mellay; for, had I fallen into yonder fellow’s hands, he had eaten me, as I were a kernel of wheat or a barley-corn or any other grain.” They replied, “O King, never saw we any do the like of this Ghul.” And he said, “O folk, to-morrow do ye all don arms and mount steed and trample them under your horses’ hooves.” Meanwhile the Moslems had ended their rejoicings at Sa’adan’s return and Jamrkan said to them, “To-morrow, I will show you my derring-do and what behoveth the like of me, for by the virtue of Abraham the Friend, I will slay them with the foulest of slaughters and smite them with the bite of the sword, till all who have understanding confounded at them shall stand. But I mean to attack both right and left wings; so, when ye see me drive at the King under the standards, do ye charge behind me with a resolute charge, and Allah’s it is to decree what thing shall be!” Accordingly the two sides lay upon their arms till the day broke through night and the sun appeared to sight. Then they mounted swiftlier than the twinkling of the eyelid; the raven of the wold croaked and the two hosts, looking each at other with the eye of fascination, formed in line-array and prepared for fight and fray. The first to open the chapter of war was Jamrkan who wheeled and careered and offered fight in field; and Jaland and his men were about to charge when, behold, a cloud of dust uprolled till it walled the wold and overlaid the day. Then the four winds smote it and away it floated, torn to rags, and there appeared beneath it cavaliers, with helms black and garb white and many a princely knight and lances that bite and swords that smite and footmen who lion-like knew no affright. Seeing this both armies left fighting and sent out scouts to reconnoitre and report who thus had come in main and might. So they went and within the dust cloud disappeared from sight, and returned after awhile with the news aright that the approaching host was one of Moslems, under the command of King Gharib. When the True Believers heard from the scouts of the coming of their King, they rejoiced and driving out to meet him, dismounted and kissed the earth between his hands——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the Six Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,