perish in the fray and so he should be quit of him and freed from
the fear of dishonour. Thereupon he called the eunuch and bade
him go to his Wazir without stay and delay and command him to
assemble the whole of the army and cause them don their arms and
armour and mount their steeds. So the eunuch carried the King's
order to the Minister, who straightaway summoned the Captains of
the host and the Lords of the realm and bade them don their
harness of derring-do and mount horse and sally forth in battle
array. Such was their case; but as regards the King, he sat a
long while conversing with the young Prince, being pleased with
his wise speech and good sense and fine breeding. And when it was
day-break he returned to his palace and, seating himself on his
throne, commanded his merry men to mount and bade them saddle one
of the best of the royal steeds with handsome selle and housings
and trappings and bring it to the Prince. But the youth said, "O
King, I will not mount horse, till I come in view of the troops
and review them." "Be it as thou wilt," replied the King. Then
the two repaired to the parade-ground, where the troops were
drawn up, and the young Prince looked upon them and noted their
great number; after which the King cried out to them, saying,
"Ho, all ye men, there is come to me a youth who seeketh my
daughter in marriage; and in very sooth never have I seen a
goodlier than he; no, nor a stouter of heart nor a doughtier of
arm, for he pretendeth that he can overcome you, single-handed,
and force you to flight and that, were ye an hundred thousand in
number, yet for him would ye be but few. Now when he chargeth
down on you, do ye receive him upon point of pike and sharp of
sabre; for, indeed, he hath undertaken a mighty matter." Then
quoth the King to the Prince, "Up, O my son, and do thy devoir on
them." Answered he, "O King, thou dealest not justly and fairly