After this fashion， the Muslims ceased not to come forth and the Franks to unhorse them and take them prisoner， till the day departed and the night came with the darkness. Now they had captured twenty cavaliers of the Muslims， and when Sherkan saw this， it was grievous to him， and he mustered his men and said to them， "What is this thing that hath befallen us？ To-morrow morning， I myself will go out into the field and seek to joust with their chief and learn his reason for entering our country and warn him against fighting. If he persist， we will do battle with him， and if he proffer peace， we will make peace with him."
They passed the night thus， and when God brought on the day， both parties mounted and drew out in battle array. Then Sherkan was about to sally forth， when behold， more than half of the Franks dismounted and marched on foot， before one of them， who was mounted， to the midst of the field. Sherkan looked at this cavalier and behold， he was their chief. He was clad in a tunic of blue satin and a close-ringed shirt of mail； his face was as the full moon at its rising and he had no hair on his cheeks. In his hand he held a sword of Indian steel， and he was mounted on a black horse with a white star， like a dirhem， on his forehead. He spurred into the midst of the field and signing to the Muslims，cried out with fluent speech in the Arabic tongue， saying， "Ho，Sherkan！ Ho， son of Omar ben Ennuman， thou that stormest the citadels and layest waste the lands， up and out to joust and battle with him who halves the field with thee！ Thou art prince of thy people and I am prince of mine； and whoso hath the upper hand， the other"s men shall come under his sway." Hardly had he made an end of speaking， when out came Sherkan， with a heart full of wrath， and spurring his horse into the midst of the field，drove like an angry lion at the Frank， who awaited him with calm and steadfastness and met him as a champion should. Then they fell to cutting and thrusting， nor did they cease to wheel and turn and give and take， as they were two mountains clashing together or two seas breaking one against the other， till the day departed and the night brought on the darkness， when they drew apart and returned， each to his people. As soon as Sherkan reached his comrades， he said to them， "Never in my life saw I the like of this cavalier； and he has one fashion I never yet beheld in any. It is that， when he has a chance of dealing his adversary a deadly blow， he reverses his lance and smites him with the butt. Of a truth， I know not what will be the issue between him and me； but I would we had in our army his like and the like of his men." Then he passed the night in sleep， and when it was morning， the Frank spurred out to the mid-field， where Sherkan met him， and they fell to fighting and circling one about the other， whilst all necks were stretched out to look at them；
nor did they cease from battle and swordplay and thrusting with spears， till the day departed and the night came with the darkness， when they drew asunder and returned each to his own camp. Then each related to his comrades what had befallen him with his adversary， and the Frank said to his men， "To-morrow shall decide the matter." So they both passed the night in sleep，and as soon as it was day， they mounted and drove at each other and ceased not to fight till the middle of the day. Then the Frank made a shift， first spurring his horse and then checking him with the bridle， so that he stumbled and threw him； whereupon Sherkan fell on him and was about to smite him with his sword and make an end of the long strife， when the Frank cried out， "
Sherkan， this is not the fashion of champions！ It is only the beaten[FN#18] who deal thus with women." When Sherkan heard this，he raised his eyes to the Frank"s face and looking straitly at him， knew him for none other than the princess Abrizeh， whereupon he threw the sword from his hand and kissing the earth before her， said to her， "What moved thee to do this thing？" Quoth she，"I was minded to prove thee in the field and try thy stoutness in battle. These that are with me are all of them my women， and they are all maids； yet have they overcome thy horsemen in fair fight；
and had not my horse stumbled with me， thou shouldst have seen my strength and prowess." Sherkan smiled at her speech and said，"Praised be God for safety and for my reunion with thee， O queen of the age！" Then she cried out to her damsels to loose the prisoners and dismount. They did as she bade and came and kissed the earth before her and Sherkan， who said to them， "It is the like of you that kings treasure up against the hour of need."
Then he signed to his comrades to salute the princess； so they dismounted all and kissed the earth before her， for they knew the story. After this， the whole two hundred mounted and rode day and night for six days" space， till they drew near to Baghdad when they halted and Sherkan made Abrizeh and her companions put off their male attire and don the dress of the women of the Greeks.
