When it was the One Hundred and Third Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when King Zau al-Makan saw that the accursed Infidel had struck with javelin his brother Sharrkan，he deemed him dead，and despatched cavaliers towards him；and the first to reach him were the Wazir Dandan and the Emir of the Turks，Bahram，and the Emir of the Daylamites，Rustam.They found him falling from his horse；so they stayed him in his saddle and returned with him to his brother，Zau al-Makan；then they gave him in charge to his pages，and went again to do the work of cut and thrust.So the strife redoubled and the weapons together clashed and ceased not bate and debate and naught was to be seen but blood flowing and necks bowing；nor did the swords cease on the napes of men to make play nor the strife to rage with more and more affray，till the most part of the night was past away and the two hosts were aweary of the mellay.So they called a truce and each army returned to its tents，whilst all the Infidels repaired to King Afridun and kissed the ground before him，and the priests and monks wished him joy of his victory over Sharrkan.Then the King fared for Constantinople and sat upon the throne of his realm，when King Hardub came to him and said，'May the Messiah strengthen thy fore arm and never cease to be thy helper and hearken to what prayers my pious mother，Zat al-Dawahi，shall pray for thee！Know that the Moslems can make no stay without Sharrkan.'Replied Afridun，'To morrow shall end the affair when to fight I fare：I will seek Zau al-Makan and slay him，and their army shall turn tail and of flight shall avail.'Such was the case with the Kafirs；but as regards the host of Al-Islam，when Zau al-Makan returned to his tent，he thought of naught but his brother and，going into the pavilion，found him in evil case and sore condition；whereupon he summoned for counsel the Wazir Dandan and Rustam and Bahram.
When they entered，they opined to assemble the physicians that they might medicine Sharrkan，and they wept and said，'The world will not readily afford his like！'and they watched by him all that night，and about the later hours came to them the Recluse in tears.When Zau al-Makan saw him，he rose in honour；and the Religious stroked Sharrkan's wound with his hand，chanting somewhat of the Koran and repeating by way of talisman some of the verses of the Compassionate One.And the pretender ceased not to watch over him till dawn，when he came to himself and，opening his eyes，moved his tongue in his mouth and spake.At this Zau al-Makan rejoiced，saying，'Of a truth the blessing of the Holy Man hath taken effect on him！'And Sharrkan said，'Praised be Allah for recovery；indeed，I am well at this hour.
That accursed one played me false；and，but that I swerved aside lighter than lightening，the throw spear had pierced through my breast.So praised be Allah for saving me！And how is it with the Moslems？'Answered Zau al-Makan，'All are weeping for thee.'
Quoth Sharrkan，'I am well and in good case；but where is the Holy Man？'Now he was sitting by him and said，'At thy head.'So the Prince turned to him and kissed his hand when he said，'O my son！Be of good patience and Allah shall increase thy reward；for the wage is measured by the work.'Sharrkan rejoined，'Pray for me，'and he prayed for him.As soon as morning dawned and day brake in shine and sheen，the Moslems sallied out to the plain and the Kafirs made ready to thrust and cut.Then the Islamite host advanced and offered fight with weapons ready dight，and King Zau al-Makan and Afridun made to charge one at other.But when Zau al-Makan fared forth into the field，there came with him the Wazir Dandan and the Chamberlain and Bahram，saying，'We will be thy sacrifice.'He replied，'By the Holy House and Zemzem and the Place！[450] I will not be stayed from going forth against these wild asses.'And when he rode out into the field he played with sword and spear till riders marvelled and both armies wondered；then he rushed upon the foe's right wing and of it slew two knights and in like manner he dealt with the left wing.Presently he stayed his steed in the midst of the field and cried out，'Where is Afridun，that I may make him taste the cup of disgrace？'But when King Hardub saw the case he conjured Afridun not to attack him，saying，'O King，yesterday it was thy turn to fight： it is mine to day.I care naught for his prowess.'So he rushed out towards Zau al-Makan brand in hand and under him a stallion like Abjar，which was Antar's charger and its coat was jet black even as saith the poet，'On the glancing racer outracing glance He speeds，as though he would collar Doom：
His steed's black coat is of darkest jet，And likest Night in her nightliest gloom：
Whose neigh sounds glad to the hearer's ears Like thunders rolling in thun d'rous boom：
If he race the wind he will lead the way，And the lightning flash will behind him loom.'[451]
