days, when Gharib sought to revisit his native country and Mura'ash said, "O King of mankind, I
will ride at thy stirrup and bring thee to thine own land." Replied Gharib, "No, by the virtue of
Abraham the Friend, I will not suffer thee to weary thyself thus, nor will I take any of the Jinn
save Kaylajan and Kurajan." Quoth the King, "Take with thee ten thousand horsemen of the
Jinn, to serve thee;" but quoth Gharib, "I will take only as I said to thee." So Mura'ash bade a
thousand Marids carry him to his native land, with his share of the spoil; and he commanded
Kaylajan and Kurajan to follow him and obey him; and they answered, "Hearkening and
obedience." Then said Gharib to the Marids, "Do ye carry the treasure and Star o' Morn;" for he
himself thought to ride his flying steed. But Mura'ash said to him, "This horse, O my brother,
will live only in our region, and, if it come upon man's earth, 'twill die: but I have in my stables
a sea-horse, whose fellow is not found in Al-Irak, no, nor in all the world is its like." So he
caused bring forth the horse, and when Gharib saw it, it interposed between him and his
wits.[FN#45] Then they bound it and Kaylajan bore it on his shoulders and Kurajan took what he
could carry. And Mura'ash embraced Gharib and wept for parting from him, saying, "O my
brother, if aught befal thee wherein thou art powerless, send for me and I will come to thine aid
with an army able to lay waste the whole earth and what is thereon." Gharib thanked him for his
kindness and zeal for the True Faith and took leave of him; whereupon the Marids set out with
Gharib and his goods; and, after traversing fifty years' journey in two days and a Night, alighted
near the city of Oman and halted to take rest. Then Gharib sent out Kaylajan, to learn news of his
people, and he returned and said, "O King, the city is beleaguered by a host of Infidels, as they
were the surging sea, and thy people are fighting them. The drums beat to battle and Jamrkan
goeth forth as champion in the field." When Gharib heard this, he cried aloud, "God is Most
Great!" and said to Kaylajan, "Saddle me the steed and bring me my arms and spear; for to-day
the valiant shall be known from the coward in the place of war and battle-stead." So Kaylajan
brought him all he sought and Gharib armed and belting in baldrick Al-Mahik, mounted the sea
horse and made toward the hosts. Quoth Kaylajan and Kurajan to him, Set thy heart at rest and
let us go to the Kafirs and scatter them abroad in the wastes and wilds till, by the help of Allah,
the All-powerful, we leave not a soul alive, no, not a blower of the fire." But Gharib said "By the
virtue of Abraham the [Friend, I will not let you fight them without me and behold, I mount!"
Now the cause of the coming of that great host was right mar vellous.[FN#46]--And Shahrazad