battle with thy sister and take of her the blood-wreak for thy
brothers and fall on her, come what may; and whether thou gain or
thou lose the day;[FN#16] and if thou conquer her, slay her with
foulest slaughter!" So he drave out to Miriam, who ran at him
with the best of her skill and charged him with the goodliness of
her cleverness and her courage and her cunning in fence and
cavalarice, crying to him, "O accursed, O enemy of Allah and the
Moslems, I will assuredly send thee after thy brothers and woeful
is the abiding-place of the Miscreants!" So saying, she
unsheathed her sword and smote him and cut off his head and arms
and sent him after his brothers and Allah hurried his soul to the
Fire and the abiding-place dire. Now when the Knights and riders
who rode with her sire saw his three sons slain, who were the
doughtiest of the folk of their day, there fell on their hearts
terror of the Princess Miriam, awe of her overpowered them; they
bowed their heads earthwards and they made sure of ruin and
confusion, disgrace and destruction. So with the flames of hate
blazing in heart they turned their backs forthright and addressed
themselves to flight. When the King saw his sons slain and on his
flying troops cast sight, there fell on him bewilderment and
affright, whilst his heart also was a-fire for despight. Then
quoth he to himself, "In very sooth Princess Miriam hath
belittled us; and if I venture myself and go out against her
alone, haply she will gar me succumb and slay me without ruth,
even as she slew her brothers and make of me the foulest of
examples, for she hath no longer any desire for us nor have we of
her return any hope. Wherefore it were the better rede that I
guard mine honour and return to my capital." So he gave reins to
his charger and rode back to his city. But when he found himself
in his palace, fire was loosed in his heart for rage and chagrin