Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/130

108 ‘Arm yourselves and as soon it is dark, bring me all the camels and mules and hang all the bells and bangles and rattles ye have about their necks.’ And they had with them more than twenty thousand camels and mules.

So they waited till the infidels were asleep, when Jemrcan commanded them to mount, and they took horse, committing themselves to God and seeking aid of the Lord of the Worlds. Then said Jemrcan, ‘Goad the mules and camels with the points of your spears and drive them to the infidels’ camp.’ They did as he bade and the beasts rushed upon the enemy’s camp, whilst the bells and bangles and rattles jangled and the Muslims followed at their heels, shouting, ‘God is Most Great!’ till all the hills and mountains resounded with the name of the Most High God, to whom belong glory and majesty! The cattle, hearing this terrible din, took fright and rushed upon the tents and trampled the folk, as they lay asleep; whereupon the idolaters started up in confusion and snatching up their arms, fell upon one another with smiting, till the most part of them were slain.

When the day broke, they looked at each other and found no Muslims slain, but saw them all on horseback, armed; wherefore they knew that this was a trick that had been played them, and Courejan cried out to the remnant of his folk, saying, ‘O sons of whores, what we had a mind to do with them, that have they done with us and their craft hath gotten the better of ours.’ And they were about to charge, when, behold, a cloud of dust appeared and the wind smote it, so that it rose and hung vaulted in the air and there, appeared beneath it the glint of helmets and gleam of hauberks and splendid warriors, armed with tempered swords and supple spears. When the infidels saw this, they held back from the battle and each army sent out scouts, to know the meaning of this dust, who returned with the news that it was an army of Muslims.