Quoth Sherkan， "I am well and in good case； but where is the holy man？" Now she was sitting by him and said， "At thy head." So he turned to her and kissed her hand； and she said， "O my son， it behoves thee to arm thyself with patience， and God shall make great thy reward； for the guerdon is measured by that which has been endured." Quoth Sherkan， "Pray for me，" and she did so. As soon as it was morning and the day arose and shone， the Muslims sallied out into the field， and the Christians made ready to cut and thrust. Then the host of the Muslims advanced and offered battle； and Zoulmekan and Afridoun made ready to tilt at one another. But when Zoulmekan sallied out into the field， there came with him Dendan and Behram and the Chamberlain， saying， "We will be thy sacrifice." "By the Holy House and the Well Zemzem and the Stead of Abraham，"[FN#116] exclaimed he， "I will not be hindered from going forth against these barbarians！" So he rode out into the field and played with sword and spear， till both armies wondered； then he rushed upon the right wing of the Greek army and slew two knights and in like manner dealt he with the left wing. Then he stayed his steed in the midst of the field and cried out， "Where is Afridoun， that I may make him drink the cup of humiliation？" But King Herdoub conjured Afridoun not to budge from the field， saying， "O King， it was thy turn yesterday：
to-day it is mine. I reck not of his prowess." So he pricked out towards Zoulmekan， with a sabre in his hand and under him a jet black horse， swift as he were Abjer， he that was Antar"s horse，even as says the poet：
He vies with the glance of the eye on a swift-footed steed， That fares as it had a mind to outstrip Fate.
The hue of his hide is the blackest of all things black， Like night， when the shadows shroud it in sable state.
The sound of his neighing troubles the hearts of men， As it were thunder that echoes in heaven"s gate.
If he run a race with the wind， he leads the way， Nor can the lightning outstrip him， early or late.
Then each rushed upon the other， guarding himself from his blows and showing the rare qualities that were in him and the wonders of his prowess； and they fell to advancing and retreating and ceased not to flee and return to the attack and wheel hither and thither， till the breasts of the bystanders were straitened （for anxiety） and they were weary of waiting for the event. At last，Zoulmekan cried out and rushing upon Herdoub， King of Caesarea，dealt him such a blow that he shore his head from his body and made an end of him. When the infidels saw this， they all rushed at Zoulmekan， who met them in mid-field， and they fell to cutting and thrusting， till the blood ran in streams. Then the Muslims cried out， "God is most great；" and "There is no god but God；"
and invoked blessings on the Giver of Good Tidings， the Admonisher of Mankind，[FN#117] and there befell a great battle.
But God sent help to the faithful and confusion to the infidels.
The Vizier Dendan shouted， "Avenge King Omar ben Ennuman and his son Sherkan！" and baring his head， cried out to the Turks. Now there were beside him more than twenty thousand horse， who all charged with him as one man， and the unbelievers found nothing for it but flight. So they turned their backs to flee， whilst the keen sabres wrought havoc amongst them and the Muslims slew of them that day more than fifty thousand cavaliers and took more than that： and much people also were slain at the going in of the gates by reason of the greatness of the crowd， whilst the Christians mounted the walls， fearing an assault. Then the Muslims returned to their tents， fortified and victorious， and King Zoulmekan went in to his brother， whom he found in the most joyous case. So he returned thanks to the Bountiful， the Exalted One and gave Sherkan joy of his deliverance. "Verily，" answered he， "we are all under the benediction of this holy and God-fearing man， nor would you have been victorious， but for his effectual prayers； for all day he hath never ceased to invoke victory on the Muslims. I found strength return to me， when I heard you cry， "God is most great！" for then I knew you had gotten the better of your enemies. But now tell me， O my brother，what befell thee." So he told him all that had passed， how he had slain the accursed Herdoub and he had gone to the malediction of God； and Sherkan praised his prowess. When Dhat ed Dewahi heard tell of her son"s death， the blood fled from her face and her eyes ran over with streaming tears； however， she kept her counsel and feigned to the Muslims that she was glad and wept for excess of joy： but she said in herself， "By the virtue of the Messiah，there remains no profit of my life， if I make not his heart bleed for his brother Sherkan， even as he has made mine bleed for King Herdoub， the mainstay of the Christian faith and the hosts of the Cross！"
