Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/115

93 entered the tent and finding Gherib and Saadan insensible for the smoke of the henbane, which had been wafted in upon them, aroused them by making them smell to a sponge full of vinegar he had with him. Then he loosed their bonds, and when they saw him, they blessed him and rejoiced in him. Then they went forth and took all the guards’ arms, and Sehim bade them go to their own camp; after which he re-entered Agib’s camp, and wrapping him in his cloak, lifted him up and made for the Muslim camp. And the Merciful Lord protected him, so that he reached Gherib’s tent in safety and unrolled the mantle before him. Gherib looked and seeing Agib bound, cried out, ‘God is Most Great! He giveth aid and victory!’ And he blessed Sehim and bade him arouse Agib. So he made him smell to vinegar, mixed with frankincense, and he opened his eyes and finding himself bound and shackled, hung down his head. ‘O accursed one,’ quoth Sehim, ‘lift thy head!’ So he raised his eyes and found himself amongst Arabs and Persians and saw his brother seated on the throne of his state and the place of his power, wherefore he was silent and spake not. Then Gherib cried out and said, ‘Strip me this dog!’ So they stripped him and beat him with whips, till his body was weakened and his pride subdued, after which Gherib set over him a guard of a hundred cavaliers.

Presently, they heard shouts of ‘There is no god but God!’ and ‘God is Most Great!’ from the infidel camp. Now the reason of this was that King Damigh, Gherib’s uncle, had set out from El Jezireh, with twenty thousand horse, ten days after his nephew, and on nearing the field of battle, had despatched one of his riders to get news. The scout was absent a whole day, after which he returned and told Damigh all that had passed. So he waited till the night, when he fell upon the infidels, crying out, ‘God