University of Virginia Library

LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ANTAR.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

But King Cais and the tribes of Abs and Fazarah
and their party, amounting to twenty-five thousand
men, armed, and well accoutred, continued their
march, eager for battle, against the tribe of Aamir.
At their head was Hadifah with a thousand horsemen,
as the advance of the tribe of Fazarah.

They had marched about half-way, when a dust
arose, beneath which were discovered a hundred
horsemen, at whose head was the Brandisher of
Spears, and at his side Harith son of Zalim. The
cause of this was as follows: when Harith sent
back Hadifah's messenger, engaging to assist him
against the tribe of Aamir, he immediately marched
to join Khalid, who joyfully received him, and
conferred rich honorary robes on him and his
party; he also presented him his steed Caasa, which
had belonged to King Zoheir, and bestowed on

him his scimitar Zeenoor; it being his intent to
pay every possible attention to Harith. And as he
inspected the Arabs that were assembled at the
general call to arms, he observed the Brandisher
of Spears had mounted at their head with one
hundred horsemen; he himself also followed with
Harith. This party formed the advance of the
army, and continued their march till they met
Hadifah.

As soon as they met, their shouts arose: Come
on, my cousins, exclaimed Hadifah, this is but
an insignificant band, they do not exceed a hundred
men; so plunder them with the sharp-edged scimitar.
At Hadifah's call Harith came forth into the
plain. Eh, son of an accursed mother, cried Hadifah,
is this thy conduct towards us? Dost deny
thy connection with us, and has thy soul thus acquiesced
in perfidy in the plain and the desert? Ay,
replied Harith laughing, for I am celebrated for
my treachery, it is one of my natural habits; wise
indeed were you to suppose I should assist you and
a tribe that had admitted their slave among their
chiefs, and made their herdsmen their champions:
never will I condescend to sit with the tribe of
Abs till I have slain their slave Antar, and have
put numbers of them to death. But if you wish
to secure yourself, away home; no more of your
impertinence; engage not this army, or you and
the tribe of Fazarah will be cut off, root and
branch. Hadifah was confounded; perceiving that

he had fallen into a predicament out of which he
could not escape but by fighting, he called out
to his thousand; and men engaged men and heroes
heroes. Blood flowed and streamed, whilst Harith
and the Brandisher of Spears pierced through
the horsemen of Fazarah, and made their advantages
turn to their loss; for the hundred Aamirites
withstood the thousand of Fazarah, and the spear
thrust continued to clash on either side, and the
dust to conglomerate, and the blood to gush from
the wounds, till the armies came up and joined
them. At that moment shouts were raised on all
quarters; all were blinded to their dangers; every
one that arrived, and saw the engagement, laboured
and exerted his powers, and fought till the scene
exceeded all calculation, and the carnage and terror
were dreadful. King Cais and the Absian heroes
arrived, and the battle raged among them with foot
and leg. The sea of death waved and rolled
its stormy surge. The complexions and constitutions
of all were convulsed. Shame fell upon the
coward, and the brave were painted with crimson
gore. Lords became slaves, and the desert and
rocks were agitated. Harith performed on that
day exploits that confounded the sight; his chief
object being to assault the tribe of Abs. Before
evening, the Absians and the tribe of Fazarah
being evidently worsted, the two armies separated
on the advance of darkness. King Cais halted; and
he now repented of having listened to the advice of
the wretch Rebia, and that he had followed his
opinions, all of which were perfidious, and had rejected
Antar, son of Shedad. Cousins, said Cais,
in a general consultation, we have indeed taken
rash counsel, and we have mangled our reputation
amongst the high and low; never could I have
imagined that this dog would have ventured against
us in arms: I was mistaken in this tyrant. O King,
said Rebia, I was indeed aware of his iniquity, and
his malice, and his perfidy, and his treachery, but
now it is all over; we are come hither to seek retaliation,
and we have no other resource but to
draw out the troops into the field of battle, and
expose ourselves to the barbs of the spears, otherwise
the Arabs of Hijaz will despise us. Moreover
send to your relation, King Numan, that he may
aid us with an army, or if you please, send for our
cousin, the reliever of our sorrows and our griefs,
Antar, son of Shedad; he will come and remove
this difficulty from us, and will slay Harith in the
battle and the contest. Who, my brother, said
Amarah, is that black wittol, Antar? what achievement
is there this army cannot effect, amongst
which the first acknowledge, and the last assert,
there is none like the terrible Amarah in the time
of difficulty. Silence, O Amarah! said Asyed, no
more of your nonsense, this is all your plan and
your brother's plan; but by the faith of an Arab,
had we known that our champion Antar was not of
our party, not one of us would have followed you.
My advice is, that you send after him, and apologize
to him, and make your whole dependence on
him, or the Aamirites will invade your lands:
should Antar acquiesce, it will be out of pure
generosity and benevolence, and if he refuses to
attend, he will be excusable. But as to your proposal
of requesting assistance of Numan, before a
messenger could reach him, or his armies come to
your aid, your flesh will be in the maws of the
eagles: for the proverb says, whilst the medicine is
coming from Irak, the viper-bitten dies. By the
faith of an Arab, there is no one but Antar. Nazih
seconded Asyed in this proposition, as did all
Antar's friends.

As soon as the King heard his uncle's opinion
thus declared, he was convinced of its propriety, and
at the instant he wrote a letter to Antar, in which
he said: To him, whom we acknowledge as our
cousin and the remover of our sorrows—the inextinguishable
hot-coal of the tribe of Abs, and its
ever-burning flame: know, O my cousin, that enemies
have calumniated you to me (they are those
to whom iniquity is natural), and you also know,
my cousin, all the kind love I bear towards you;
entertain not, therefore, any malice against us. O
generous knight! what I request of you is, that
you hasten your journey hither, in order to take
retaliation for King Zoheir: let there be no other
answer, O Aboolfawaris, but the applying of your
foot to the stirrup; delay not, for death and destruction

are descending upon us. He folded the
letter, and gave it to a messenger, ordering him to
be very expeditious.

