tent-doors and march under cover of the night. They did his
bidding and set out, so by daybreak they had already fared far
away. As soon as it was morning Jaland mounted with two hundred
and sixty-thousand fighting-men, clad cap-a-pie in hauberks and
cuirasses and strait-knit mail-coats, the kettle-drums beat a
point of war and all drew out for cut and thrust and fight and
fray. Then Jamrkan and Sa'adan rode out with forty-thousand
stalwart fighting-men, under each standard a thousand cavaliers,
doughty champions, foremost in champaign. The two hosts drew out
in battles and bared their blades and levelled their limber
lances, for the drinking of the cup of death. The first to open
the gate of strife was Sa'adan, as he were a mountain of syenite
or a Marid of the Jinn. Then dashed out to him a champion of the
Infidels, and the Ghul slew him and casting him to the earth,
cried out to his sons and slaves, saying, "Light the fire and
roast me this dead one." They did as he bade and brought him the
roast and he ate it and crunched whilst the Kafirs stood looking
on from afar; and they cried out, "Oh for aid from the light-
giving Sun!" and were affrighted at the thought of being slain by
Sa'adan. Then Jaland shouted to his men, saying, "Slay me yonder
loathsome beast!" Whereupon another captain of his host drove at
the Ghul; but he slew him and he ceased not to slay horseman
after horseman, till he had made an end of thirty men. With this
the blamed Kafirs held back and feared to face him, crying, "Who
shall cope with Jinns and Ghuls?" But Jaland raised his voice
saying, "Let an hundred horse charge him and bring him to me,
bound or slain." So an hundred horse set upon Sa'adan with swords
and spears, and he met them with a heart firmer than flint,
proclaiming the unity of the Requiting King, whom no one thing
diverteth from other thing. Then he cried aloud, "Allaho Akbar!"