When the robbers heard this, they came out on
me and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears
at me, whilst I stuck fast on the horse's back and he defended me
with his hoofs, till at last he shot out with me from amongst
them, like an arrow from the bow or a shooting star, after I had
gotten a grievous wound in the press of the battle. Since that
time, I have passed three days in the saddle, without tasting
food or sleep, so that my strength is wasted and the world is
become of no account to me. But thou hast dealt kindly with me
and hast had pity on me: and I see thee naked of body and
sorrowful of aspect; yet are the marks of gentle breeding
manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and
whither art thou bound?" "My name is Kanmakan," answered the
prince, "son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. My
father died, and a base man seized the throne after his death and
became king over great and small." Then he told him all his story
from first to last; and the thief said to him, (and indeed he had
compassion on him), "By Allah, thou art a man of great account
and exceeding nobility and thou shalt surely win to high estate
and become the first cavalier of thy time! If thou canst lift me
into the saddle and mount behind me and bring me to my country,
thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the Day of
calling of men one to another;[FN#155] for I have no strength
left to hold myself in the saddle; and if I die by the way, the
steed is thine; for thou art worthier of it than any other.
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