King Cais laid himself down, and meditated on
these deeds of fate. The two armies also reposed,
keeping the watch till morning dawned. Harith,
son of Zalim, started forth into the scene of battle,
and galloping and charging to and fro, he cried out,
come forth, ye Absians, knight to knight, or a hundred
to one—or a thousand against one; and if you
think it scanty justice, assail me all of ye at once,
that I may tear out your lives by the sword-blow
and the spear-thrust. Art thou not ashamed, cried
Hadifah, at what thou hast said, and at drawing
thy sword in the face of thy tribe? Eh, O Hadifah,
said Harith, I acknowledge no such calculation—
no parentage; but if thou wouldst escape death,
hie thee away, take the tribe with thee, and go
home to thy family: thwart me not, or thou diest,
otherwise come on to the contest of swords. Do not
imagine that I will respect thee on account of the
connexion that exists between us. How is it that
thou art fighting with those who have clothed thee
in shame, and hast rejected the aid of those who
came to seek retaliation for thee? Eh, O Harith,
replied Hadifah, and where is that black slave? It
was on your account we repulsed him: but he will
soon join us here; for when we saw you allied to
our foes, King Cais sent a messenger for Antar:
he will assuredly come and disperse these armies.

Harith, on hearing this, rushed at him, and they
began the contest. Fatigue soon fell on the arms
of Hadifah; he was exhausted, and disgrace quickly
succeeded his glory. Harith, being aware of his
situation, assailed him, and pierced him with his
spear through the thigh into the horse's side. Hadifah
fell to the ground, and Harith standing over
him on horseback, exclaimed, Rise, thou son of a
coward! were there not a kindred between us, I
would strike off thy neck with this sword. Haml,
observing his brother's condition, urged on his
horse till he came up to Harith. O son of Zalim,
said he, have we deserved this of thee? Not so
prolix, replied Harith. I forbad him the combat,
but he would not desist: dismount, and take him
with thee—depart to thy tribe; but if thou hast
any wish for another contest, come on to the fight.
Haml dismounted, and carried away his brother on
his horse's back, seeking the tribe of the generous
Absians; whilst Harith continued to gallop and
charge, exclaiming, O tribe of Abs, I will not permit
any but myself to punish you, that I may
appease my whole heart among you; for you are
my relations, and I have a right to seize your horses
and your armour. Upon this, the Absians went
out against him, horseman after horseman; but he
robbed them of their lives, and carried off their
horses and their arms; till night coming on and day
disappearing, the armies retired to their tents, and
the heroes laid themselves down to sleep, after they
had stationed the patroles. But as soon as it was
light, the armies being mounted and the troops
drawn up, Harith appeared between the two ranks,
galloping, and charging, and prancing over the four
corners of the plain, and admiring himself in the
field of battle, he thus burst forth: "Let me hear
the fall of the sharp-edged scimitars, and the
whizzing of the spears through the body. Let
me drink of the blood of horsemen in the course,
between the flash of the sword and the dark shadow
of the spear. Talk no more of the dwellings of
Mey, or the land of Hind, or the tents of Seaad;
for there is no glory for youth in cups of wine,
circling under the shade of the vine, and in the
valley. Glory is only in the battle—dust in the
day of contest, or the blow through the heart.
Consider no one as a friend among men—look on
man as thine enemy. Smite every one with the
sword, and requite faith with outrage and injury.
As to the action thou deemest virtuous, rush
eagerly to its reverse by iniquity. O tribe of Abs,
how can ye escape by flight this day on your
generous steeds? My scimitar is firmly grasped
in my hand, and death dwells upon the double
edge of my spear. Come forth or retreat, you
will find me a knight that will never flinch in the
day of action."

On hearing this, pride and indignation raged in
the heads of the Absians, for they were men bound
on retaliation. Instantly stood forth Nazih on his

high-bred steed, famed in the day of battle: he
attacked Harith, and rushing upon him without
saying a word, he startled him by his impetuosity.
They commenced the assault, and the combat, and
the contest; their rage and passion increased—they
laboured in the blow and the thrust, in advancing
and retreating, till, being exhausted by repeated
charges, they both stood still, gazing each at his
antagonist. But as soon as they were rested, they
vaulted again on their horses with renovated spirits,
and recommenced the wrestle and the struggle. At
last Harith charged down upon Nazih, and wearied
and exhausted him. Asyed was alarmed for his
son; when, lo! a knight, black as a mass of rock,
came forth from the hostile ranks of the tribe of
Aamir: he was strong-limbed, broad-shouldered,
soiled with dust, scantily armed, and ill supplied
with weapons: he had an instrument of war that
could repel no blow, that could ward off no disaster:
his spear was spliced together with reeds; his saddle
was of wood, and his stirrup of palmyra rope:
under him was a meagre, foundered horse; but he
himself was like a devouring lion. When the
horsemen beheld him they thought he was Khalid's
slave; but as soon as that knight came close to
Harith, Resign thy foe, he cried, thou son of a
coward; and, he added, dost thou not know that
these tribes that are assembled against the tribe of
Abs, are come to seek property and plunder? and I
among the rest have passed the valleys and the
mountains, and am come in quest of some booty,
that I may return to my home and my family: but
thou alone hast occupied the field of battle, and
hast left every one besides thyself in starvation and
penury. Now retire, and leave the fight, otherwise,
by him who rooted firm the towering sides of the
mountains, and has power over life and death, I
will pierce thee with this broken spear: content
thyself on the tribe of Abs with an easier prey, and
begone!

Harith, on hearing these contemptuous expressions
from this Bedoween, assailed him and thrust
at him; but this Bedoween stooped and avoided the
blow, and struck him with his spear on his back:
it startled him, but the Bedoween's spear dropped
down, shivered in four. Harith escaped the Bedoween,
who dismounted, and began splicing it with
some pieces of cord, and picked up the fragments
from the plain. The Arabs were in great astonishment
at the conduct of this rustic, and thought him
mad. But the danger was removed from Nazih,
for Harith had nearly killed him. Now when
Nazih observed the Bedoween, and that he was
tying up his spear, his generous spirit was roused;
he galloped up to him, and said, Think no more,
young man, of mending your spear, but take this,
and return again to your antagonist; overthrow
him, or he will turn against you in his malice.
Take also this horse, for he will assist you in the
charge; for had you a steed that was accustomed

