Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/203

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Hasan of Bassorah
181

presented themselves, saying, "Fear not, neither grieve. Ascend the mountain, thou and thy wife and children and she who is with thee, and leave us to deal with them. We know you are in the right and they in the wrong." So they dismissed their horses and ascended the mountainside.

Now a great battle was fought wherein the seven Kings of the Jinns and their armies defeated Queen Nur al-Huda and her armies, slaying many and taking her and the powerful men of her realm prisoner. And on the morning after the battle the Jinn Kings set before Hasan an alabaster throne, inlaid with pearls and jewels, and he sat down thereon. Also a throne of ivory plated with glittering gold for his wife and the dame, and there they judged Queen Nur al-Huda and alt the captives. And Hasan commanded that all the captives were to be slain, and the old woman cried out: "Slay all, and spare none." But Princess Manar pleaded for her sister Nur al-Huda and wept over her, so that Hasan gave her into her hands, saying, "Do whatso thou wilt." Thereupon she bade them loose her sister and all the captives, and she went up to her and embraced her, and they all made peace together after the goodliest fashion. And Hasan dismissed his servants of the rod, and thanked them for having helped him against his foes.

And they passed the night together in converse, and on the morrow bade one another farewell. And Shawahi departed with Nur al-Huda to the left, while