it was that which undid us." But Dhat ed Dewahi said to them，"Assuredly nought shall profit you， except ye seek the favour of the Messiah and put your trust in the True Faith； for by the virtue of the Messiah， the whole strength of the Muslims lies in that devil， King Sherkan！" "To-morrow，" said Afridoun， "I will draw out in battle array and send out against them the famous cavalier， Luca ben Shemlout； for if King Sherkan come out to joust with him， he will slay him and the other champions of the Muslims， till not one is left； and I purpose this night to sacre you all by fumigation with the Holy Incense." When the amirs heard this， they kissed the earth before him. Now the incense in question was the excrement of the Chief Patriarch， which was sought for with such instance and so highly valued， that the high priests of the Greeks used to mix it with musk and ambergris and send it to all the countries of the Christians in silken sachets；
and kings would pay a thousand dinars for every drachm of it， for they sought it to perfume brides withal and the chief of them were wont to use a little of it in ointment for the eyes and as a remedy in sickness and colic. But the priests used to mix their own excrement with it， for that the excrement of the Chief Patriarch could not suffice for half a score countries. So， as soon as the day broke and the morning appeared with its lights and shone， the horsemen ran to arms， and King Afridoun summoned the chief of his knights and nobles and invested them with dresses of honour. Then he made the sign of the cross on their foreheads and incensed them with the incense aforesaid； after which he called for Luca ben Shemlout， surnamed the Sword of the Messiah， and after incensing him and rubbing his palate with the holy excrement， daubed and smeared his cheeks and anointed his moustaches with the remainder. Now there was no stouter champion in the land of the Greeks than this accursed Luca， nor any doughtier at bowshot or smiting with swords or thrusting with spears in the mellay； but he was foul of favour， for his face was as the face of a jackass， his shape that of an ape and his look as the look of a malignant serpent， and the being near unto him was more grievous than parting from the beloved. Moreover， he was black as night and his breath was fetid as that of the lion； he was crooked as a bow and grim-visaged as the pard， and he was branded with the mark of the infidels. He kissed Afridoun"s feet and the King said to him， "It is my wish that thou go out against Sherkan， King of Damascus， and hasten to deliver us from this affliction." Quoth Luca， "I hear and obey." And the King made the sign of the cross on his forehead and felt assured of speedy help from heaven， whilst Luca went out and mounted a sorrel horse. Now he was clad in a red tunic and a hauberk of gold set with jewels and bore a three-barbed spear， as he were Iblis the accursed on the day of marshalling his hosts to battle. Then he rode forward，he and his troop of infidels， as they were driving to the Fire，preceded by a herald， crying aloud in the Arabic tongue and saying， "Ho， followers of Mohammed， let none of you come out to-day but your champion Sherkan， the Sword of Islam， lord of Damascus of Syria！" Hardly had he made an end of speaking， when there arose a mighty tumult in the plain， all the people heard its voice， that called to mind the Day of Weeping. The cowards trembled and all necks turned towards the sound， and behold， it was King Sherkan. For， when Zoulmekan saw that accursed infidel spur out into the plain， he turned to Sherkan and said to him，"Of a surety they seek for thee." "Should it be so，" replied Sherkan， "it were pleasing to me." So when they heard the herald，they knew Luca to be the champion of the Greeks. Now he was one of the greatest of villains， one who made hearts to ache， and had sworn to clear the land of the Muslims； and indeed the Medes and Turks and Kurds feared his mischief. So Sherkan drove at him like an angry lion， mounted on a courser like a wild gazelle， and coming nigh to him， shook his javelin in his hand， as it were a darting viper， and recited the following verses：
I have a sorrel horse， right swift and eath to guide， Shall give thee of its might what thou mayst ill abide.
Ay， and a limber spear I have， full keen of point， As "twere the dam of deaths upon its shaft did ride；
And eke a trenchant sword of Ind， which when I draw， Thou"dst deem that levins flashed and darted far and wide，Luca understood not what he said nor did he apprehend the vehemence of the verse； but he smote his forehead with his hand，in honour of the cross drawn thereon， and kissed it， then ran at Sherkan with lance pointed at him. When he came within spear-shot， he threw the javelin into the air， till it was lost to sight， and catching it with the other hand， as do the jugglers， hurled it at Sherkan. It sped from his hand， like a shooting star， and the people clamoured and feared for Sherkan：