to the plain of battle, you would soon destroy this
demon; and you may then accomplish every wish
with respect to the tribe of Abs and Adnan. Upon
this, the Bedoween received the spear from Nazih;
he mounted the offered horse, and quite pleased, O
my lord, he cried, take charge of this my horse, for
it is of a high breed, till this difficulty is removed
from me. Thus saying, he returned to Harith,
and rushed upon him, and flinging up the spear
into the air with his hand, he caught it as it fell
rolling round, and pierced Harith with the butt end
of it on the chest: it hurled him to the ground, and
his bones were bruised. Well, my lord, said he
again to Nazih, take this horse on which he rode,
and I will carry off his armour and spoils. Nazih
took it, and charged upon it over the plain. When
King Cais marked that horse beneath Harith, he was
melted like lead; but now, seeing him mounted by
his cousin, his concern and grief subsided. Let
one of ye go to this Bedoween, said he to his attendants,
and promise him wealth on my part; induce
him to drive Harith towards us, before his
comrades attack and rescue him out of our hands,
or he will purchase his life from this poor fellow;
and while King Cais was thus conversing, the
Bedoween pointed to the tribe of Aamir, and cried
out, O Mooferridj! O Mooferridj! and there issued
forth a horseman in the same plight as himself.
Dismount for this vile wretch, he cried, and bind
fast his shoulders, for I cannot trouble such a fine
Chief as this, who gave me his arms, to whom I am
also obliged for this horse. I have no doubt in my
mind that he must be a king's son, and I wish this
day to equal him in my gains, and to divide between
him and me the horse and arms. I know he does
not want it; but the chase is always an object, and
the heart and soul are ever interested in it. Thus
saying, he turned towards the tribe of Aamir, and
defied them to the combat. When Khalid saw what
this vagrant Arab had done to Harith, and heard
him cry out to his comrade, who quitted the Aamir
ranks,—By the faith of an Arab, he exclaimed, no
doubt amongst these tribes that we have assembled
there must be one who is our foe, or else some Absians
have mingled with us. So he prohibited the
troops from attacking, and sent for some one to
bring him this Bedoween in disgrace and infamy.
Jandah issued forth, roaring like an enraged lion,
as he shouted, What art thou, foul Arab? and he
rushed at him; but the Bedoween charged upon
him, and they engaged till the scene of action appeared
too confined; they clung to each other on
their horses' backs; they grappled and struggled
till their steeds were exhausted; they wrestled and
grasped till all power and strength were extinct.
But the vagrant Arab was the most forceful and the
stoutest; he gave his adversary the grasp of a lion,
and threw him on his feet by his superior might;
he tore off his sword from round his neck, and
endeavoured to drive him away with him; but as
Jandah resisted, he smote him with his sword, and
made a gash on his shoulder, crying out with a loud
voice, Hither, O Mosayid! O Mosayid! and there
started forth a horseman from the same spot as the
former. The Bedoween delivered Jandah over to
him, and ordered him to take charge of him, saying,
Let us see by the end of the day how many more of
these filthy fellows will fall into our hands, and then
we will consult about our further pleasures and
wants. When the two tribes saw these deeds, they
began to form various conjectures. As to King
Cais, By the faith of an Arab, he cried, assistance is
come to us, whence we know not: for Jandah is the
very fellow that smote my father's head, and we are
revenged for the iniquity of Harith, son of Zalim;
we have only now to gain over to us the heart of this
vagrant, and promise him whatever he wants: this
Bedoween cannot be Antar; but like him there is
no one human being, for he came forth into the plain
naked, and has laid low knights such as these. O
king, said Shedad, how oft you degrade the merit
of my son, and raise the value of others! Know,
O king, if this Bedoween were my son, I should
have recognised him from any other horseman;
from me he could not have been disguised. But I
am certain of it, O Shedad, said Oorwah; I did
recognise him from every other horseman, and
marked him as he attempted to outstrip the horse.
This is madness, said King Cais; as to Antar, we
only sent to him last night, so how could a messenger
reach him? and between us there are eight
days; we must suppose he followed us the very
day of our departure. O king, said Shedad, had
he followed us, it would not have been surprising;
but as to his uniting with the tribe of Aamir, he
must have heard that you boasted of Harith as
being superior to him, and that you had bespoken
his aid: he must have fought with your foes thinking
Harith was on your side, with the wish to destroy
him, and do with him just as he has done,
and to show you his power: for my son is patient
and forbearing—resentment has no place in him,
and never will he allow an Arab to triumph at your
expense. Just then advanced Nazih and Antar,
and Harith and Jandah, with Shiboob and Jareer,
dragging them along. The cause of Antar's arrival
was this: as soon as he went to the tents, and, his
meeting with Ibla being accomplished, he felt delighted
at seeing her; but when the women had
quitted him, he said to Shiboob, O my brother, I
wish to follow the Absians, and see what Harith is
doing: I will issue out against him and take him
prisoner; and I will show Hadifah and Rebia the
evil effects of such a plan. And in what form, said
Shiboob, do you wish to go? In the disguise of a
miserable slave, said he: I, you, and Jareer; and
we will just sling spears over us. Upon this they
mounted some broken-down horses, and rode on
till they came within two days of the armies, and
mixed among the tribe of Aamir, thinking Harith
was with the Absians; but when he saw what he had
done, and observed how he fought, he knew him,
and went forth against him and did as he did; but
as soon as he had taken Jandah prisoner, he raised
up his vizor, and Nazih recognised him: he kissed
him in excess of joy, saying, O Aboolfawaris, verily
thou hast done the deed of the most generous of
men, and thou hast well kindled the flame of war
and battle. By the faith of an Arab, had I or my
father known that thou wert to have staid at home,
we would not have followed Cais into this difficulty,
but we would have left him, confiding in the opinions
of Hadifah and Rebia. My lord, said Antar, it
does not become a slave to reproach his master:
this Jandah is he who murdered my lord, king
Zoheir: he is the accomplice of Khalid, son of
Giafer, and here his villany is rewarded. But, by
the faith of an Arab, the deliverance of King Zoheir's
horse and sword is dearer to me than my conquest
over these horsemen, for by them Khalid deceived
us, as you know, in the defile. I must requite that
Khalid, and must abandon his land as a desert. But
now return with me to our party: and as they went
on, Antar thus recited:—"God has ennobled the
son of Shedad, and what his sword and the thrust
with his spear have effected against the enemy:
our property was plundered from us in fear, and
our friends could not repose in their alarms. But
I grasped the chiefs of the Aamirites by mid-day,
and I shall pass an evening in joy, like a quaffer
of wine. I am a warrior that glories in his Shedadian
birth, whilst the fire of battle blazes on
the plain."

