“If you were to hear my name,” said Rustem, “it would freeze the blood in your heart.”

So saying he drew his sword, and fastening his lasso to the bow of his saddle, rushed as a lion rushes into the midst of a herd of oxen.  With every blow of his sword he cut off a warrior’s head, till the whole of Aulad’s company was either slain or scattered.  Aulad himself he did not kill, but throwing his lasso, caught him by the neck, dragged him from his horse, and bound his hands.  “Now,” said he, “if you will tell me the truth, and, without attempting to deceive, will show me where the White Genius dwells, and will guide me to where King Kaoues is kept prisoner, then I will make you king of Mazanderan.  But if you speak a word of falsehood you die.”

“It is well,” said Aulad; “I will do what you desire.  I will show you where the King is imprisoned.  It is four hundred miles from this place; and four hundred miles farther, a difficult and dangerous way, is the dwelling of the White Genius.  It is a cavern so deep that no man has ever sounded it, and it lies between two mountains.  Twelve thousand Genii watch it during the night, for the White Genius is the chief and master of all his tribe.  You will find him a terrible enemy, and, for all your strong arms and hands, your keen sword, your lance and your club, you will scarcely be able to conquer him; and when you have conquered him, there will still be much to be done.  In the city of the King of Mazanderan there are thousands of warriors, and not a coward among them; and besides these, there are two hundred war-elephants.  Were you made of iron, could you venture to deal alone with these sons of Satan?”

Rustem smiled when he heard this, and said, “Come with me, and you will see what a single man, who puts his trust in God, can do.  And now show me first the way to the King’s prison.”

Rustem mounted on Raksh, and rode gaily forward, and Aulad ran in front of him.  For a whole day and night he ran, nor ever grew tired, till they reached the foot of Mount Asprus, where King Kaoues had fallen into the power of the Genii.  About midnight they heard a great beating of drums, and saw many fires blaze up.

Rustem said to Aulad, “What mean these fires that are blazing up to right and left of us?”

Aulad answered, “This is the way into Mazanderan.  The great Genius Arzeng must be there.”

Then Rustem went to sleep; and when he woke in the morning he took his lasso and fastened Aulad to the trunk of a tree.  Then hanging his grandfather’s club to his saddlebow, he rode on.

His conflict with Arzeng, the chief of the army of the Genii, was soon finished.  As he approached the camp he raised his battle-cry.  His shout was loud enough, one would have said, to split the very mountains; and Arzeng, when he heard it, rushed out of his tent.  Rustem set spurs to his horse, and galloping up to the Genius, caught him by the head, tore it from the body, and threw it into the