Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/206

178 And she answered, ‘Yes.’ Whereupon, ‘By the claim thou hast on me for that thou rearedst me,’ cried he, ‘I will assuredly go to thy father’s city and cut off his head and bring it to thee!’ And she rejoiced in his speech.

Then he used to go a-riding with two hundred Marids till he grew to man’s estate, when he fell to making raids and excursions in quest of plunder, till, one day, he attacked the city of Shiraz and took it and cut off the King’s head, as he sat on his throne, and slew many of his troops, whereupon the rest, to the number of ten thousand horse, cried out for quarter and kissed his stirrups. He led them to Balkh, where he slew the King of the city and put his men to the rout and made himself master of the riches of the place. Thence he passed to Nourain, at the head of an army of thirty thousand horse, and the King of the city came out to him, with presents and tribute, and did him homage. Then he went on to Samarcand of the Persians and took the city, and after that to Akhlat and took that town also; nor was there any city he came to but he took it. On this wise he became at the head of a great army, and all the booty he made he divided among his soldiers, who loved him for his valour and munificence. At last he came to Isbanir el Medaïn and sat down before it, saying, ‘Let us wait till the rest of my army come up, when I will seize on my grandfather and solace my mother’s heart by striking off his head in her presence.’ So he sent for her, and by reason of this, there was no battle for three days, at the end of which time Gherib and Zelzal arrived with the forty thousand Marids, laden with treasure. Presently came Fekhr Taj, and her son Murad Shah embraced her, saying, ‘Abide in thy tent till I bring thy father to thee.’ And she sought succour for him of the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of the heavens and the earths.