Cais heard Antar's verses, and recognising him, he
hastened to meet him. I am now indeed convinced,
O Aboolfawaris, he said, and making his apologies,
he added, Think not that after the death of my father
and my brother I have had sufficient presence of
mind for the guidance of my conduct; indeed whoever
volunteered his advice, I accepted it, and communed
with his heart. Antar accepted this apology,
and delivered over to him the murderer of his father.
Eh, said Cais to Jandah, with this sword thou didst
murder my father? Ay! said he. And with it,
pursued Cais, will I strike off thy head: and as he
spoke, he drew it forth from its scabbard, and as he
waved it in his hand, flashes of light shot from its
blade, and with it he smote Jandah, and severed his
head from his body. This being done, they returned
to the tents, and darkness soon coming on,
the hostile tribe passed a night of despair; whilst
Khalid, meditating on what had passed, out of precaution
for his own person, directed his own countrymen
to watch the tribe of Marah; Do not take any
notice till day dawns, and then we shall see what
the Absians will do with their chief, Harith.

But as to the illustrious Absians, their spirits
revived at the arrival of their champion, Antar,
and at the amelioration of their affairs after such
agitation. King Cais assembled his chiefs and consulted

with them about Harith; the first who spoke
about releasing him was Rebia, for he wished to
reserve this calamity against Antar. My opinion
is, O King, that you set him at liberty. And
mine, said Shedad, that you strike off his head, and
yours too, Rebia, on account of what we have
suffered from his atrocities, you dotard! Every one
that spoke was of this opinion. At last said Asyed,
O my cousins, send for the man, and let us hear
what he has to say, and if there is in him any room
for favour, let him be pardoned; but if we find him
resolute in his perverseness, put him to death.
Every one approving of this advice, they produced
Harith in chains.

Well! thou son of an accursed mother, cried
Antar rising up, sword in hand, what induced thee
to hostilities against thy tribe and to aid their foes?
Nought induced me to such a deed but thou, replied
Harith. By the faith of an Arab, truth is
now the best course, O hero; my reason for this is,
that I have long stationed spies and scouts over
thee, till I heard of the death of King Zoheir, and
that thy tribe was proceeding to avenge itself: so
I imagined thou must be of the party, and accordingly
I have done this deed: I said, I would also
have retaliation, but thou hast vanquished me, and
shame is heaped on shame. But hast thou not
heard of my exploits? said Antar. Yes, said he;
but my ambition glossed over my ignorance, and
I could not ever suppose that fortune would betray

me, and that there was any one on the earth
to oppose me. But now I am become more modest.
I have learned that fortune can produce every
miracle. I have fallen into your power. I acknowledge
my crime. Annihilation is what I deserve.
Thou hast now only to put me to death, or pardon
me that I may be thy slave for ever. By the faith
of an Arab, said Antar, if I thought that in thee
there was room for grace, thou shouldst be pardoned:
but I have heard of thee, that thou art a
man of perfidy; an impostor, neither regarding
protections, nor heeding hospitality, but one that
breaks his faith and his oaths. Thou art right, O
Aboolfawaris, said Harith, this was my disposition,
but this day I have not the heart to harm either
one on horseback, or one on foot. Well, said Antar
to Cais, it will be as well to release him, and let him
return home, for I am in a merry mood after my
conquest. O Champion of the Absians, said Harith,
do not delay, that I may on thy account put to the
rout the armies of the tribe of Aamir, and whitewash
my face among these tribes; then will I return
home, and be thankful to thee. May God curse
him who will not extirpate them with the sword,
and that will not cut them off old and young! said
Antar. I truly believe, my cousin, said Rebia, that
you are able to do so; but if you are not satisfied
with the oath of Harith, I will be his surety. So
Rebia took Harith away with him to the division
of the race of Zeead; and when he was alone with
him, he asked him what he really felt in his heart
with respect to Antar. O Rebia, said he, I must
positively contrive his death, and his destruction.
Yes, said Rebia, but at another time; for now we
are in want of both him and you: it is now advisable
that you remain firm to your promise—there
will be time enough. Thus they staid together,
till, the day dawning, the men started up, and the
warriors prepared: and lo! shouts burst forth from
the tribe of Aamir; and their hordes waved like
the sea over the desert, brandishing their swords:
the dust arose on high and spread far and wide. The
reason of this was, that Khalid had a spy among
the tribe of Abs, whom he had sent over night to
observe what was done to Harith. Early in the
morning he returned, and told him it was Antar
who had taken the horsemen prisoners, and that
Harith had amicably settled his affairs with his
tribe; and he has promised, added the spy, to destory
our armies. This is just his nature, said
Khalid, for he cannot adhere long to his friends,
or ever be sincere with his allies. But it would be
expedient for us to begin with them, before they
begin with us. Thus saying, he ordered his people
to surround the tribe of Marah, and ply the sword
among them: and they did so. As soon as Harith
heard the shouts of his companions, he cried out,
O, by the Arabs, the tribe of Marah is destroyed.
Alas! we have not succeeded: and he made the
attack,—he, and Rebia, and his brother, followed
by a thousand Fazarah horsemen, and some others
from the tribe of Abs, headed by King Cais. The
Absians assaulted the left of the Aamirites, and
Antar led them on. Heroes were strewed on the
plain: the multitudes were hustled together: coats
of mail sparkled: swords cut in twain: the thousands
rushed to the fight: Indian scimitars were
shivered; and the Semhirian spears were shattered
and split: calamities fell heavy on the tribe of
Aamir. Noble pride and spirit animated the Absians.
Antar performed deeds no Knight of Ignorance
ever executed; for his thrusts anticipated the
breath, and his assaults were incomprehensible—
his shout was, Retaliation for King Zoheir and Shas!
and he slew every hero he trampled down. Thus
they continued till evening came on, when they
separated. Harith had encountered the Brandisher
of Spears, and passed the rest of the day in fighting
and dealing spear-thrusts that would have turned
children grey; and at the close of the day both
were wounded and nearly dead. But when the two
armies separated, Khalid, perceiving that his troops
were discomfited, and that their numbers were
greatly diminished, assembled the chieftains, and
set out on his march home; whilst the Absians retired
exulting at the victory and conquest they had
gained; and there was not one but extolled Antar;
and when they heard of Khalid's departure, Antar
wished to follow them, but Cais refused, on account
of the great fatigue and distresses they had already
endured. They laid down to rest in the tents, till
God dawned with the day. Well, said Antar to
King Cais, it will be but proper to give this booty
to the tribes of Fazarah and Ghiftan, and that we
reward them well and abundantly, and send them
contented back to their homes and country. But
let us surprise the land of Aamir; let none but
ourselves assail them; let us do our own business
ourselves. Cais approved of this plan, and he distributed
the arms and the armour, saying to Hadifah,
O my cousin, we have now no occasion to trouble
you, for you have been wounded in our service, and
he that wounded you is your nearest relation. Rebia
has arranged Harith's affair with us, and the man
will march home in company with you. It would
be as well that you should not reproach him, for
many of his men have been slain in this attack.
Thus he sent them away, and there only remained
with the Absians a thousand of the tribe of Ghiftan,
with their chief, Jamrah, son of Sabic; for he was
nearly allied to King Zoheir, and he swore he would
not return home till he had taken retaliation for
King Zoheir.

