his commandment and of the spoil that he had gotten. Moreover, he
gave him to know that El Abbas was coming on the morrow, and with
him more than fifty thousand cavaliers, obedient to his
commandment. When the king heard his speech, he bade decorate
Baghdad and commanded [the inhabitants] to equip themselves with
the richest of their apparel, in honour of the coming of El
Abbas. Moreover, he sent to give King El Aziz the glad tidings of
his son's return and acquainted him with that which he had heard
from the prince's servant.

When the news reached El Aziz, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy
in the coming of his son and straightway took horse, he and all
his army, what while the trumpets sounded and the musicians
played, that the earth quaked and Baghdad also trembled, and it
was a notable day. When Mariyeh beheld all this, she repented
with the uttermost of repentance of that which she had wroughten
against El Abbas his due and the fires still raged in her vitals.
Meanwhile, the troops[FN#104] sallied forth of Baghdad and went
out to meet those of El Abbas, who had halted in a meadow called
the Green Island. When he espied the approaching host, he knew
not what they were; so he strained his sight and seeing horsemen
coming and troops and footmen, said to those about him, "Among
yonder troops are ensigns and banners of various kinds; but, as
for the great green standard that ye see, it is the standard of
my father, the which is reserved [unto him and never displayed
save] over his head, and [by this] I know that he himself is come
out in quest of me." And he was certified of this, he and his
troops.

[So he fared on towards them] and when he drew near unto them, he