The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 07 (of 10) — John Shaqi
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 07 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 07 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
The host fared on twelve days’ journey and, while they were still
marching, behold, a great dust cloud arose before them and walled the
horizon and the whole region. So Kurajan sent out scouts, saying, “Go
forth and bring me tidings of what meaneth this dust.” They went till
they passed under the enemy’s standards and presently returning said,
“O King, verily this is the dust of the Moslems.” Whereat he was glad
and said, “Did ye count them?” And they answered, “We counted the
colours and they numbered twenty.” Quoth he, “By my faith, I will not
send one man-at-arms against them, but will go forth to them alone by
myself and strew their heads under the horses’ hooves!” Now this was
the army of Jamrkan who, espying the host of the Kafirs and seeing them
as a surging sea, called a halt; so his troops pitched the tents and
set up the standards, calling upon the name of the All-wise One, the
Creator of light and gloom, Lord of all creatures, Who seeth while Him
none see, the High to infinity, extolled and exalted be He! There is no
God but He! The Miscreants also halted and pitched their tents, and
Kurajan said to them “Keep on your arms, and in armour sleep, for
during the last watch of the night we will mount and trample yonder
handful under feet!” Now one of Jamrkan’s spies was standing nigh and
heard what Kurajan had contrived; so he returned to the host and told
his chief who said to them, “Arm yourselves and as soon as it is Night,
bring me all the mules and camels and hang all the bells and clinkets
and rattles ye have about their necks.” Now they had with them more
than twenty thousand camels and mules. So they waited till the Infidels
fell asleep, when Jamrkan commanded them to mount, and they rose to
ride and on the Lord of the Worlds they relied. Then said Jamrkan,
“Drive the camels and mules to the Miscreants’ camp and push them with
your spears for goads!” They did as he bade and the beasts rushed upon
the enemy’s tents, whilst the bells and clinkets and rattles
jangled[FN#16] and the Moslems followed at their heels, shouting, “God
is Most Great!” till all the hills and mountains resounded with the
name of the Highmost Deity, to whom belong glory and majesty! The
cattle hearing this terrible din, took fright and rushed upon the tents
and trampled the folk, as they lay asleep.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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