Then will I go to King Afridun，Lord of Constantinople，and to my son Hardub，King of Roum，and relate to them their tidings and they will sally forth on the Moslems with their troops and will destroy them and will not leave one of them alive.'So she mounted and struck across country on her good steed all the livelong night；and，when day dawned，appeared the armies of Bahram and Rustam advancing towards her.So she turned into a wayside brake and hid her horse among the trees and she walked a while saying to herself，'Haply the Moslem hosts be returning，routed，from the assault of Constantinople.'However，as she drew near them she looked narrowly and made sure that their standards were not reversed，[436] and she knew that they were coming not as conquered men，but fearing for their King and comrades.When she was assured of this，she hastened towards them，running at speed，like a devil of ill rede，till reaching them she cried out，'Haste ye！haste ye！O soldiers of the Compassionate One，hasten to the Holy War against the hosts of Satan！'When Bahram saw her he dismounted and kissed the ground before her and asked her，'O friend of Allah what is behind thee？'Answered she，'Question not of sad case and sore condition；for when our comrades had taken the treasure from the hermitage of Matruhina，and designed to win their way Constantinople wards，thereupon came out on them a driving host and a dreadful of the Infidels.'
And the damned witch repeated to them the story to fill them with trouble and terror，adding，'The most of them are dead，and there are but five and twenty men left.'Said Bahram，'O holy man！
when didst thou leave them？''But this night，'[437] replied she.He cried，'Glory be to Allah！to Him who hath rolled up the far distance for thee like a rug，so that thou hast sped thus walking upon thy feet and props upon a mid-rib of palm-tree！But thou art one of the saints which fly like birds when inspired and possessed by His directions.'[438]Then he mounted his horse，and he was perplexed and confounded by what he had heard from the beldam so strong in lies and ill calumnies，and he said，'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah，the Glorious，the Great！Verily our labour is lost and our hearts are heavy within us，for our Sultan is a prisoner and those who are with him.'Then they cut across the country，wide and side，night and day，and when morning dawned they reached the head of the defile and saw Zau al-Makan and Sharrkan shouting.'There is no god but the God！Allaho Akbar！and Salutation and Salvation upon the Congratulator，the Comminator.'[439]Whereupon he and his drove at the Unbelievers and whelmed them，as the rain torrent whelms the waste；and cried out their war cries，till fear get hold of the prowess Knights and the mountains were cloven in affright.And when shone the day and showed its shine and sheen，the breeze of morning blew upon them sweet and fragrant，and each recognised other as hath been said before.Then they kissed the ground before the King and before his brother Sharrkan，who told them all that had befallen the party in the cave.Now thereat they marvelled and said to one another，'Hasten we back to Constantinople，for we left our companions there，and our hearts are with them.'So they hurried departure，commending themselves to the Subtle，the All-wise，and Zau al-Makan exhorted the Moslems to steadfast- ness and versified in the following couplets，[440]
'Be praises mine to all praiseworthy Thee，O Lord，who stinted not mine aid to be！
Though was I lost abroad，Thou west to me Strongest support which vouchsafed victory：
Thou gav'st me wealth and reign and goodly gifts，And slungest con quering sword of valiancy：
Thou mad'st me blest beneath Thy kingly shade，Engraced with generous boons dealt fain and free：
Thou savedst from every fear I feared，by aid Of my Wazir，the Age's noblest he！
Garred us Thy grace in fight to throw the Greek，Who yet came back dight in War's cramoisie：
Then made I feint to fly from out the fight；But like grim lion turning made them flee，And left on valley sole my foemen，drunk Not with old wine[441] but Death-cup's revelry：
Then came the Saintly Hermit，and he showed His marvels wrought for town and wold to see；When slew they hero-wights who woke to dwell In Eden bowers wherein sweet rill-lets well.'
But，when Zau al-Makan had made an end of versifying，his brother Sharrkan congratulated him on his safety and thanked him for the deeds he had done；after which both set out forcing their marches to rejoin their army.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
