Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/111

89 to him a horseman of the infidels, as he were a flame of fire; but it was not long before Sehim pierced him with his lance and overthrew him. Then a second came forth and he slew him also, and a third and he rent him in sunder, and a fourth, and he did him to death; nor did they leave to come out to him and he to slay them, till he had done to death two hundred fighting-men. Then Agib cried to his men to charge, and the two hosts met with a mighty shock and great was the clash of arms and the roar of the battle. The shining swords rang out and the blood ran in streams and men’s skulls were as shoes to the horses’ feet, nor did they cease from sore smiting till the day waned and the night came with the darkness, when they drew apart and returning to their tents, passed the night there.

As soon as it was day, the two hosts mounted and sought the field; and the Muslims looked for Gherib to mount and ride behind the standards as was his wont, but he came not. So Sehim sent a servant to his brother’s pavilion, who, finding him not, questioned the tent-keepers, but they answered, ‘We know nothing of him.’ Whereat he was greatly concerned and went forth and told the troops, who refused to give battle, saying, ‘If Gherib be absent from us, his enemy will destroy us.’ Now there was for Gherib’s absence a cause that we will set out in due order, and it was thus. When Agib returned to his camp on the preceding night, he called one of his officers by name Siyyar and said to him, ‘O Siyyar, I have kept thee in reserve for a day like this; and now I bid thee go to Gherib’s camp and show thy skill by bringing Gherib himself to me.’ And Siyyar said, ‘I hear and obey.’ So he repaired to the enemy’s camp and stealing into Gherib’s pavilion, in the darkness of the night, when all the men had gone to rest, passed himself off for a servant and stood to serve Gherib, who presently,