lieu of falling down to worship, said to them, "O dogs, why do ye
not prostrate yourselves?" Replied Gharib, "Out on you, O ye
accursed! Prostration befitteth not man save to the Worshipful
King, who bringeth forth all creatures into beingness from
nothingness and maketh water to well from the barren rockwell,
Him who inclineth heart of sire unto new-born scion and who may
not be described as sitting or standing; the God of Noah and
Salih and Hud and Abraham the Friend, Who created Heaven and Hell
and trees and fruit as well,[FN#28] for He is Allah, the One, the
All-powerful." When Mura'ash heard this, his eyes sank into his
head[FN#29] and he cried out to his guards, saying, "Pinion me
these two dogs and sacrifice them to my Goddess." So they bound
them and were about to cast them into the fire when, behold, one
of the crenelles of the palace parapet fell down upon the brazier
and brake it and put out the fire, which became ashes flying in
air. Then quoth Gharib, "God is Most Great! He giveth aid and
victory and He forsaketh those who deny Him, worshipping Fire and
not the Almighty King!" Presently quoth Mura'ash, "Thou art a
sorcerer and hast bewitched my Goddess, so that this thing hath
befallen her." Gharib replied, "O madman, an the fire had soul or
sense it would have warded off from self all that hurteth it."
When Mura'ash heard these words, he roared and bellowed and
reviled the Fire, saying, "By my faith, I will not kill you save
by the fire!" Then he bade cast them into gaol; and, calling an
hundred Marids, made them bring much fuel and set fire thereto.
So they brought great plenty of wood and made a huge blaze, which
flamed up mightily till the morning, when Mura'ash mounted an
elephant, bearing on its back a throne of gold dubbed with
jewels, and the tribes of the Jinn gathered about him in their
various kinds. Presently they brought in Gharib and Sahim who,