Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/127

105 Now Jemrcan had fared on with his men ten days’ journey from Cufa and called a halt on the eleventh day till midnight, when he bade depart and rode on in advance, till he came to the valley aforesaid and heard Jawamerd reciting his braggart verses. So he drove at him, as he were 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, ‘Let each of you take five thousand men and disperse round about the valley, whilst I and the Benou Aamir fall upon the enemy’s van, crying out and saying, “God is Most Great!” When ye hear our shouts, do ye charge them with the same cry and smite them with the sword.’ ‘We hear and obey,’ answered they and turning back to their men, spread themselves about the sides of the valley in the fore-dawn twilight.

Presently up came the army of Yemen, like a flock of sheep, filling mountain and plain, and Jemrcan and the Benou Aamir fell upon them, shouting, ‘God is Most Great!’ Whereupon the Muslims in ambush in the valley cried out in answer and the hills and mountains echoed the cry and all things, green and dry, answered, saying, ‘God is Most Great! He giveth aid and victory and forsaketh those who deny Him!’ And the infidels were confounded and smote one another with the keen sabre, whilst the true believers fell upon them like flames of fire and nothing was seen but heads flying and blood spouting and faint-hearts giving back in dismay. By the time they could see each other’s faces, two-thirds of the infidels had perished and God hastened their souls to the fire and ill was the abiding-place [to which they went]. The rest took to flight and dispersed about the deserts, whilst the Muslims pursued them, slaying and taking captive till midday, 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.