ou saying?' said the prince, and other such words. When the negro
understood that he was being abused, he cried: 'Come along! I will put
you into such a state that the birds of the air will weep for you.' Then
the prince drew the Scorpion of Solomon and struck him--struck him on
the leathern belt and shore him through so that the sword came out
on the other side. He stood upright for a little while, muttered some
words, put out his hand to seize the prince, then fell in two and
surrendered his life.

There was water close at hand, and the prince made his ablution, and
then said: 'O my heart! a wonderful task lies upon you.' A second negro
came out of the fort, and seeing what had been done, went back and told
his chief. Others wished to be doubled, and went out, and of every one
the Scorpion of Solomon made two. Then Taram-taq sent for a giant negro
named Chil-maq, who in the day of battle was worth three hundred, and
said to him: 'I shall thank you to fetch me that man.'

Chil-maq went out, tall as a tower, and bearing a shield of eight
millstones, and as he walked he shouted: 'Ho! blunder-head! by what
right do you come to our country and kill our people? Come! make two of
me.' As the prince was despicable in his eyes, he tossed aside his club
and rushed to grip him with his hands. He caught him by the collar,
tucked him under his arm and set off with him to Taram-taq. But the
prince drew the dagger of Timus and thrust it upwards through the
giant's armpit, for its full length. This made Chil-maq drop him and
try to pick up his club; but when he stooped the mighty sword shore him
through at the waist.

When news of his champion's death reached Taram-taq he put himself at
the head of an army of his negroes and led them forth. Many fell before
the magic sword, and the prince laboured on in spite of weakness and
fatigue till he was almost worn out. In a moment of respite from attack
he struck his fire-steel and burned a hair of the king-lion; and he had
just succeeded in this when the negroes charged again and all but
took him prisoner. Suddenly from behind the distant veil of the desert
appeared an army of lions led by their king. 'What brings these scourges
of heaven here?' cried the negroes. They came roaring up, and put fresh
life into the prince. He fought on, and when he struck on a belt the
wearer fell in two, and when on a head he cleft to the waist. Then the
ten thousand mighty lions joined the fray and tore i