So I went out in their track， thinking to get the horse， and ceased not to follow them， but was unable to get at the stallion，by reason of the strict guard kept by the slaves， till they reached this country and I feared lest they should enter the city of Baghdad. As I was casting about to steal the horse， behold， a great cloud of dust arose and covered the prospect. Presently it opened and disclosed fifty horsemen， banded together to waylay merchants and led by a captain by name Kehrdash， like a raging lion， yea， in battle a lion that lays heroes flat even as a carpet. They bore down on the old woman and her company， shouting and surrounding them， nor was it long before they bound her and the ten slaves and made off with their captives and the horse，rejoicing. When I saw this， I said to myself， "My toil is wasted and I have not attained my desire." However， I waited to see how the affair would result， and when the old woman found herself a captive， she wept and said to Kehrdash， "O doughty champion and invincible warrior， what wilt thou do with an old woman and slaves， now thou hast thy will of the horse？" And she beguiled him with soft words and promises that she would send him horses and cattle， till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his way， he and his comrades， and I followed them to this country，watching my opportunity， till at last I succeeded in stealing the horse， whereupon I mounted him and drawing a whip from my wallet，struck him with it. When the robbers heard this， they came out on me and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears at me， whilst I stuck fast on the horse"s back and he defended me with his hoofs， till at last he shot out with me from amongst them， like an arrow from the bow or a shooting star， after I had gotten a grievous wound in the press of the battle. Since that time， I have passed three days in the saddle， without tasting food or sleep， so that my strength is wasted and the world is become of no account to me. But thou hast dealt kindly with me and hast had pity on me： and I see thee naked of body and sorrowful of aspect； yet are the marks of gentle breeding manifest on thee. So tell me， what and whence art thou and whither art thou bound？" "My name is Kanmakan，" answered the prince， "son of King Zoulmekan， son of King Omar ben Ennuman. My father died， and a base man seized the throne after his death and became king over great and small." Then he told him all his story from first to last； and the thief said to him， （and indeed he had compassion on him）， "By Allah， thou art a man of great account and exceeding nobility and thou shalt surely win to high estate and become the first cavalier of thy time！ If thou canst lift me into the saddle and mount behind me and bring me to my country，thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the Day of calling of men one to another；[FN#155] for I have no strength left to hold myself in the saddle； and if I die by the way， the steed is thine； for thou art worthier of it than any other." "By Allah，" said Kanmakan， "if I could carry thee on my shoulders or share my life with thee， I would do so， without the horse！ For I am of those that love to do good and succour the afflicted. So make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle， the All-Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and set forward， trusting in God the Succourable. But the robber said，"Wait for me a little." Then he closed his eyes and opening his hands， said， "I testify that there is no god but God and that Mohammed is the Apostle of God！ O Glorious One， pardon me my mortal sin， for none can pardon mortal sins save Thou！" And he made ready for death and recited the following verses：
I"ve ranged through all countries， oppressing mankind， And in drinking of wine I have wasted my days.
I"ve waded through torrents， the horses to steal And I"ve used with my guile the high places to raze.
My case is right grievous and great is my guilt， And Catoul，alas！ is the end of my ways.
I hoped of this horse I should get my desire； But vain was my journey and vain my essays.
All my life I have stolen the steeds， and my death Was decreed of the Lord of all power and all praise.
So， in fine， for the good of the stranger， the poor， The orphan，I"ve wearied in toils and affrays.
When he had finished， he closed his eyes and opened his mouth；
then giving one sob， he departed this life. Kanmakan rose and dug a grave and laid him in the earth. Then he went up to the stallion and kissed it and wiped its face and rejoiced with an exceeding joy， saying， "None has the like of this horse， no， not even King Sasan." So much for Kanmakan.
Meanwhile， news came to King Sasan that the Vizier Dendan and half the army had thrown off their allegiance to him and sworn that they would have no king but Kanmakan and the Vizier had bound the troops by a solemn covenant and had gone with them to the islands of India and Ethiopia， where he had gathered together a host like the swollen sea， none could tell its van from its rear. Moreover， he was resolved to make for Baghdad and possess himself of the kingdom and slay all who should let him， having sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath， till he had set Kanmakan on the throne. When this news came to Sasan， he was drowned in the sea of melancholy， knowing that the whole state had furled against him， great and small， and trouble and anxiety were sore on him. So he opened his treasuries and distributed that which was therein among his officers and prayed for Kanmakan"s return， that he might draw his heart to him with fair usage and bounty and make him commander of those troops that remained faithful to him， hoping thus to prop his [falling]
