night,
From out of which there shines a morning of delight.

Then Sherkan heard her say to the girls, "Come on, that I may wrestle
with you, ere the moon set and the dawn come." So they came up to her,
one after another, and she overthrew them, one by one, and bound their
hands behind them, with their girdles. When she had thrown them all,
there turned to her an old woman who was before her, and said, as if she
were wroth with her, "O shameless! dost thou glory in overthrowing these
girls? Behold, I am an old woman, yet have I thrown them forty times! So
what hast thou to boast of? But if thou have strength to wrestle with
me, stand up that I may grip thee, and put thy head between thy feet."
The young lady smiled at her words, although her heart was full of anger
against her, and said, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, wilt indeed wrestle
with me--or dost thou jest with me?" "I mean to wrestle with thee in
very deed," replied she. "Stand up to me then," said the damsel, "if
thou have strength to do so!" When the old woman heard this she was sore
enraged, and her hair stood on end like that of a hedgehog. Then she
sprang up, whilst the damsel confronted her ... and they took hold of
one another, whilst Sherkan raised his eyes to heaven and prayed to God
that the damsel might conquer the old hag. Presently ... the old woman
strove to free herself, and in the struggle wriggled out of the girl's
hands and fell on her back ... and behold the young lady ... throwing
over her a veil of fine silk, helped her to dress herself, making
excuses to her and saying, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, I did not mean to
throw thee so roughly, but thou wriggledst out of my hands; so praised
be God for safety." She returned her no answer, but rose in her
confusion and walked away out of sight, leaving the young lady standing
alone, by the other girls thrown down and bound.

Then said Sherkan, "To every fortune there is a cause. Sleep fell not on
me, nor did the steed bear me hither but for my good fortune; for of a
surety this damsel and what is with her shall be my prize." So he turned
back and mounted, and drew his scimitar; then he gave his horse the spur
and he started off with him like an arrow from a bow, whilst he
brandished his naked blade and cried out, "God is most great!" When the
damsel saw him she sprang to her feet, and running to the bank of the
river, which was there six cubits wide, made a spring and landed on the
other side,