debate they agreed on this and the old woman said, "Give me leisure to go before you and consider the condition of the Infidels, if they be asleep or awake." Quoth they, "We will not go forth save with thee and trust our affair to Allah." "If I do your bidding," replied she, "blame me not but blame yourselves; for it is my rede that you await me till I bring you tidings of the case." Then said Sharrkan, "Go to them; and delay not from us, for we shall be awaiting thee." Thereupon she fared forth and Sharrkan turned to his brother addressing him and said, "Were not this holy man a miracle worker, he had never slain yonder furious knight. This is proof sufficient of the ascetic's power; and of a truth the pride of the Infidels is laid low by the slaying of this cavalier, for he was violent, an evil devil and a stubborn." Now whilst they were thus devising of the mighty works of the devotee, behold, the accursed Zat al-Dawahi came upon them; and promised them victory over the Unbelievers; wherefor they thanked her (not knowing that all this was wile and guile) and the damned hag asked, "Where be the King of the Age, Zau al-Makan, and the Minister Dandan?" Answered he, "Here am I!" Take with thee thy Wazir," said she, "and follow after me, that we may fare forth to Constantinople." Now she had acquainted the Infidels with the cheat she had put upon the Moslems, and they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and said, Our hearts will not be contented till we shall have slain their King in return for the Knight's death; because we had no stouter rider than he;" and they added (bespeaking the ill omened hag as she told them her plan of faring to the land of the Moslems), "When thou bringest him to us, we will bear him to King Afridun." Then she went out and went out with her Zau al-Makan and the Minister Dandan, and she walked on before the two saying, "Fare forth with the blessing of Almighty Allah!" So they did her bidding, for the shaft of Pate and Fortune of man's lot had shot them, and she ceased not leading them both through the midst of the Grecian camp, till they came to the defile, the narrow pass aforesaid, whilst the Infidel enemy watched them, but did them no hindrance; for the infernal old woman had enjoined this. Now when Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan saw that the Infidel host offered them no let and stay and yet had them in sight, the Wazir exclaimed, "By Allah, this is one of the holy man's saintly miracles! and doubtless he be of the elect." Rejoined Zau al-Makan, "By Allah, I think the Infidels be naught but blind, for we see them; and they see us not." And while they were thus praising the holy man and recounting his mighty works and his piety and his prayers, behold, the Infidels charged down on them from all sides and surrounded them; and seized them, saying, "Is there anyone else with you twain, that we may seize upon him too?" And the Wazir Dandan replied, "See