Quoth she'The old woman told me that thou wast weak with illness on my account；and beholdthou art stronger than a horse.'He made her no reply；so she put her hand to his face and felt a beard like a bath-broomas he were a hog that had swallowed feathers and they had come out at his gullet；whereat she took fright and said to him'What art thou？'O strumpet，'
answered he'I am the sharper Jewan the Kurdof the band of Ahmed ed Denef；we are forty sharperswho will all tilt at thy tail this nightfrom dusk to dawn.'When she heard his words，she wept and buffeted her faceknowing that Fate had gotten the better of her and that there was nothing for it but to put her trust in God the Most High. So she took patience and submitted herself to the ordinance of Godsaying'There is no god but God！ As often as we escape from one troublewe fall into a worse.'
Now the manner of Jewan's coming thither was thus：he had said to Ahmed ed Denef'O captainI have been here before and know a cavern without the townthat will hold forty souls；so I will go before you thither and set my mother therein. Then will I enter the city and steal somewhat on your account and keep it till you come；so shall you be my guests this day.'Do what thou wilt，'replied Ahmed. So Jewan forewent them to the cavern and left his mother there；butas he came outhe found a trooper lying asleepwith his horse tethered beside him；so he slew him and taking his clothes and armshid them with his mother in the cavewhere also he tied up the horse. Then he betook himself to the city and prowled abouttill he happened on the Christian's house and did with Ali Shar and Zumurrud as we have said. He ceased not to runwith Zumurrud on his backtill he came to the cavernwhere he gave her in charge of his mothersaying'Keep watch over her till I come back to thee at point of day，'and went away.
Meanwhile Zumurrud said to herself'Now is the time to cast about for a means of escape. If I wait till these forty men come，they will take their turns at metill they make me like a water-logged ship.'Then she turned to the old woman and said to her，'O my auntwilt thou not come without the cavethat I may louse thee in the sun？'Ayby AllahO my daughter！'replied the old woman. 'This long time have I been out of reach of the bath；for these hogs cease not to hale me from place to place.'So they went without the cavernand Zumurrud combed out the old woman's hair and killed the vermin in her headtill this soothed her and she fell asleep；whereupon Zumurrud arose and donning the clothes of the murdered troopergirt herself with his sword and covered her head with his turbanso that she became as she were a man.