Next day， Kanmakan came in to his mother and said to her， "O my mother， I am resolved to go forth a-raiding in quest of booty. I will waylay caravans and seize horses and flocks and slaves black and white， and as soon as my store is waxed great and my case is bettered， I will demand my cousin Kuzia Fekan in marriage of my uncle." "O my son，" replied she， "of a truth the goods of men are not as a wastril camel， ready to thy hand； but between thee and them are sword-strokes and lance-thrusts and men that eat wild beasts and lay waste countries and snare lions and trap lynxes."
Quoth he， "God forbid that I should turn from my purpose， till I have attained my desire！" Then he despatched the old woman to Kuzia Fekan， to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of a dowry befitting her， saying， "Thou must without fail bring me an answer from her." "I hear and obey，" repled the old woman and going forth， presently returned with Kuzia Fekan"s answer， which was that she would come to him at midnight. So he abode awake till one half of the night was past， when disquietude got hold on him， and before he was aware， she came in to him， saying， "My life be thy ransom from wakefulness！" And he sprang up to receive her， exclaiming， "O desire of my heart， my life be thy ransom from all things evil！" Then he acquainted her with his intent，and she wept； but he said， "Weep not， O my cousin； for I beseech Him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and felicity." Then Kanmakan went in to his mother and took leave of her， after which he girt on his sword and donned turban and chin-band and mounting his horse Catoul， rode through the streets of Baghdad， till he reached the gate of the city. Here he found his comrade Subbah ben Remmah going out， who， seeing him， ran to his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his greeting， and Subbah said to him， "O my brother， how camest thou by this steed and sword and clothes， whilst I up to now have gotten nothing but my sword and target？" Quoth Kanmakan， "The hunter returns not but with game after the measure of his intent. A little after thy departure， fortune came to me： so now wilt thou go with me and work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this desert？" "By the Lord of the Kaabeh，" replied Subbah， "from this time forth I will call thee nought but "My lord！"" Then he ran on before the horse with his sword hanging from his neck and his budget between his shoulder-blades， and they pushed on into the desert four days" space， eating of the gazelles they caught and drinking of the water of the springs. On the fifth day， they came in sight of a high hill， at whose foot was a Spring encampment and a running stream. The knolls and hollows were filled with camels and oxen and sheep and horses， and little children played about the cattle-folds. When Kanmakan saw this， he was right glad and his breast was filled with joy； so he addressed himself to battle， that he might take the camels and the cattle， and said to Subbah， "Come， let us fall upon this good， whose owners have left it unguarded， and do battle for it with near and far， so haply it may fall to our lot and we will share it between us." "O my lord，" replied Subbah， "verily they to whom these herds belong are much people， and among them are doughty horsemen and footmen.
If we cast ourselves into this great danger， neither of us will return to his people； but we shall both be cut off utterly and leave our cousins desolate." When Kanmakan heard this， he laughed and knew that he was a coward： so he left him and rode down the hill， intent on rapine， shouting and chanting aloud the following verses：
O the house of En Numan is mickle of might！ We"re the champions with swords on the squadrons that smite！
When the fury of battle flames high in our hearts， We"re aye to be found in the front of the fight.
The poor man amongst us may slumber secure Nor see the foul favour of want or upright.
I hope for the succour of Him in whose hand Is the Kingdom， the Maker of body and spright.
Then he rushed upon the cattle， like a camel in heat， and drove them all， oxen and sheep and horses and camels， before him.
Therewith the slaves ran at him with their bright swords and their long lances； and at their head was a Turkish horseman， a stout champion， doughty in battle and onset and skilled to wield the tawny spear and the white sabre. He drove at Kanmakan，saying， "Out on thee！ Knewest thou to whom these cattle belong，thou hadst not done this thing！ Know that they are the good of the Greek band， the champions of the sea and the Circassian troop， and they are a hundred cavaliers， all stern warriors， who have forsworn the commandment of all kings. There has been stolen from them a steed of great price， and they have vowed not to return hence， but with it." When Kanmakan heard these words， he cried out， saying， "O losers， this that I bestride is the steed itself， after which ye seek and for whose sake ye would do battle with me！ So come out against me， all of you at once， and do your dourest！" So saying， he cried out between Catoul"s ears and he ran at them， as he were a ghoul. Then Kanmakan drove at the Turk and smote him and overthrew him and let out his life； after which he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth and bereft them also of life. When the slaves saw this， they were afraid of him，and he cried out and said to them， "Ho， sons of whores， drive out the cattle and the horses， or I will dye my spear in your blood！"
So they untethered the cattle and began to drive them out， and Subbah came down to Kanmakan， crying out with a loud voice and rejoicing greatly； when， behold， there arose a cloud of dust and grew till it covered the prospect， and there appeared under it a hundred cavaliers， like fierce lions. With this Subbah fled up on to the hill， that he might gaze upon the fight in safety， saying，"I am no warrior but in sport and jest." Then the hundred cavaliers made towards Kanmakan from all sides， and one of them accosted him， saying， "Whither goest thou with this good？" "I have made prize of them，" replied he， "and am carrying them away；