Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/278

262 To this Oku replied: "It is my right to lead the first army, and yours to follow."

Then Haki lunged at Oku with his sword, but the latter caused his horse to swerve quickly, and with his lance he wounded Haki's steed.

Haki at once dismounted and prepared to rush at his comrade when Oku, with lightning rapidity, tore the badge of leadership from Haki's helmet, and galloped quickly away.

Now the Empress had seen all of this through the palace window, and she could not help admiring the dexterity of the ambitious Oku, so she divided the leadership of the front army between them, making Oku commander of the left wing and Haki of the right. So the two became friends again, and they marched against Korkwi at the head of a hundred thousand soldiers.

They soon reached the place which the rebel had fortified, and Korkwi thought it would be easy, with all the power that he possessed, to frighten them into submission. Seizing an imenseimmense [sic] iron rod, he mounted a powerful black horse, and with a roar like