She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after Sahim had aroused Ajib, whom he had made insensible with henbane and had brought to his brother Gharib, the captive opened his eyes and, feeling himself bound and shackled, hung down his head earthwards. Thereupon cried Sahim, O Accursed, lift thy head! So he raised his eyes and found himself amongst Arabs and Ajams and saw his brother seated on the throne of his estate and the place of his power, wherefore he was silent and spake not. Then Gharib cried out and said, Strip me this hound! So they stripped him and came down upon him with whips, till they weakened his body and subdued his pride, after which Gharib set over him a guard of an hundred knights. And when this fraternal correction had been administered they heard shouts of, There is no God but the God! and God is Most Great! from the camp of the Kafirs. Now the cause of this was that, ten days after his nephew King Al-Damigh, Gharibs uncle, had set out from Al-Jazirah, with twenty thousand horse, and on nearing the field of battle, had despatched one of his scouts to get news. The man was absent a whole day, at the end of which time he returned and told Al-Damigh all that had happened to Gharib with his brother. So he waited till the night, when he fell upon the Infidels, crying out, Allaho Akbar! and put them to the edge of the biting scymitar. When Gharib heard the Takbir,8 he said to Sahim, Go find out the cause of these shouts and war-cries. So Sahim repaired to the field of battle and questioned the slaves and camp followers, who told him that King Al-Damigh had come up with twenty thousand men and had fallen upon the idolaters by night, saying, By the virtue of Abraham the Friend, I will not forsake my brothers son, but will play a brave mans part and beat back the host of Miscreants and please the Omnipotent King! So Sahim returned and told his uncles derring-do to Gharib, who cried out to his men, saying. Don your arms and mount your steeds and let us succour my fathers brother! So they took horse and fell upon the Infidels and put them to the edge of the sharp sword. By the morning they had killed nigh fifty thousand of the Kafirs and made other thirty thousand prisoners, and the rest of Ajibs army dispersed over the length and breadth of earth. Then the Moslems returned in victory and triumph, and Gharib rode out to meet his uncle, whom he saluted and thanked for his help. Quoth Al-Damigh, I wonder if that dog Ajib fell in this days affair. Quoth Gharib, O uncle, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear: know that he is with me in chains. When Al-Damigh heard this he rejoiced with exceeding joy and the two kings dismounted and entered the pavilion, but found no Ajib there; whereupon Gharib exclaimed, O glory of Abraham, the Friend (with whom be peace!), adding, Alas, what an ill end is this to a glorious day! and he cried out to the tent-pitchers, saying, Woe to you! Where is my enemy who oweth me so much? Quoth they, When thou mountedst and we went with thee, thou didst not bid us guard him; and Gharib exclaimed, There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! But Al-Damigh said to him, Hasten not nor be concerned, for where can he go, and we in pursuit of him? Now the manner of Ajibs escape was in this wise. His page Sayyar had been ambushed in the camp and when he saw Gharib mount and ride forth, leaving none to guard his enemy Ajib, he could hardly credit his eyes. So he waited awhile and presently crept to the tent and taking Ajib, who was senseless for the pain of the bastinado, on his back, made off with him into the open country and fared on at the top of his speed from early night to the next day, till he came to a spring of water, under an apple tree. There he set down Ajib from his back and washed his face, whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing Sayyar, said to him, O Sayyar, carry me to Cufa that I may recover there and levy horsemen and soldiers wherewith to overthrow my foe: and know, O Sayyar, that I am anhungered. So Sayyar sprang up and going out to the desert caught an ostrich-poult and brought it to his lord. Then he gathered fuel and deftly using the fire-sticks kindled a fire, by which he roasted the bird which he had hallald9 and fed Ajib with its flesh and gave him to drink of the water of the spring, till his strength returned to him, after which he went to one of the Badawi tribal encampments, and stealing thence a steed mounted Ajib upon it and journeyed on with him for many days till they drew near the city of Cufa. The Viceroy of the capital came out to meet and salute the King, whom he found weak with the beating his brother had inflicted upon him; and Ajib entered the city and called his physicians. When they answered his summons, he bade them heal him in less than ten days time: they said, We hear and we obey, and they tended him till he became whole of the sickness that was upon him and of the punishment. Then he commanded his Wazirs to write letters to all his Nabobs and vassals, and he indited one-and-twenty writs and despatched them to the governors, who assembled their troops and set out for Cufa by forced marches.