Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/137

115 The dust volleyed up in clouds and hung vaulted over them, and they fought a sore battle from the first of the day till the coming of the darkness, when they separated and each army drew off to its own camp. Then the two kings mustered their troops and found that they had lost, Kefid five thousand men and Teigmous three thousand of the flower of his braves, whereat they were sore concerned. On the morrow, the two hosts again drew out in battle array, and Kefid cried out to his men, saying, ‘Which of you will sally forth into the field and open us the chapter of war and battle?’ Thereupon came out from the ranks a warrior named Berkaik, a mighty man of war, riding on an elephant. When he reached the King, he alighted and kissing the earth before him, sought of him leave to challenge the foe to single combat. Then he mounted his elephant and pricking into the middle of the field, cried out, ‘Who is for jousting, who is for foining, who is for fighting?’ When King Teigmous heard this, he said to his troops, ‘Which of you will do battle with this champion?’ Whereupon a cavalier came out from the ranks, mounted on a charger, mighty of make, and dismounting, kissed the earth before the King and craved his permission to engage Berkaik. Then he mounted again and drove at Berkaik, who said to him, ‘Who art thou, that thou makest mock of me by coming out against me, alone?’ ‘My name is Ghezenfer ben Kemkhil,’ replied the Kabul champion; and the other, ‘I have heard tell of thee in my own country; so up and do battle between the ranks of the champions.’

Then Ghezenfer drew a mace of iron from under his thigh and Berkaik took his sword in his hand, and they fought a sore battle, till Berkaik smote Ghezenfer on the head with his sword, but the helmet turned the blow and no hurt betided him therefrom; whereupon Ghezenfer, in his turn, dealt Berkaik so terrible a buffet on the head