The next day, King Cais marched with his
troops, amounting, exclusive of the Ghiftanians, to
five thousand horsemen. The chief Antar headed
the army; and with him was Asyed, and Oorwah,
and Nazih; and thus he elegized King Zoheir:—

"Behold! we have opposed the edges of the
scimitars and the barbs of the spears on the swift-footed

coursers. To engage the foe we have
sufficient force, were they even like the tempestuous
ocean. There is no glory in numbers; but
the glory of warriors was the dispersion of these
armies. Ask the Absians of me, O Ibla, when
the hordes of Kelab came against me with the
tribes of Ghani and Aamir, rolling like the waves
of the sea under the cloud-shadowed sky, convulsed
by the furious tread of the horses' hoofs.
How they fled and the spears on their backs
pierced their kidnies between their entrails and
their hypocondres; had they stood firm, I would
have left behind, on the desert, their bones and
flesh for the rapacious eagles; how well my tribe
exerted itself without the aid of Zalim's son!
foul was his act, his word perfidious. He said
there was none on earth like him; but when he
encountered me, then shone forth the glory of
glories; he was to our foes an ally and assistant;
but he retreated from my sword, frustrated and
of no avail. I love the tribe of Abs, and when
blood flows, the friendship of a slave is sincere,
and his word is true and faithful. They approached,
when they had sent me away, and
encountered the spears flashing with light: they
felled Zoheir, and the lacerating spears, and
lances, and scimitars clashed over him. He in
his power was the death of men; but he who was
the cause of death, has now visited the inhabitant
of the tombs. O woe, woe! that his foes have
triumphed over him, the crown of the Absians
and all the tribes! But I will not allow Khalid,
now Zoheir is gone and murdered, a resting-place
but in the bowels of the graves. How can I
sleep by night, and not seek revenge? for he was
my resource in every difficulty."

When Antar had finished his verses, his party
thanked him for the excellence of his achievements;
and they continued traversing the deserts, and in
their hearts was a burning flame against Khalid.
In the meantime, Khalid reached his own country,
and there remained with him out of all his assembled
host, only ten thousand horsemen (for every clan
sought its home and departed). His own tribe
advised him to send the women and families to the
mountain-tops: thus having secured their wives
and property, they prepared to meet their foes.

The next day arrived the Absians, and their
armour glittered, as they surrounded the tribe of
Aamir on all sides. But Khalid, seeing their scanty
numbers, was delighted. O my cousins, he cried,
rejoice, for they are only come with a small party.
He attacked, and his warriors followed him, but he
saw in the Absians blows that turned infants grey.
The spears pierced through every mortal part of
their bodies; the dust and clouds of sand increased
till darkness came on and the two armies separated;
but the Absians had greatly the advantage over
the Aamirites; for Antar, knowing how they relied
on him, did more than he had promised, and

performed deeds no one could surpass. Before
evening, twelve hundred Aamirites were slain, but
only seventy of the Absians. Antar retired, clothed
in a scarlet robe of the blood of horsemen; eleven
horses had been killed under him, for none but
Abjer could serve him (now Abjer was at home,
and Antar had come on a miserable hack). When
King Cais saw Antar's resolution and intrepidity,
he gloried in him, and from that hour he felt convinced
that his kingdom would not last but by his
assistance; so he went to meet him and thanked
him, and he and his brothers treated him with
every kindness. But the tribe of Aamir retired in
the deepest consternation, and dispirited at the loss
of their chiefs, and as they stated in their complaints
to Khalid, what they had experienced from Antar's
sword, O my cousins, said he, your excuses are
indeed well-founded this time, for it was this black
slave that routed us with his attacks; and if I do
not take a great part of the battle on myself, we
shall be completely cut up; and with this intention
he reposed till the day shone and the men sprung
up for the contest and battle.

The ranks were scarcely drawn up, or the swords
unsheathed, when lo! out started a knight from the
tribe of Aamir, and advancing towards the Absians,
O tribe of Adnan! O band of heroes! he exclaimed,
I have come forth this day to the field to
protect the women and families, and I will try myself
in the scene of slaughter, and by the faith of

an Arab, I have not completed my twentieth year;
never have I quitted the tents and dwellings of my
tribe: come forth against me, any one whose kindred
equals mine, for I am, by the faith of an Arab,
of an illustrious tribe—renowned for their patience
in the day of tumults. I am called Aamir, the son
of Tofeil, and the Brandisher of Spears is my maternal
uncle, and were he not wounded he would
not acquiesce in this my wish. Then galloping
and charging, he thus spoke:—

"Do not, O my mother, indulge in thy sorrows
for me: have patience on the day of my contest
and my absence. Let me singly act in the
quest of glory with the edge of my well-proportioned
Indian scimitar. Let me be proclaimed
through the exalted mansions of renown for the
piercing barb of my supple spear. Who, when
in quest of glory, feels conscious that this sport is
of bitter flavour? Perhaps I may, with the edge
of my sword, extinguish the flame of the fiercely-burning
battle. I will show myself to the foe;
and I will rescue my tribe from the lions on their
high-mettled steeds; or I will meet my fate with
the mangling spear, for whose sting there is no
balm. I will abandon my mother to pour out her
sorrows in childless misery, and to shed her tears
of anguish."