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Forty-first Night,She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ajib sent orders to assemble the troops, who marched forthright to Cufa. Meanwhile, Gharib, being troubled for Ajibs escape, despatched in quest of him a thousand braves, who dispersed on all sides and sought him a day and a night, but found no trace of him; so they returned and told Gharib, who called for his brother Sahim, but found him not; whereat he was sore concerned, fearing for him from the shifts of Fortune. And lo! Sahim entered and kissed ground before Gharib, who rose, when he saw him, and asked, Where hast thou been, O Sahim? He answered, O King, I have been to Cufa and there I find that the dog Ajib hath made his way to his capital and is healed of his hurts: eke, he hath written letters to his vassals and sent them to his Nabobs who have brought him troops. When Gharib heard this, he gave the command to march; so they struck tents and fared for Cufa. When they came in sight of the city, they found it compassed about with a host like the surging main, having neither beginning nor end. So Gharib with his troops encamped in face of the Kafirs and set up his standards, and darkness fell down upon the two hosts, whereupon they lighted camp-fires and kept watch till daybreak. Then King Gharib rose and making the Wuzu-ablution, prayed a two-bow prayer according to the rite of our father Abraham the Friend (on whom be the Peace!); after which he commanded the battle-drums to sound the point of war. Accordingly, the kettle-drums beat to combat and the standards fluttered whilst the fighting men armour donned and their horses mounted and themselves displayed and to plain fared. Now the first to open the gate of war was King Al-Damigh, who urged his charger between the two opposing armies and displayed himself and played with the swords and the spears, till both hosts were confounded and at him marvelled, after which he cried out, saying, Who is for jousting? Let no sluggard come out to me or weakling; for I am Al-Damigh, the King, brother of Kundamir the King. Then there rushed forth a horseman of the Kafirs, as he were a flame of fire, and drave at Al-Damigh, without word said; but the King received him with a lance-thrust in the breast so dour that the point issued from between his shoulders and Allah hurried his soul to the fire, the abiding-place dire. Then came forth a second he slew, and a third he slew likewise, and they ceased not to come out to him and he to slay them, till he had made an end of six-and-seventy fighting men. Hereupon the Miscreants and men of might hung back and would not encounter him; but Ajib cried out to his men and said, Fie on you, O folk! if ye all go forth to him, one by one, he will not leave any of you, sitting or standing. Charge on him all at once and cleanse of them our earthly wone and strew their heads for your horses hoofs like a plain of stone! So they waved the awe-striking flag and host was heaped upon host; blood rained in streams upon earth and railed and the Judge of battle ruled, in whose ordinance is no unright. The fearless stood firm on feet in the stead of fight, whilst the faint-heart gave back and took to flight thinking the day would never come to an end nor the curtains of gloom would be drawn by the hand of Night; and they ceased not to battle with swords and to smite till light darkened and murk starkened. Then the kettle-drums of the Infidels beat the retreat, but Gharib, refusing to stay his arms, drave at the Paynimry, and the Believers in Unity, the Moslems, followed him. How many heads and hands they shore, how many necks and sinews they tore, how many knees and spines they mashed and how many grown men and youths they to death bashed! With the first gleam of morning grey the Infidels broke and fled away, in disorder and disarray; and the Moslems followed them till middle-day and took over twenty thousand of them, whom they brought to their tents in bonds to stay. Then Gharib sat down before the gate of Cufa and commanded a herald to proclaim pardon and protection for every wight who should leave the worship to idols dight and profess the unity of His All-might the Creator of mankind and of light and night. So was made proclamation as he bade in the streets of Cufa and all that were therein embraced the True Faith, great and small; then they issued forth in a body and renewed their Islam before King Gharib, who rejoiced in them with exceeding joy and his breast broadened and he threw off all annoy. Presently he enquired of Mardas and his daughter Mahdiyah, and, being told that he had taken up his abode behind the Red Mountain, he called Sahim and said to him, Find out for me what is become of thy father. Sahim mounted steed without stay or delay and set his