After I had eaten and drunk I said to the youth，'Know thou，O Chief of the Arabs，that I have told thee in all truth who and what I am，and now I would fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of thy case.'Replied the young man，'As for this damsel she is my sister.'Quoth I，'It is my desire that thou give me her to wife of thy free will： else will I slay thee and take her by force.'Upon this，he bowed his head groundwards awhile，then he raised his eyes to me and answered，'Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned knight and famed in fight and verily thou art the lion of the desert；but if ye all attack me treacherously and slay me in your wrath and take my sister by force，it will be a stain upon your honour.An you be，as ye aver，cavaliers who are counted among the Champions and reck not the shock of foray and fray，give me a little time to don my armour and sling on my sword and set lance in rest and mount war steed.Then will we go forth into the field of fight，I and you；
and，if I conquer you，I will kill you to the last man；but if you overcome me and slay me，this damsel，my sister，is yours.'