"What was it that ye won？" asked Sherkan. "O King，" replied they，"we will not tell thee， except in private； for if this thing be noised among the folk， it may come to the ears of the King of Constantinople， and this will be the cause of our ruin and of the ruin of all Muslims that resort to the land of the Greeks." （Now they had hidden the chest wherein was Dhat ed Dewahi.） So Zoulmekan and his brother brought them to a private place， where they repeated to him the story of the devotee， even as the old woman had lessoned them， and wept till they made the two kings weep. There withal Sherkan"s heart yearned to the devotee and he was moved to pity for him and zeal for the service of God the Most High. So he said to the Syrians， "Did ye rescue the holy man or is he still in the hermitage？" Quoth they， "We delivered him and slew the hermit， fearing for ourselves； after which we made haste to fly， for fear of death； but a trusty man told us that in this hermitage are quintals of gold and silver and jewels." Then they fetched the chest and brought out the accursed old woman， as she were a cassia[FN#103] pod， for excess of blackness and leanness， and laden with fetters and shackles. When Zoulmekan and the bystanders saw her， they took her for a man of the dower of God"s servants and the most excellent of devotees， more by token of the shining of her forehead for the ointment with which she had anointed it. So Zoulmekan and Sherkan wept sore and kissed her hands and feet， sobbing aloud： but she signed to them and said， "Give over weeping and hear my words." So they left weeping， in obedience to her， and she said， "Know that I was content to accept what my Lord did unto me， knowing that the affliction that befell me was a trial from Him （to whom belong might and majesty）； since that for him who is not patient under trial and affliction there is no coming to the delights of Paradise. I had indeed besought Him that I might return to my native land， yet not for impatience of the sufferings decreed to me， but that I might die under the hoofs of the horses of the warriors of the Faith， who， being slain in battle， live again without suffering death，"[FN#104]； and she repeated the following couplets：
The fortress[FN#105] is Sinai"s self and the fire of war burns free， And thou art Moses and this the time appointed to thee.
Throw down thy rod， for lo， it shall swallow up all they make！
And fear not； I trow the ropes of the folk no serpents be.[FN#106]
Read thou the lines of the foe for chapters，[FN#107] the day of the fight， And let thy sword mark on their necks the verses，what while they flee.