berry-brown spear in rest and fared on in quest till he reached the Red Mountain, where he sought for his father, yet found no trace of him nor of his tribe; however, he saw in their stead an elder of the Arabs, a very old man, broken with excess of years, and asked him of the folk and whither they were gone. Replied he, O my son, when Mardas heard of Gharibs descent upon Cufa he feared with great fear and, taking his daughter and his folk, set out with his handmaids and negroes into the wild and wold, and I wot not whither he went. So Sahim, hearing the Shaykhs words, returned to Gharib and told him thereof, whereat he was greatly concerned. Then he sat down on his fathers throne and, opening his treasuries, distributed largesse to each and every of his braves. And he took up his abode in Cufa and sent out spies to get news of Ajib. He also summoned the Grandees of the realm, who came and did him homage; as also did the citizens and he bestowed on them sumptuous robes of honour and commended the Ryots to their care.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Gharib, after giving robes of honour to the citizens of Cufa and commending the Ryots to their care, went out on a day of the days to hunt, with an hundred horse, and fared on till he came to a Wady, abounding in trees and fruits and rich in rills and birds. It was a pasturing-place for roes and gazelles, to the spirit a delight whose scents reposed from the languor of fight. They encamped in the valley, for the day was clear and bright, and there passed the night. On the morrow, Gharib made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the two-bow dawn-prayer, offering up praise and thanks to Almighty Allah; when, lo and behold! there arose a clamour and confusion in the meadows, and he bade Sahim go see what was to do. So Sahim mounted forthright and rode till he espied goods being plundered and horses haltered and women carried off and children crying out. Whereupon he questioned one of the shepherds, saying, What be all this?; and they replied, This is the Harim of Mardas, Chief of the Banu Kahtan, and his good and that of his clan; for yesterday Jamrkan slew Mardas and made prize of his women and children and household stuff and all the belonging of his tribe. It is his wont to go a-raiding and to cut off highways and waylay wayfarers and he is a furious tyrant; neither Arabs nor Kings can prevail against him and he is the scourge and curse of the country. Now when Sahim heard these news of his sires slaughter and the looting of his Harim and property, he returned to Gharib and told him the case, wherefore fire was added to his fire and his spirit chafed to wipe out his shame and his blood-wit to claim: so he rode with his men after the robbers till he overtook them and fell upon them, crying out and saying, Almighty Allah upon the rebel, the traitor, the infidel! and he slew in a single charge one-and-twenty fighting-men. Then he halted in mid-field, with no cowards heart, and cried out, Where is Jamrkan? Let him come out to me, that I may make him quaff the cup of disgrace and rid of him earths face! Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when forth rushed Jamrkan, as he were a calamity of calamities or a piece of a mountain, cased in steel. He was a mighty huge10 Amalekite; and he drave at Gharib without speech or salute, like the fierce tyrant he was. And he was armed with a mace of China steel, so heavy, so potent, that had he smitten a hill he had smashed it. Now when he charged, Gharib met him like a hungry lion, and the brigand aimed a blow at his head with his mace; but he evaded it and it smote the earth and sank therein half a cubit deep. Then Gharib took his battle flail and smiting Jamrkan on the wrist, crushed his fingers and the mace dropped from his grasp; whereupon Gharib bent down from his seat in selle and snatching it up, swiftlier than the blinding leven, smote him therewith full on the flat of the ribs, and he fell to the earth like a long-stemmed palm-tree. So Sahim took him and pinioning him, haled him off with a rope, and Gharibs 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 dates11 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 gods name is Allahthe Godand 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 wold.