Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/169

145 his knee a mace of gold, six-score pounds in weight, which had belonged to King Bercan, and set spurs to his sea-horse, which bore him like the wind into the middle of the field. Then he drove at Bettash, crying out, ‘God is Most Great! he giveth aid and victory and forsaketh those who reject the faith of Abraham the Friend!’ and smote him with the mace, whereupon he fell to the ground and Gherib, turning to the Muslims, saw his brother Sehim and said to him, ‘Bind this dog.’ When Sehim heard his brother’s words, he ran to Bettash and bound him fast and bore him off, whilst the Muslims wondered who this cavalier could be and the Indians said to one another, ‘Who is this horseman that came out from amongst us and hath taken our chief prisoner?’

Meanwhile Gherib continued to offer battle and there came out to him a captain of the Indians, whom he felled to the earth with his mace, and Kailjan and Courjan bound him and delivered him to Sehim; nor did Gherib leave to do thus, till he had taken prisoner two-and-fifty of the doughtiest captains of the army of Hind. Then the day came to an end and the drums beat the retreat; whereupon Gherib left the field and rode towards the Muslim camp. The first to meet him was his brother Sehim, who kissed his feet in the stirrups and said, ‘May thy hand never wither, O champion of the age! Tell us who thou art among the braves.’ So Gherib raised his vizor and Sehim knew him and cried out, saying, ‘This is your king and your lord Gherib, who is come back from the land of the Jinn!’ When the Muslims heard Gherib’s name, they threw themselves off their horses’ backs and crowding about him, kissed his feet in the stirrups and saluted him, rejoicing in his safe return. Then they carried him into the city of Oman, where he entered his palace and sat down on the throne of his kingship, whilst his officers stood around him, in the utmost joy. Food was set on

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