on, to get out of the defile: but Dhat ed Dewahi looked at them and said, “What is it ye fear, ye who have vowed yourselves to God the Most High, to work His will? By Allah, I was imprisoned underground for fifteen years, yet never gainsaid I God in aught He did with me! Fight ye in the way of God; whoso of ye is killed, Paradise shall be his abode, and whoso kills, his endeavour shall be for his glory.” When they heard her words, their concern and anxiety ceased from them and they stood firm, awaiting the onset of the infidels, who fell on them from all sides, whilst the swords played upon their necks and the cup of death went round amongst them. The Muslims fought right valiantly for the service of God and wrought upon His enemies with stroke of sword and