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Forty-third Night,She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Jamrkan islamised and kissed the ground between the hands of Gharib; and, as they were thus, behold, a great cloud of dust towered till it walled the wold and Gharib said to Sahim, Go and see for us what it be. So he went forth, like a bird in full flight, and presently returned, saying, O King of the Age, this dust is of the Banu Amir, the comrades of Jamrkan. Whereupon quoth Gharib to the new Moslem, Ride out to thy people and offer to them Al-Islam: an they profess, they shall be saved; but, an they refuse, we will put them to the sword. So Jamrkan mounted and driving steed towards his tribesmen, cried out to them; and they knew him and dismounting, came up to him on foot and said, We rejoice in thy safety, O our lord! Said he, O folk, whoso obeyeth me shall be saved; but whoso gainsayeth me, I will cut him in twain with this scymitar. And they made answer, saying, Command us what thou wilt, for we will not oppose thy commandment. Quoth he, Then say with me:There is no god but the God and Abraham is the Friend of God! They asked, O our lord, whence haddest thou these words? And he told them what had befallen him with Gharib, adding, O folk, know ye not that I am your chief in battle-plain and where men of cut and thrust are fain; and yet a man single-handed me to prisoner hath taen and made me the cup of shame and disgrace to drain? When they heard his speech, they spoke the word of Unity and Jamrkan led them to Gharib, at whose hands they renewed their profession of Al-Islam and wished him glory and victory, after they had kissed the earth before him. Gharib rejoiced in them and said to them, O folk, return to your people and expound Al-Islam to them; but all replied, O our lord, we will never leave thee, whilst we live; but we will go and fetch our families and return to thee. And Gharib said, Go, and join me at the city of Cufa. So Jamrkan and his comrades returned to their tribal camp and offered Al-Islam to their women and children, who all to a soul embraced the True Faith, after which they dismantled their abodes and struck their tents and set out for Cufa driving before them their steeds, camels and sheep. During this time Gharib returned to Cufa, where the horsemen met him in state. He entered his palace and sat down on his sires throne with his champions ranged on either hand. Then the spies came forwards, and informed him that his brother Ajib had made his escape and had taken refuge with Jaland12 bin Karkar, lord of the city of Oman and land of Al-Yaman; whereupon Gharib cried aloud to his host, O men, make you ready to march in three days. Then he expounded Al-Islam to the thirty thousand men he had captured in the first affair and exhorted them to profess and take service with him. Twenty thousand embraced the Faith, but the rest refused and he slew them. Then came forward Jamrkan and his tribe and kissed the ground before Gharib, who bestowed on him a splendid robe of honour and made him captain of his vanguard, saying, O Jamrkan, mount with the Chiefs of thy kith and kin and twenty thousand horse and fare on before us to the land of Jaland bin Karkar. Hearkening and obedience, answered Jamrkan and, leaving the women and children of the tribe in Cufa, he set forward. Then Gharib passed in review the Harim of Mardas and his eye lit upon Mahdiyah, who was among the women, wherewith he fell down fainting. They sprinkled rose-water on his face, till he came to himself, when he embraced Mahdiyah and carried her into a sitting-chamber, where he sat with her; and they twain lay together that night without fornication. Next morning he went out and sitting down on the throne of his kingship, robed his uncle Al-Damigh with a robe of honour; and appointed him his viceroy over all Al-Irak, commending Mahdiyah to his care, till he should return from his expedition against Ajib; and, when the order was accepted, he set out for the land of Al-Yaman and the City of Oman with twenty thousand horse and ten thousand foot. Now, when Ajib and his defeated army drew in sight of Oman, King Jaland saw the dust of their approach and sent to find out its meaning scouts who returned and said, Verily this is the dust of one hight Ajib, lord of Al-Irak. And Jaland wondered at his coming to his country and, when assured of the tidings, he said to his officers, Fare ye forth and meet him. So they went out and met him and pitched tents for him at the city-gate; and Ajib entered in to Jaland, weeping-eyed and heavy-hearted. Now Jalands wife was the daughter of Ajibs paternal uncle and he had children by her; so, when he saw his kinsman in this plight, he asked for the truth of what ailed him and Ajib told him all that had befallen him, first and last, from his brother and said, O King, Gharib biddeth the folk worship the Lord of the Heavens and forbiddeth them from the service of simulacres and other of the gods. When Jaland heard these words he raged and revolted and said, By the virtue of the Sun, Lord of Life and Light, I will not leave one of thy brothers folk in existence! But where didst thou quit them and how many men are they? Answered Ajib, I left them in Cufa and they be fifty thousand horse. Whereupon Jaland called his Wazir Jawámard,13 saying, Take thee seventy thousand horse and fare to Cufa and bring me the Moslems alive, that I may torture them with all manner of tortures. So Jawamard departed with his host and fared through the first day and the second till the seventh day, when he came to a Wady abounding in trees and rills and fruits. Here he called a haltAnd Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.