Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/138

116 they escorted him to their camp and pitched pavilions for him and set up standards; and Gherib sat down on his couch of estate, with his grandees about him, and they related to him all that had befallen.

Meanwhile, the infidels sought for Agib and finding him not among them nor in their tents, told Julned of this, whereat his gorge rose and he bit his fingers, saying, ‘By the light-giving sun, he is a perfidious dog and hath fled into the deserts with his crew of rascals! But nought save hard fighting will serve us to repel these enemies; so fortify your resolves and harden your hearts and beware of the Muslims.’ And Gherib also said to the Muslims, ‘Fortify your hearts and strengthen your courage and seek aid of your Lord, beseeching Him to vouchsafe you the victory over your enemies.’ ‘O King,’ answered they, ‘thou shalt see what we will do in the field and the stead of war.’

So the two hosts slept till the day arose with its light and the sun shone out upon hill and plain, when Gherib prayed two inclinations, after the rite of Abraham the Friend (on whom be peace) and wrote a letter, which he despatched by his brother Sehim to the King of the infidels. When Sehim reached the enemies’ camp, the guards asked him what he wanted and he replied, ‘I want your ruler.’ Quoth they, ‘Wait till we consult him;’ and he waited, whilst they went in to their King and told him of the coming of a messenger, and he said, ‘Bring him to me.’ So they brought Sehim before Julned, who said to him, ‘Who hath sent thee?’ Quoth he, ‘King Gherib sends me, whom God hath made ruler over the Arabs and Persians; take his letter and return an answer thereto.’ So Julned took the letter and opening it, read as follows: ‘In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful, the Immemorial Lord, the Supreme, the One, the All-knowing, the Lord of Noah and Salih and Hood and Abraham and of all things!