Now I'll drive and harry the land Irak[FN#15] * And like rain
I'll shower the blood of fone;
And lay hands on Ghanb and his men, whose doom * To the wise a
warning shall soon be shown!"

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