Presently， they saw a cavalier prick out into the plain， mounted on a stout and swift charger equipped for war： he was of great stature and was clad in a cuirass of steel made for stress of battle. On his breast he wore a jewelled mirror and in his hand he bore a keen scimitar and a lance of khelenj wood[FN#114] of curious Frankish workmanship. He uncovered his face and cried out， saying， "Whoso knoweth me hath enough of me， and whoso knoweth me not shall see who I am. I am Afridoun he who is overborne by the blessing of Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi." Before he had made an end of speaking， Sherkan， the champion of the Muslims， spurred out to meet him， mounted on a sorrel horse worth a thousand [dinars] of red gold， with housings embroidered in pearls and jewels， and girt with a sword of watered Indian steel，that shore through necks and made hard ventures easy. He drove his charger between the two armies， whilst the horsemen all gazed on him， and cried out to Afridoun， saying， "Out on thee， O accursed one， dost thou think me as one of the horsemen thou hast met， that cannot stand against thee in the mellay？" Then they rushed upon one another and came together like two mountains crashing or two seas breaking each against each. So they advanced and retreated and drew together and parted and ceased not to joust and battle with stroke of sword and thrust of spear， whilst the two armies looked on. Some said， "Afridoun will conquer，" and other some， "Sherkan；" and they stayed not their hands from the battle， till the clamour of the bystanders subsided and the dust-clouds rose and the day waned and the sun began to grow pale. Then King Afridoun cried out to Sherkan， saying， "By the virtue of the Messiah and the True Faith， thou art a doughty horseman and a stalwart fighting man， but thou art guileful and thy nature is not that of the freeborn and meseemeth thy fashion is other than praiseworthy nor is thy fighting that of a prince；
for see， thy people even thee with slaves[FN#115] and bring thee out a charger other than thine， that thou mayst （mount him and）
return to the battle. But by the virtue of the Messiah， thy fighting fatigues me and I am weary of cutting and thrusting with thee； and if thou wert purposed to do battle with me tonight thou wouldst not change aught of thy harness nor thy horse till thou hadst shown the cavaliers thy valour and skill in fight." When Sherkan heard him say that his own folk evened him with slaves，he was angry and turned towards his men， meaning to sign to them and bid them not prepare him change of armour or horse， when，behold， Afridoun shook his javelin in the air and hurled it at Sherkan. Now， when the latter turned， he found none behind him and knew that this was a trick of the accursed infidel； so he wheeled round in haste and seeing the javelin coming at him，swerved from it， till his head was level with the pommel of his saddle. The javelin grazed his breast and pierced the skin， for Sherkan was high-bosomed： so he gave one cry and swooned away.
Then the accursed Afridoun was glad， thinking that he had slain him， and called to the Christians to rejoice， whereat the infidels were encouraged and the true believers wept. When Zoulmekan saw his brother reeling from side to side in his saddle， so that he had well-nigh fallen， he sent cavaliers to his succour； whereupon the infidels drove at the Muslims and the two hosts joined battle， whilst the keen Yemen blades played among them. The first to reach Sherkan were Dendan and Rustem and Behram， who found him on the point of falling off his horse； so they stayed him in his saddle and carried him to Zoulmekan； then giving him in charge to his servants， returned to the battle.
Then the strife redoubled and the weapons clashed， and there was nought to be heard but the roar of the battle nor to be seen but blood flowing and necks bending beneath the blows； nor did the swords cease to play on men"s necks nor the strife to rage more and more， till the most part of the night was past and the two hosts were weary of battle. So they called a truce and each army returned to its tents， whilst all the infidels repaired to King Afridoun and kissed the earth before him， and the priests and monks wished him joy of his victory over Sherkan. Then he went up into Constantinople and sat down upon his throne； and King Herdoub came to him and said， "May the Messiah strengthen thine arm and cease never to be thy helper and hearken to the prayers of my pious mother on thy behalf！ Know that the Muslims can make no stand， now they have lost Sherkan." "To-morrow，" replied Afridoun， "shall end the war， for I will seek out Zoulmekan and slay him， and their army shall turn tail and take to flight."
Meanwhile， Zoulmekan returned to his tent thinking of nothing but his brother， and going in to the latter"s pavilion， found him in evil plight； whereat he was sore troubled and sent for the Vizier Dendan and the Amirs Behram and Rustem， that he might take counsel with them. When they entered， they were all of accord to summon the physicians to treat Sherkan， and they wept and said，"The age will not lightly afford his like！" They watched by him all that night， and towards morning there came to them the pretended recluse， weeping. When Zoulmekan saw her， he rose to receive her； and she stroked Sherkan"s wound with her hand，chanting somewhat of the Koran and repeating some of the signs of the Compassionate One. Then she kept watch over him till the day，when he came to himself and opening his eyes， moved his tongue in his mouth and spoke. At this Zoulmekan rejoiced， saying， "Verily the blessing of the holy man hath taken effect on him！" And Sherkan said， "Praised be God for recovery； indeed， I am well now. Yonder accursed one played me false， and but that I swerved aside quicklier than lightning， the javelin had pierced me through and through. So praised be God for my safety！ How is it with the Muslims？" "They weep for thee，" answered Zoulmekan.
