Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/166

142 with an army that may avail to lay waste the whole earth and all that is thereon.’ Gherib thanked him for his courtesy and kindness and his zeal for the True Faith and took leave of him; whereupon the Marids set out with Gherib and his goods and after traversing fifty years’ journey in two days and a night, alighted near the city of Oman and halted to rest.

Then Gherib sent out Kailjan, to learn news of his people, and he returned and said, ‘O King, thy city is beleaguered by a host of infidels, as they were the swollen sea, and thy people are fighting them. The drums beat to battle and Jemrcan goeth forth to them in the field.’ When Gherib heard this, he cried out, saying, ‘God is Most Great!’ and said to Kailjan, ‘Saddle me the horse and bring me my arms; for to-day the valiant shall be known from the coward in the stead of war and battle.’ So Kailjan brought him all he sought and Gherib armed and girding on El Mahic, mounted the sea-horse and made toward the armies. Quoth Kailjan and Courjan to him, ‘Set thy heart at ease and let us go to the infidels and scatter them abroad in the wastes and deserts till, by the help of God the Most High, the All-powerful, we leave not a soul of them on life, no, not a blower of the fire.’ But Gherib said, ‘By the virtue of Abraham the Friend, I will not let you fight them without me!’

Now the manner of the coming of that great host was on this wise. When Agib fled from the field, after Yaarub’s army had been put to the rout by Kailjan and Courjan, he said to his people, ‘If we return to Yaarub ben Kehtan, he will say to us, “But for you, my son and my people had not been slain;” and he will put us to death, even to the last man. Wherefore, methinks we were better go to Terkenan, King of Hind, and beseech him to avenge us.’ ‘Come, let us go thither,’ answered they; ‘and the blessing of the Fire attend thee!’ So they fared on days and