and I forbid you from them， for know that he who is before you is a terrible lion and an illustrious champion and a sword that cuts wherever it turns！" When the horseman heard this， he looked at Kanmakan and saw that he was a cavalier as he were a strong lion，whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its fourteenth night， and valour shone from between his eyes. Now this horseman was the chief of the hundred horse， and his name was Kehrdash；
and what he saw in Kanmakan of the perfection of martial grace，together with surpassing beauty and comeliness， reminded him of a mistress of his， by name Fatin. Now this Fatin was one of the fairest of women in face， for God had given her beauty and grace and charms and noble qualities of all kinds， such as the tongue fails to describe. Moreover， the cavaliers of the tribe feared her prowess and the champions of the land stood in awe of her，and she had sworn that she would not marry nor give any possession of her， except he should conquer her， saying to her father， "None shall approach me， except he master me in the field and the stead of war." Kehrdash was one of her suitors， and when the news reached him of the vow she had taken， he thought scorn to fight with a girl， fearing reproach； and one of his friends said to him， "Thou art accomplished in beauty and manly qualities； so if thou contend with her， even though she be stronger than thou， thou must needs overcome her， for when she sees thy beauty and grace， she will be discomfited before thee，seeing that women by nature incline unto men， as is not unknown to thee." Nevertheless he refused and would not contend with her，albeit indeed she loved him， for what she had heard of his beauty and velour： and he ceased not to abstain from her thus， till he met with Kanmakan， as hath been set down. Now he took the prince for his beloved Fatin and was afraid； so he went up to him and said， "Out on thee， O Fatin！ Thou comest to show me thy prowess；
but now alight from thy steed， that I may talk with thee， for I have driven off these cattle and waylaid horsemen and champions，all for the sake of thy beauty and grace， which are without peer.
So now thou shalt marry me， that kings" daughters may wait on thee， and thou shalt become queen of these countries." When Kanmakan heard this， the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he cried out， saying， "Out on thee， O dog of the barbarians！ Leave thy raving of Fatin and come to cutting and thrusting， for eftsoon thou shalt lie in the dust." So saying， he began to wheel about him and offer battle. Then Kehrdash observed him more closely and saw that he was indeed a doughty knight and a stalwart champion； and the error of his thought was manifest to him， whenas he saw the tender down that adorned his cheeks， as it were myrtles springing from the heart of a red rose. And he feared his onslaught and said to those that were with him， "Out on you！ Let one of you attack him and show him the keen sword and the quivering spear； for know that for a company to do battle with one man is foul shame， even though he be a doughty man of war and an invincible champion." With this， there ran at Kanmakan a lion-like horseman， mounted on a black horse with white feet and a star on his forehead， the bigness of a dirhem， astounding sight and wit， as he were Abjer， that was Antar"s steed： even as saith of him the poet：
See， where the stallion yonder comes， that with a fierce delight Drives to the battle， mingling earth with heaven in his might.
Meseems， the morning smote his brow and to avenge himself Thereon， he plunges straight and deep into its heart of light.
He rushed upon Kanmakan， who met him in mid-career， and they wheeled about awhile in the dint of battle， exchanging blows such as confound the wit and dim the sight， till Kanmakan took the other at vantage and smote him a swashing blow， that shore through turban and iron skull-cap and reached his head， and he fell from his saddle， as a camel falls， when he rolls over. Then a second came out to him and a third and a fourth and a fifth，and he did with them all as he had done with the first. Thereupon the rest rushed upon him， all at once， for indeed they were wild with rage and concern； but it was not long before he had transfixed them all with the point of his lance. When Kehrdash saw his feats of arms， he knew that he was stout of heart and concluded that he was the phoenix of the champions and heroes of the age： so he feared death and said to Kanmakan， "I give thee thy life and pardon thee the blood of my comrades， for I have compassion on thee by reason of thy fair youth. So take what thou wilt of the cattle and go thy ways， for life is better for thee[than death]." "Thou lackest not of the generosity of the noble，"[FN#156] replied Kanmakan； "but leave this talk and flee for thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the booty； but take the straight path for thine own safety." When Kehrdash heard this， he waxed exceeding wroth and his anger moved him to that which was the cause of his death； so he said to Kanmakan， "Out on thee！ Knewest thou who I am， thou wouldst not talk thus in the open field. I am the doughty lion known as Kehrdash， he who despoils great kings and waylays all the travellers and seizes the merchants" goods. Yonder steed under thee is what I am seeking and I call upon thee to tell me how thou camest by it." "Know，" replied Kanmakan， "that this steed was being carried to my uncle King Sasan in the company of a certain old woman， attended by ten slaves， when thou fellest upon her and tookest the horse from her； and I have a debt of blood against this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar ben Ennuman and my uncle King Sherkan." "Out on thee！" said Kehrdash. "Who is thy father， O thou that hast no （known）
