'Know，O King，'said they，that there is among them a Frankish cavalier who is their leader and，indeed，he is a man of valour and fatal is his spear thrust： but，by Allah，he spares us great and small； for whoso falls into his hands he lets him go and forbears to slay him.By Allah，had he willed he had killed us all.'Sharrkan was astounded when he heard what the Knight had done and such high report of him，so he said，'When the morn shall morrow，we will draw out and defy them，for we are an hundred to their hundred；and we will seek aid against them from the Lord of the Heavens.'So they rested that night in such intent； whilst the Franks gathered round their Captain and said，'Verily this day we did not win our will of these；'and he replied，'At early dawn when the morrow shall morn，we will draw out and challenge them，one after one.'They also rested in that mind，and both camps kept guard until Almighty Allah sent the light of day dawn.Thereupon King Sharrkan and his hundred riders took horse and rode forth to the plain，where they found the Franks ranged in line of battle；and Sharrkan said to his followers，'Our foes have determined like ourselves to do their devoir；so up and at them and lay on load.'Then came forth an Herald of the Franks and cried out，saying，'Let there be no general engagement betwixt us this day，save by the duello，a champion of yours against a champion of ours.'Whereupon one of Sharrkan's riders dashed out from the ranks and crave between the two lines crying，'Ho！who is for smiting？Let no dastard engage me this day nor niderling！'Hardly had he made an end of his vaunt，when there sallied forth to him a Frankish cavalier，armed cap-a-pie and clad in a surcoat of gold stuff，riding on a grey white steed，[215] and he had no hair on his cheeks.He urged his charger on to the midst of the battle plain and the two fell to derring do of cut and thrust，but it was not long before the Frank foined the Moslem with the lance point；and，toppling him from his steed，took him prisoner and led him off crestfallen.His folk rejoiced in their comrade and，forbidding him to go out again to the field，sent forth another，to whom sallied out another Moslem，brother to the captive，and offered him battle.The two fell to，either against other，and fought for a little while，till the Frank bore down upon the Moslem and，falsing him with a feint，tumbled him by a thrust of the lance heel from his destrier and took him prisoner.After this fashion the Moslems ceased not dashing forwards，one after one，and the Franks to unhorse them and take them captive，till day departed and the night with darkness upstarted.Now they had captured of the Moslems twenty cavaliers，and when Sharrken saw this，it was grievous to him and he mustered his men and said to them，'What is this thing that hath befallen us？To- morrow，I myself will go forth to the field and offer singular combat to their chief and learn what is the cause of his entering our land and warn him against doing battle with our band.If he persist，we will punish him with death，and if he prove peaceable we will make peace with him.'They righted on this wise till Allah Almighty caused the morn to dawn，when mounted the twain and drew up for battle fain； and Sharrkan was going forth to the plain，but behold，more than one half of the Franks dismounted and remained on foot before one of them who was mounted，till they reached the midst of the battle plain.Sharrken looked at that horseman and lo！ he was their chief.He was clad in a surcoat of blue satin and a close ringed mail shirt；his face was as the moon when it rises and no hair was upon his cheeks.He hent in hand an Indian scymitar and he rode a sable steed with a white blaze on brow，like a dirham； and he smote the horse with heel till he stood almost in the midst of the field when，signing to the Moslems，he cried out in fluent Arab speech 'Ho，Sharrkan！Ho，son of Omar bin al- Nu'uman！Ho，thou who forcest fortalice and overthrowest cities and countries！up and out to battle bout，and blade single handed wield with one who halves with thee the field！
Thou art Prince of thy people and I am Prince of mine； and whoso overcometh his adversary，him let the other's men obey and come under his sway.'Hardly had he ended his speech，when out came Sharrkan with a heart full of fury，and urging his steed into the midst of the field，closed like a raging lion with the Frank who encountered him with wariness and steadfastness and met him with the meeting of warriors.Then they fell to foining and hewing，and they stinted not of onset and offset，and give and take，as they were two mountains clashing together or two seas together dashing；nor did they cease fighting until day darkened and night starkened.Then they drew apart and each returned to his own party；but as soon as Sharrkan foregathered with his comrades，he said，'Never looked I on the like of this cavalier：he hath one quality I have not yet seen in any and this it is that，when his foemen uncovereth a place for the death blow，he reverseth his weapon and smiteth with the lance-heel！In very deed I know not what will be the issue 'twixt him and me；but 'tis my wish that we had in our host his like and the like of his men.'Then he went to his rest for the night and，when morning dawned，the Frank came forth and rode down to the mid field，where Sharrkan met him； and they fell to fighting and to wheeling，left and right； and necks were stretched out to see the sight，nor did they stint from strife and sword play and lunge of lance with main and might，till the day turned to night and darkness overwhelmed the light.Then the twain drew asunder and returned each to his own camp，where both related to their comrades what had befallen them in the duello；and at last the Frank said to his men，'Tomorrow shall decide the matter！'
