she heartened her heart and without giving ground she swayed her
sabre with all the force of her forearm and struck the beast
between the eyes and the blade came out gleaming between his
thighs and he sank on earth life-forlore and weltering in his
gore. Presently she wiped her scymitar and returned it to its
sheath; then, drawing a whittle she came up to the carcass
intending to skin it for her own use, when behold, there towered
from afar two dust-clouds, one from the right and the other from
the left, whereat she withdrew from flaying the lion's fell and
applied herself to looking out. Now by the decree of the Decreer
the first dust-cloud approaching her was that raised by the host
of her father and his sons-in-law who, when they drew near all
stood to gaze upon her and consider her, saying in wonderment one
to other, "How can this white slave (and he a mere lad) have
slain this lion single-handed? Wallahi, had that beast charged
down upon us he had scattered us far and wide, and haply he had
torn one of us to pieces. By Allah, this matter is marvellous!"
But the Mameluke looked mainly at the old King whom he knew to be
his sire for his heart went forth to him. Meanwhile the second
dust-cloud approached until those beneath it met the others who
had foregone them, and behold, under it was the husband of the
disguised Princess and his many. Now the cause of this King
marching forth and coming thither was this. When he entered the
Palace intending for the Harem, he found not his Queen, and he
fared forth to seek her and presently by the decree of the
Decreer the two hosts met at the place where the lion had been
killed. The Sultan gazed upon the Mameluke and marveiled at his
slaying the monster and said to himself, "Now were this white
slave mine I would share with him my good and stablish him in my
kingdom." Herewith the Mameluke came forward and flayed the lion