Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/153

129 of the Almighty and from the fiery torment in the world to come.’ And they embraced Islam with heart and tongue.

Then Muraash took Gherib by the hand and showed him the palace and its ordinance and all the marvels it contained, till they came to the armoury, wherein were the arms of Japhet son of Noah. Here Gherib saw a sword hanging to a peg of gold and said, ‘O King, whose sword is that?’ Quoth Muraash, ‘It is the sword of Japhet son of Noah, wherewith he was wont to do battle against men and Jinn. The sage Jerdoun forged it and graved on its back names of might. It is named El Mahic, for that it never descends upon a man, but it annihilates him, nor upon a genie, but it crushes him; and if one smote therewith a mountain, it would overthrow it.’ When Gherib heard tell of the virtues of the sword, he said, ‘I desire to look on this sword;’ and Muraash said, ‘As thou wilt.’ So Gherib put out his hand and taking the sword, drew it from its sheath; whereupon it flashed and death crept and glittered on its edge; and it was twelve spans long and three broad. Now Gherib wished to take it, and Muraash said, ‘If thou canst wield it, take it.’ ‘It is well,’ answered Gherib, and took it up, and it was in his hand as a staff; wherefore all who were present, men and Jinn, marvelled and said, ‘Well done, O prince of cavaliers!’ Then said Muraash, ‘Lay thy hand on this treasure, that the Kings of the earth sigh for in vain, and mount, that I may show thee the city.’

Then they took horse and rode forth the palace, with Jinn and men attending them on foot, and passed through the streets and thoroughfares of the town, threading their way through ranks of palaces and deserted mansions and gilded doorways, till they issued from the gates and entered

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