He had scarcely finished his verses, when an
Absian horseman galloped against him, and presented
himself before him. This was a knight of

exceeding courage; firm and resolute in the combat:
over him was a strong corselet and a cleaving
sword; round his shoulder was slung a lacerating
spear; beneath him was a swift courser: but Aamir
permitted him neither to gallop nor to charge, before
he pierced him between the paps, and forced his
spear through his shoulders. He again repeated
his challenge, and a second came forth, but he slew
him instantly. O Absian tribe, by the faith of an
Arab, he cried in his boasts and his vaunts, ye are
the horsemen of the age, and the heroes of Adnan;
but I am of little experience in battle. Come out
against me, brave as ye are, ye heroes! despise not
my youth—let me try myself with some of your
knights, and your warriors. When the Absians
heard this harangue, and saw what deeds Aamir
had effected, they rushed upon him from all sides,
and issued forth against him like sea-monsters,
brandishing their spears and their swords. But a
knight, beautiful in form, and short in speech, anticipated
them all. He was perfect in every point,
and was called Carwash, son of Hani, and cousin
to King Cais. The horsemen, seeing him advance,
halted, and retired in awe of him. Carwash assailed
Aamir: they began the attack: they thrust with
their spears till they were shivered, and smote with
their swords till they were shattered; and their
horses died under them. They continued in this
perilous contest till mid-day, when the dust clearing
away from them, lo! Aamir came forth with
Carwash, his prisoner, and driving him away like a
camel. The horsemen checked themselves from
rushing into the scene of action; but Antar was
greatly exasperated, and his eyes were red as blood
—he resolved on darting out against him, but
Nazih anticipated him, and engaged Aamir till the
evening, when each quitted his antagonist and described
what he had experienced that day. As
Aamir retired to his party, his cousins met him and
congratulated him on his safety. As to Khalid, he
was in ecstasies of joy—it was impossible to be more
so. But the tribe of Abs was impatient for the morrow;
and as soon as the obscurity of night departed
and the day shone bright, the warriors sprung forward
for the fight and the contest, and Aamir, son
of Tofeil, was foremost on the plain, and thus spoke:

"The mother of Aamir exerted her influence to
prevent my mounting at the voice of the herald.
She would keep me back, fearful of death on the
edge of the Indian blades. Do not be obstinate or
perverse, O mother, death is ordained by fate, and
it is near as well as at a distance. Let me plunge
into the seas of deaths with the light and noble
chargers. O, tribe of Abs, there is no refuge from
my sword, or my spear, nor from death. Therefore
either retreat or stand firm. You will ever
find in me a knight that never flinches from the
scene of battle."

Aamir, having concluded his verses, rushed to the
combat and repeated the challenge. Soon came forth

Oorwah; but Antar dismissed him, and descended
upon Aamir, saying, Come on, on to the field of
battle! Eh! thou base-born! cried Aamir, recognizing
him, I will not fight with one whose birth is so
mean and vile among the Arabs. I say this not out
of fear of thee, nor of death. But my mother saw
me in a dream, and went to a soothsayer to whom
she imparted the secret; and he said to her, Let not
your son contend with a black slave. Eh, thou
bastard! cried Antar, and shall I, on account of thy
mother's visions, permit thee to destroy the horsemen
of the tribes of Abs and Adnan in the field
of battle? Thus saying, he shouted at Aamir and
rushed upon him, and Aamir was compelled to meet
him. A dreadful combat ensued between them—it
was a contest that would melt even the hardest rocks,
and stupefy the eyeballs and terrify the bravest warriors.
They continued in this state till the warriors
were astounded; but when Antar perceived his intrepidity
he closed upon him, and hemming him in
so close that stirrup grated stirrup, he grasped the
rings of his coat of mail and breastplate and held him
up in his hand, like a sparrow in the talons of a ferocious
hawk, and threw him over to Shiboob, who
bound fast his shoulders and tied down his arms and
sides, and as he was going to drive him away towards
the Absians, lo! Aamir's mother rushed forth,
crying out, and her slaves were leading along Carwash,
son of Hani: O Aboolfawaris, she exclaimed,
force not my son to taste of the meat of captivity;
here is Carwash at your disposal, only release my son,
Aamir, as his ransom. Antar hailed Shiboob, and
ordered him to let Aamir go; and having thus rescued
Carwash, he retired from the scene of multitudes.
Now came on the night of obscurity, and let down
its canopy over the two horizons. The two armies
reposed till the morning dawned, when mounted the
tribe of Abs and the tribe of Aamir; and the troops
being drawn up in array, lo! Khalid issued forth between
the hostile ranks on a white and black charger
indefatigable and unflinching; he was completely
enclosed in armour, and he cried out in a loud voice,
Eh, O sons of King Zoheir, how long must last this
contest, this destruction of warriors, this dishonour of
wives and women? This is a circumstance no high-born
hero can endure. I am he who slew your
father Zoheir and your brother Shas. I will not
suffer any one to aid me in this affair; here am I in
person, come forth against me one by one, but let
no one as the first come forth but your King Cais;
for he has taken the seat of his father, and I am the
King of the tribe of Aamir and the chief of the
Hordes and the Clans; whoever shall slay his antagonist,
let him succeed in his projects and complete
his hopes. King Cais heard this, and the affliction
fell heavy on him; and thus too were his brothers,
and there was not one but welcomed death. Antar
marked their situation; he roared and bellowed:
What is the matter, O King? he cried; Cannot
one of ye command himself to go out against him?
Well, let me bring him to you a prisoner. I will
lay him down before you abject and debased. O
my cousin, said King Cais, by thy life, return to thy
post and let me appease my heart with Khalid, and
I will not let the Arabs look on me as one incapable
and inefficient; so he moved forward on the back of
Caasa, and rushed against Khalid. Upon this, Antar
retired, but resolved in his own mind that if he should
see King Cais overpowered by Khalid, he would
make an attack and assist him. Cais encountered
Khalid, and between them was a contest and combat
that seared the eyeballs. They continued till
the honour of chivalry was rent and mangled, and
they were charging and staggering till their spears
were split in their hands; they threw them on the
ground—they grasped their sparkling blades, as instruments
more ready for the plunder of lives, and
they continued this conflict till also their swords were
shivered; they returned their fragments to their
scabbards, and grasped each other on their horses'
backs with all their might and main, and both fell to
the ground, both firmly clinging to each other; there
they wrestled and struggled till death and the worst
of evils was at hand. It was then the two armies
attacked, and the troops rushed forward. It was
then horsemen shouted from every quarter. It was
then they waved their spears and their scimitars. It
was then rage and indignation violently seized Antar,
and he advanced to see how it was with Cais;
but Rebia, son of Ocail, met him, and the heart of
each was full of the day in the defile and the circumstances
that befel them. The horsemen of the two
tribes moved towards their respective kings, like fragments
of clouds, and the combat and the battle raged
fiercely among them. Arab necks were hewn off, and
the dust rose up like clouds, and all around them was
like the darkness of night. The brothers of King
Cais made a furious assault and fought in the most
desperate manner. Antar and Rebia, son of Ocail,
were also engaged in a combat that transformed
youth to age. Antar, indeed, alarmed lest death and
extinction should fall upon Cais, burst on Rebia
with the rush of a lion, and with a shout as if it were
thunder when it crashes. Rebia was petrified with
horror and aghast with affright, and in this state of
consternation, Antar pierced him with his spear
through the chest, and drove it out sparkling through
his back, and instantly renewed his attack against
the Aamirites like a savage lion; he felled down the
horsemen; he cut through their comrades till he
came up with the sons of King Zoheir and Khalid,
who only considered them all as one individual. But
Antar halted, and, extending wide his arm with his
sword, he was about to slay Khalid, when lo! Rebia,
son of Zeead, shouted out, Hold! O Aboolfawaris,
for Malik, son of Zoheir, and my brother Amarah
are fallen his prisoners, and if you put Khalid to
death they will both be slaughtered, and ruin must
be our doom. Thus was Antar most grievously
distressed; he ordered Shiboob to bind him fast, and
Khalid felt assured of death. But when Cais saw
this he sprung on his feet, and Antar waited for him;
alarmed at his situation, he encouraged him, and sent
Shiboob for a horse and mounted him. Conduct
my Lord from the terrors of the fight, said Antar to
Shiboob, that I may disperse these horsemen, and
he assaulted the army and forced them to a disgraceful
retreat, overthrowing warriors and destroying the
brave, till the evening closed in. The Aamirites
were completely routed. The Absians returned
from the pursuit without any loss, not even to the
value of a halter; and when they alighted to rest,
they hastened to King Cais and congratulated him
on his safety. Rebia informed him of the captivity
of Malik and his brother Amarah. O Rebia, said
Cais, much afflicted, my brother and thy brother can
never be liberated, but by the deliverance of this
cuckold. Were it not so, I would strike off his head
and would drink of his blood. Guard him till we tomorrow
ransom our prisoners by him, and we must
wait some future event for him. My lord, said Antar,
distress not yourself about the deliverance of our
prisoners; if he escapes from me this day, he will not
escape to-morrow; and had I not been occupied with
the death of that Rebia, son of Ocail, I would soon
have made him drink of the cup of annihilation before
this accident had happened. This night let the
tribe of Aamir repose with their wives and families
on the summits of the mountains, but to-morrow we
will proceed on foot against them with sword and
buckler, and we will scatter them about like leaves.
Cais was much pleased, and his sorrows were relieved.
They slept till dawn, when they sent for
Khalid, and informed him of their intentions, and
demanded of him his ransom, to which he assented
with oaths, in which the Arabs have the firmest
reliance. Cais accordingly set him at liberty, and
he departed for his tribe. But when he was about
to deliver Malik and Amarah, the tribe of Aamir
would not obey him, saying, We must hang these
two, and revenge ourselves on them. The Absians
indeed have slain our chiefs, and they will not quit
us till they have entirely destroyed us.—Cousins,
replied Khalid, in dismay, I have sworn to Cais
by the severest oaths and the pillars, so what means
this? Were we to be slaughtered like so many
sheep, I cannot possibly perjure myself, and become
a liar and a traitor; particularly whilst we are thus
reduced and disgraced. We must exert all our
strength in meeting the foe. I will assemble all
who have blood and retaliation against them, and I
will not desist till I have rooted out every trace of
the tribe of Abs. Upon this, the hearts of the
Aamirites being reconciled, he sent for Prince Malik
and Amarah, and made them swear that their tribe
should return home for the remainder of the year.
Having given the required oath, they were sent
down the mountain, mounted on noble horses, and
very grateful for their security. But as soon as
they reached their tribe, and explained what had
passed, May God curse the tribe of Aamir! said
Cais, this is treachery and villany.—Khalid will
decidedly, said Rebia, assemble against us his clans,
and will write to every one that rides or walks;
however, in a second rencontre we will root out
every trace of them. King Cais thought this plan
the most expedient; so he departed for his family
and home. But Antar's heart was not at rest in
retreating from the tribe of Aamir; and as he described
what had occurred to him and his tribe, he
thus recited:

"Ah, O Ibla! my youth is wasted, and the
period of thy absence inflicts repeated tortures.
My love for thee is oppressive; it increases daily,
as age grows on youth. For thee I have passed
the revolutions of my fate, till my life fleets away,
and my patience is become my chastisement. I
have encountered the foe; I have protected the
tribe; but they despise me, and have no regard
for my existence. Ask of me, O Ibla! in the
day of adversity, the tribes of Aamir and Kelab.
How many knights I have left stretched out,
their hands deep died with gore! They moved
hither in my absence, and they brandished their
spears, glittering like the shooting stars. How
many lions have rushed at me, and in disgrace
have cast away their spears on the ground! They
cry out at me, and I answer them with the spear-thrust,
deciding before a reply. I have slain
two hundred free-born of them, and a thousand

in the defiles and the sandhills. Ha! let Khalid
rejoice in the calamities of my tribe; but the day
of his extinction shall be the most tremendous of
all the periods of misfortune."

They continued traversing the deserts night and
day, and Antar guarding them from the enemy,
till they came near home; and when there only
remained one night's march, on a sudden Antar
was not to be heard of, and they could not trace
him any where. King Cais was aghast and bewildered,
as were also his brothers, and all Antar's
friends; but his inveterate haters rejoiced in his
absence, particularly Rebia and his despicable brother,
and Malik, Ibla's father; and though Cais
stopped the march of his people, and sent horsemen
right and left till the evening, they returned disappointed
and unsuccessful. By the faith of an
Arab, said King Cais, I will not stir from hence till
I know what has happened to our cousin.—This,
said Amarah, would show but little wisdom and
sagacity in you, that the Chiefs of Abs and Adnan
should be kept waiting for a black slave, a worthless,
mean fellow.—O Amarah! exclaimed King
Cais, highly exasperated at such language, art thou
not ashamed even to mention thy cousin in his absence?
it was but the other day he rescued thee from
captivity. By the faith of an Arab, were Antar
here present, I would not screen thee from him.—
O disgrace, disgrace at thy words; my cousin!
cried Amarah.—Ay, he is thy cousin, said King

