Hearing this，down came Sabbah and，accosting Kanmakan，said to him，'Right well hast thou dight，O Knight of the age！ Verily I prayed Allah for thee and the Lord heard my prayer.'Then he cut off Kahrdash's head and Kanmakan laughed and said，'Woe to thee，O Sabbah！ I thought thee a rider fain of fight.'Quoth the Badawi，'Forget not thy slave in the division of the spoil，so haply therewith I may marry my cousin Najmah.'Answered Kanmakan，'Thou shalt assuredly share in it，but now keep watch over the booty and the slaves.'Then he set out for his home and he ceased not journeying night and day till he drew near Baghdad city，and all the troops heard of Kanmakan，and saw what was his of loot and cattle and the horsethief's head on the point of Sabbah's spear.Also （for he was a noted highwayman） the merchants knew Kahrdash's head and rejoiced，saying，'Allah hath rid mankind of him！'； and they marvelled at his being slain and blessed his slayer.Thereupon all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan，seeking to know what adventures had befallen him，and he told them what had passed，whereupon all men were taken with awe of him and the Knights and champions feared him.Then he drove his spoil under the palace walls； and，planting the spear heel，on whose point was Kahrdash's head，over against the royal gate，gave largesse to the people of Baghdad，distributing horses and camels，so that all loved him and their hearts inclined to him.
Presently he took Sabbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling and gave him a share of the loot； after which he went in to his mother and told her all that had befallen him in his last journey.Meanwhile the news of him reached the King，who rose from his levee and，shutting himself up with his chief officers，said to them，'Know ye that I desire to reveal to you my secret and acquaint you with the hidden facts of my case.And further know that Kanmakan will be the cause of our being uprooted from this kingdom，our birth place； for he hath slain Kahrdash，albeit he had with him the tribes of the Kurds and the Turks，and our affair with him will end in our destruction，seeing that the most part of our troops are his kinsmen and ye weet what the Wazir Dandan hath done； how he disowneth me，after all I have shown him of favours； and after being faithful he hath turned traitor.
Indeed it hath reached me that he hath levied an army in the provinces and hath planned to make Kanmakan Sultan，for that the Sultanate was his father's and his grandfather's； and assuredly he will slay me without mercy.'Now when the Lords of the Realm heard from him these words，they replied，'O King，verily this man.[104] is unequal to this，and did we not know him to have been reared by thee，not one of us would approve of him.And know thou that we are at thy commandment； if thou desire his death，we will do him die； and if thou wilt remove him，we will remove him.'Now when King Sasan heard this，he said，'Verily，to slay him were wise； but needs must ye swear an oath to it.'So all sware to slay Kanmakan without giving him a chance； to the end that，when the Wazir Dandan should come and hear of his death，his force might be weakened and he fail of his design.
When they had made this compact and covenant with trim，the king honoured them with the highest honours and presently retired to his own apartments.But the officers deserted him and the troops refused their service and would neither mount nor dismount until they should espy what might befal，for they saw that most of the army was with the Wazir Dandan.Presently，the news of these things came to Kuzia Fakan and caused her much concern； so that she sent for the old woman who was wont to carry messages between her and her cousin，and when she came，bade her go to him and warn him of the plot.Whereto he replied，'Bear my salutation to the daughter of my uncle and say to her，'Verily the earth is of Allah （to whom belong Might and Majesty！），and He giveth it as heritage to whomsoever of His servants He willeth.' How excellent is the saying of the sayer，'Allah holds Kingship！ Whoso seeks without Him victoryShall be cast out，with soul condemned to Hell of low degree：
Had I or any other man a finger breadth of land，The rule were changed and men a twain of partner gods would see.'
Then the old woman returned to Kuzia Fakan and told her his reply and acquainted her that he abode in the city.Meanwhile，King Sasan awaited his faring forth from Baghdad，that he might send after him some who would slay him； till it befel one morning that Kanmakan went out to course and chase，accompanied by Sabbah，who would not leave him night or day.He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had tender black eyes and turned right and left： so he let her go and Sabbah said to him，'Why didst thou free this gazelle？'Kanmakan laughed and set the others free also，saying，'It is only humane to release gazelles that have young，and this one turned not from side to side，save to look for her fawns： so I let her go and released the others in her honour.'Quoth Sabbah，'Do thou release me，that I may go to my people.'At this Kanmakan laughed and smote him with the spear butt on the breast，and he fell to the ground squirming like a snake.Whilst they were thus doing，behold，they saw a dust cloud spireing high and heard the tramp of horses； and presently there appeared under it a plump of knights and braves.Now the cause of their coming was this.Some of his followers had acquainted King Sasan with Kanmakan's going out to the chase； so he sent for an Emir of the Daylamites，called Jami' and twenty of his horsemen； and gave them money and bade them slay Kanmaken.
So when they drew near the Prince，they charged down upon him and he met them in midcharge and killed them all，to the last man.
And behold，King Sasan took horse and riding out to meet his people，found them all slain，whereat he wondered and turned back； when lo！ the people of the city laid hands on him and bound him straitly.As for Kanmakan after that adventure，he left the place behind him and rode onward with Sabbah the Badawi.
