or falsing and the snap or first grip, the hug, the feet-catch, the thigh-bite,[FN#175] the jostle and the leg-lock." "By Allah, O my lady," quoth Sharrkan (and indeed he was highly incensed against her), "had I been Master al-Safdí, Master Mohammed Kimál or Ibn al-Saddí,[FN#176] as they were in their prime, I had kept no note of these shifts thou mentionest; for O my mistress, by Allah, thou hast not grassed me by thy strength, but by the blandishments of thy back parts; for we men of Mesopotamia so love a full-formed thigh that nor sense was left me nor foresight. But now, an thou wish, thou shalt try a third fall with me while my wits are about me, and this last match is allowed me by the laws of the game which sayeth the best of three: moreover I have regained my presence of mind." When she heard his words she said to him, "Hast thou not had a belly-full of this wrestling, O vanquished one? However come on, an thou wilt; but know that this must be the last round." Then she bent forward and challenged him and Sharrkan did likewise, setting to it in real earnest and being right cautious about the throw: so the two strove awhile and the damsel found in him a strength such as she had not observed before and said to him, "O Moslem, thou art now on thy mettle." "Yes," he replied, "thou knowest that there remaineth to me but this one round, after which each of us will wend a different way." She laughed and he laughed too;[FN#177] then she overreached at his thigh and caught firm hold of it unawares, which made him greet the ground and fall full on his back. She laughed at him and said, "Art thou an eater of bran? Thou are like a Badawi's bonnet which falleth off with every touch or else the Father of Winds[FN#178] that droppeth before a puff of air. Fie upon thee, O thou poor thing!" adding, "Get thee back to the Moslem army and send us other than thyself, for thou failest of thews; and proclaim for us, among the Arabs and Persians, the Turks and Daylamites,[FN#179] whoso hath might in him, let him come to us." Then she made a spring and landed on the other side of the stream and said to Sharrkan, laughing, "Parting with thee is right grievous to me, O my lord; but get thee to thy mates before dawn, lest the Knights come upon thee and pick thee up on their lance-points. Thou hast no strength to defend thee against a woman, so how couldst thou hold thine own amongst men of might and Knights?" Sharrkan was confounded and called to her (as she turned from him making towards the convent), "O my lady, wilt thou go away and leave the miserable stranger, the broken hearted slave of love?" So she turned to him laughing and said, "What is thy want? I will grant thee thy prayer." "Have I set foot in thy country and tasted the sweetness of thy courtesy," replied he, "and shall I return without eating of thy victual and tasting thy hospitality; I who have become one of thy servitors!" "None baulk kindliness save the base,"