Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/86

66 between his eyes and testifying for him and not against him; so she rose and kissed his hands, then threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘O hero of the age, I cast myself on thy mercy; protect me from this Ghoul, for I fear lest he do away my maidenhead and after devour me. So take me to serve thine handmaids.’ Quoth Gherib, ‘Thou shalt be restored in safety to thy father and the seat of thy worship.’ Whereupon she prayed that he might live long and have advancement in rank.

Then he caused unbind the Persians and turning to the princess, said to her, ‘What brought thee forth of thy palace to the deserts and wastes, so that the highway-robbers made prize of thee?’ ‘O my lord,’ answered she, ‘my father and all the people of his realm are Magians, who worship the fire, and not the All-powerful King. Now in our country is a monastery called the Monastery of the Fire, whither every year the daughters of the Magians and worshippers of the Fire resort at the time of their festival, after which they return to their houses. So I and my damsels set out, as of wont, attended by two thousand horse, whom my father sent with me to guard me; but by the way this Ghoul fell upon us and killed some of us and taking the rest captive, imprisoned us in this hold. This, then, is what befell me, O valiant champion, whom God guard against the shifts of fortune!’ And Gherib said, ‘Fear not; for I will bring thee to thy palace and the seat of thy worship.’ Wherefore she blessed him and kissed his hands and feet.

Then he went out from her, after having commanded to treat her with honour, and slept till morning, when he made the ablution and prayed a two-bow prayer, after the rite of our father Abraham the Friend (on whom be peace), whilst the Ghoul and his sons and Gherib’s company did the like after him. Then he turned to the Ghoul and said to him, ‘O Saadan, wilt thou not show me the Valley of