did they cease to solace themselves in the land till nightfall, when they returned to the palace of
Japhet son of Noah and they brought them the table of food So they ate and Gharib turned to the
King of the Jann and said to him, "O King, I would fain return to my folk and my force; for I
know not their plight after me." Replied Mura'ash, "By Allah, O my brother, I will not part with
thee for a full month, till I have had my fill of thy sight." Now Gharib could not say nay, so he
abode with him in the city of Japhet, eating and drinking and making merry, till the month
ended, when Mura'ash gave him great store of gems and precious ores, emeralds and balass-
rubies, diamonds and other jewels, ingots of gold and silver and likewise ambergis and musk and
brocaded silks and else of rarities and things of price. Moreover he clad him and Sahim in silken
robes of honour gold inwoven and set on Gharib's head a crown jewelled with pearls and
diamonds of inestimable value. All these treasures he made up into even loads for him and,
calling five hundred Marids, said to them, "Get ye ready to travel on the morrow, that we may
bring King Gharib and Sahim back to their own country." And they answered, "We hear and we
obey." So they passed the night in the city, purposing to depart on the morrow, but, next
morning, as they were about to set forth behold, they espied a great host advancing upon the city,
with horses neighing and kettle-drums beating and trumpets braying and riders filling the earth
for they numbered threescore and ten thousand Marids, flying and diving, under a King called
Barkan. Now this Barkan was lord of the City of Carnelian and the Castle of Gold and under his
rule were five hill-strongholds, in each five hundred thousand Marids; and he and his tribe
worshipped the Fire, not the Omnipotent Sire. He was a cousin of Mura'ash, the son of his
father's brother, and the cause of his coming was that there had been among the subjects of King
Mura'ash a misbelieving Marid, who professed Al-Islam hypocritically, and he stole away from
his people and made for the Valley of Carnelian, where he went in to King Barkan and, kissing
the earth before him, wished him abiding glory and prosperity. Then he told him of Mura'ash
being converted to Al-Islam, and Barkan said, "How came he to tear himself away from his
faith[FN#34]?'' So the rebel told him what had passed and, when Barkan heard it, he snorted and
sparked and railed at Sun and Moon and sparkling Fire, saying, "By the virtue of my faith, I will
surely slay mine uncle's son and his people and this mortal, nor will I leave one of them alive!"
Then he cried out to the legions of the Jinn and choosing of them seventy-thousand Marids, set
out and fared on till he came to Jabarsa[FN#35] the city of Japhet and encamped before its gates.