So Sahim took him and pinioning him, haled him off with a rope, and Gharib’s horsemen fell on those of Jamrkan and slew fifty of them: the rest fled; nor did they cease flying till they reached their tribal camp and raised their voices in clamour; whereupon all who were in the Castle came out to meet them and asked the news. They told the tribe what had passed; and, when they heard that their chief was a prisoner, they set out for the valley vying one with other in their haste to deliver him. Now when King Gharib had captured Jamrkan and had seen his braves take flight, he dismounted and called for Jamrkan, who humbled himself before him, saying, “I am under thy protection, O champion of the Age!” Replied Gharib, “O dog of the Arabs, dost thou cut the road for the servants of Almighty Allah, and fearest thou not the Lord of the Worlds?” “O my master,” asked Jamrkan, “and who is the Lord of the Worlds?” “O dog,” answered Gharib, “and what calamity dost thou worship?” He said, “O my lord, I worship a god made of dates[FN#11] kneaded with butter and honey, and at times I eat him and make me another.” When Gharib heard this, he laughed till he fell backwards and said, “O miserable, there is none worship-worth save Almighty Allah, who created thee and created all things and provideth all creatures with daily bread, from whom nothing is hid and He over all things is Omnipotent.” Quoth Jamrkan, “And where is this great god, that I may worship him?” Quoth Gharib, “O fellow, know that this god’s name is Allah—_the_ God—and it is He who fashioned the heavens and the earth and garred the trees to grow and the waters to flow. He created wild beasts and birds and Paradise and Hell-fire and veileth Himself from all eyes seeing and of none being seen. He, and He only, is the Dweller on high. Extolled be His perfection! There is no god but He!” When Jamrkan heard these words, the ears of his heart were opened; his skin shuddered with horripilation and he said, “O my lord, what shall I say that I may become of you and that this mighty Lord may accept of me?” Replied Gharib, “Say:—There is no god but _the_ God and Abraham the Friend is the Apostle of God!” So he pronounced the profession of the Faith and was written of the people of felicity. Then quoth Gharib, “Say me, hast thou tasted the sweetness of Al-Islam?”; and quoth the other, “Yes;” whereupon Gharib cried, “Loose his bonds!” So they unbound him and he kissed ground before Gharib and his feet. Now whilst this was going on, behold, they espied a great cloud of dust that towered till it walled the word.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-third Night,