s
short and dangerous, but he bethought himself too that whatever was
written on his forehead would happen, and took the forbidden road.
By-and-by he saw a castle, and knew from what Jamila had told him that
it was the Place of Clashing Swords. He would have liked to go back
by the way he had come, but courage forbade, and he said, 'What has
been preordained from eternity will happen to me,' and went on towards
the castle. He was thinking of tying his horse to a tree which grew
near the gate when a negro came out and spied him. 'Ha!' said the
wretch to himself, 'this is good; Taram-taq has not eaten man-meat for
a long time, and is craving for some. I will take this creature to
him.' He took hold of the prince's reins, and said: 'Dismount,
man-child! Come to my master. He has wanted to eat man-meat this long
time back.' 'What nonsense are you 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 arm-pit, 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