to heaven and prayed to God that the damsel might conquer the old hag.  Presently ... the old woman strove to free herself, and in the struggle wriggled out of the girl’s hands and fell on her back ... and behold the young lady ... throwing over her a veil of fine silk, helped her to dress herself, making excuses to her and saying, “O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, I did not mean to throw thee so roughly, but thou wriggledst out of my hands; so praised be God for safety.”  She returned her no answer, but rose in her confusion and walked away out of sight, leaving the young lady standing alone, by the other girls thrown down and bound.

Then said Sherkan, “To every fortune there is a cause.  Sleep fell not on me, nor did the steed bear me hither but for my good fortune; for of a surety this damsel and what is with her shall be my prize.”  So he turned back and mounted, and drew his scimitar; then he gave his horse the spur and he started off with him like an arrow from a bow, whilst he brandished his naked blade and cried out, “God is most great!” When the damsel saw him she sprang to her feet, and running to the bank of the river, which was there six cubits wide, made a spring and landed on the other side, where she turned, and standing cried out in a loud voice, “Who art thou, sirrah, that breakest in on our pasture as if thou wert charging an army?  Whence comest thou and whither art thou bound?  Speak the truth and it shall profit thee, and do not lie, for lying is of the losel’s fashion.  Doubtless thou hast strayed this night from thy road, that thou hast happened on this place.  So tell me what thou seekest:  if thou wouldst have us set thee in the right road, we will do so; or if thou seek help we will help thee.”

When Sherkan heard her words he replied, “I am a stranger of the Muslims, who am come out by myself in quest of booty, and I have found no fairer purchase this moonlit night than these ten damsels; so I will take them and rejoin my comrades with them.”  Quoth she, “I would have thee to know that thou hast not yet come at the booty; and as for these ten damsels, by Allah, they are no purchase for thee!  Indeed the fairest purchase thou canst look for is to win free of this place:  for thou art in a mead, where, if we gave one cry, there would be with us anon four thousand knights.  Did I not tell thee that lying is shameful?” And he said, “The fortunate man is he to whom God sufficeth, and who hath no need of other than him.”  “By the virtue of the Messiah,” replied she, “did I not fear to have thy death at my hand, I would give a cry that would fill the meadow on thee, with horse and foot! but I have pity on the stranger; so, if thou seek booty, I require of thee that thou dismount from thy horse, and swear to me by thy faith that thou wilt not approach me with aught of arms, and we will wrestle—­I and thou.  If thou throw me, lay me on thy horse and take all of us to thy booty; and if I throw thee, thou shalt be at my commandment.