way at thy hands.”  Replied he, “Allah abundantly requite you!  Return to your dwellings and march forth with your good and your children and forego me to the Wady of Blossoms and the castle of Sasa bin Shays,[FN#349] whilst I carry the Princess Fakhr Taj, daughter of Sabur, King of the Persians, back to her father and return to you.”  “Hearkening and obedience,” said they and straightway returned to their encampment, rejoicing in Al-Islam, and expounded the True Faith to their wives and children, who became Believers.  Then they struck their tents and set forth, with their good and cattle, for the Wady of Blossoms.  When they came in sight of the castle of Shays, Sa’adan and his sons sallied forth to them, but Gharib had charged them, saying, “If the Ghul of the Mountain come out to you and offer to attack you, do ye call upon the name of Allah the All-creator, and he will leave his hostile intent and receive you hospitably.”  So when he would have fallen upon them they called aloud upon the name of Almighty Allah and straightway he received them kindly and asked them of their case.  They told him all that had passed between Gharib and themselves, whereupon he rejoiced in them and lodged them with him and loaded them with favours.  Such was their case; but as regards Gharib, he and his, escorting the Princess fared on five days’ journey towards the City of Isbanir, and on the sixth day they saw a dust-cloud.  So Gharib sent one of the Persians to learn the meaning of this and he went and returned, swiftlier than bird in flight, saying, “O my lord, these be a thousand horse of our comrades, whom the King hath sent in quest of his daughter Fakhr Taj.”  When Gharib heard this, he commanded his company to halt and pitch the tents.  So they halted and waited till the new comers reached them, when they went to meet them and told Tuman, their captain, that the Princess was with them; whereupon he went in to Gharib and kissing the ground before him, enquired for her.  Gharib sent him to her pavilion, and he entered and kissed her hands and feet and acquainted her with what had befallen her father and mother.  She told him in return all that had betided her and how Gharib had delivered her from the Ghul of the Mountain,—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say,

      When it was the Six Hundred and Thirty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King’s daughter, Fakhr Taj, had told Tuman all that had befallen her from the Mountain-Ghul, and how he had imprisoned her and would have devoured her but for Gharib, adding, “And indeed, it behoveth my sire to give him the half of his reign,” Tuman arose and returned to Gharib and kissed his hands and feet and thanked him for his good dealing, saying, “With thy leave, O my lord, I will return to Isbanir City and deliver to our King the good news of his daughter’s approach.”  “Go,” replied Gharib, “and take of him the gift of