Cais, whether thou wilt or not; and were he not,
not a head would be raised towards the tribe of
Abs; of no esteem would they be among men.—It
will be as well, said Rebia, that we wait for our
cousin, till he comes. However, King Cais marched
in the morning, yet greatly afflicted and distressed
at the loss of Antar, the lion warrior; and when
they reached the dwellings, they inquired about
him, but no one could give any information of him.
Every one entered his own abode, and joined his
children and family. Malik, Ibla's father, having
now heard from some of the women all that had
passed between his daughter and Antar, when the
tribe marched against the Aamirites, ran at her
with his drawn sword, and roared to his wife, Thou
foul wretch! wert thou not ashamed for thy child,
that she should appear openly in the presence of
Antar, and converse with him? Thou hast taught
her to demand presents and goods of him, and it is
thy wish to load me with infamy among men and
women.—I had not done this, replied she, but that
I saw you inclined towards him, and that you had
bestowed her on him in marriage. But now, if
your heart is estranged from him, I will never let
him see her again.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Hadifah and his brothers hearing of King Cais's
return, took with them a party of the Fazarah tribe,
and came to compliment him on his safety, and congratulate
him on his victory and triumph. Cais
made a splendid feast for them, to which he invited
the chiefs of the Absians and his brothers, and informed
them of the loss of Antar. Hadifah appeared
greatly affected, and exhibited the reverse
of what he felt. They ate meat and drank wine
till mid-day, when the King, hearing some loud acclamations
in the tents, asked what was the matter.
Shiboob and his brother Antar are returned, was
the general cry; when lo! Antar arrived. He
saluted the Absians, and he was on horseback.
King Cais inquired the cause of his absence. O
King, he replied, I was on the service of one who
deserved no duty at my hands; for he is of a villanous
disposition, and of a foul origin.—To what
dost thou allude by that? said Cais. Hear my
tale, O King, said he, and you will acknowledge I
am right. On the night that you missed me, I had
launched out into the desert, fearful of the night-wanderers
and the robbers on your account; and
whilst I was thus employed, a figure appeared
before me. I went forward, and lo! it was a vagrant

Arab on his journey. I hailed him; and to
my inquiries, Warrior, said he, I am a poor, ill-used
fellow. I am going to the tribe of Abs, to
make a demand of Rebia.—I am, said I, O Arab,
one of the slaves of Rebia, so tell me what he owes
you.—Warrior, he replied, I am called Basharah,
son of Mabid, and I have a daughter, who was
demanded in marriage of me. I consented; and
taking with me one hundred she-camels, I set out
for the valley of Deecar, that I might purchase
with their produce some clothes, with which to set
off my daughter; but some plundering horse met
me and waylaid me; they carried away my camels,
but I escaped on this steed. Being certain the
party were of the tribe of Kenanah, I took the
nearest road, saying to myself, I will go to the
tribe of Abs, to my friend Rebia. On this, I said
to him, Rejoice, O Arab, for I am his deputy:
lead on, and conduct me to your enemies, that I
may realise your wishes. He proceeded, whilst I
followed till the day dawned, when lo! we came
upon a troop near the water of Career, and the
land of Nefeer: there were forty horsemen; five
and twenty of whom I slew, and the rest ran away.
I restored to the man the horses, and the she-camels
and he-camels, with which being well satisfied and
grateful, he repaired to the family of Zeead. I
returned, and have now erected for them a strong
columned building; but I find them talking infamously
of me, and abusing my mother for adultery:
this is all my reward, and thus you may
distinguish the legitimate-born from bastards. How
long, thou son of Zeead, added he, turning sharply
on Amarah, must this insolence last? for by him
who has clothed the night in darkness, if thou dost
not cease talking foully of me, and mend thy
manners, I will hack thy limbs with this sword.
What! thou bastard, cried Amarah, jumping up
and unsheathing his sword, such language to me!
Darest thou thus impertinently insult me among
the chiefs? At my pastures I have a thousand
slaves such as thee; and he made at Antar sword
in hand. But the others rose up and checked him;
and Rebia called out, reproaching and abusing
him: he ordered him to be silent, and taking the
sword out of his hand, said, Is this a recompense
for our cousin, who has exposed his life for us?
But Antar moved silently away, and went home
greatly ashamed on account of Cais, for he had
vexed him, and disturbed the entertainment. When
Antar reached his mother's tent, she hung upon
him and wept from excess of joy and love.

Now King Cais had been greatly distressed at
this interruption; but Rebia soothed his heart,
saying, It is quite impossible that my brother and
Antar can ever meet in the same place again; but
I have in my heart something I should wish to do.
Thus they continued over their cups of wine and
conversing, and made Hadifah and Haml drink,
and loaded them with all manner of favours. Thus
it continued whilst the day withdrew its light, and

the night shaded them in its darkness till morning,
when Hadifah and his brother returned home.

But Rebia and his brothers quitted the tents,
and, together with their dependants, descended into
the valley of Yamooriyah, also accompanied by
their horsemen and warriors, and those who hated
Antar, that they might seek the means of annoying
him. As soon as this circumstance was made known
to King Cais, he disregarded it, and cursing them,
Wherever they go, cried he, may death overtake
them! And thus he cast them from his heart,
saying to the Arab chiefs that surrounded him, Ye
know, my cousins, that King Zoheir admitted Antar
to our birth and parentage, and called him cousin,
and accepting him as such, he raised him to honour
and legitimacy. Now, whenever Amarah and Antar
meet, they quarrel and disturb the union of the
tribe; and should they remain separate, it will be
better than their living together. Antar every day
associated with King Cais, and attached himself to
him, and thus they continued many days and nights.
But Antar, on his arrival, having heard what had
passed between his uncle Malik and his wife, and
how he had attempted to kill her, remained entirely
with his mother. In the mean time, King
Cais became very anxious for the termination of
the year, on account of Khalid, son of Giafer, who
he understood had thrown himself on Direed, son
of Samah, chief of the tribes of Howazin, and
Jeshm and Hamadan, and had induced him to promise

his assistance with ten thousand horsemen
against the tribe of Abs.

This Direed was four hundred and fifty years
old, and by the Arabs he was called the Mill-stone
of War. He was referred to on every difficult
point, on account of his great age, and his orders
were obeyed among the Arabs like King Numan's.
So when King Cais heard this, he was in dismay:
This, he cried, is indeed complete ruin! He then
assembled the Absian chiefs, and consulted about
what he should do. Comfort your mind and
brighten your eye, exclaimed they all, for were
Khalid to come against us with the armies of
Chosroe, we will fight till we die in your presence.
O King, said Antar, easy let it lie on thee, and on
the sepulchre of King Zoheir! I will disperse the
armies of our foes, and will not leave one of them
alive. The words of Antar revived him, and feeling
re-assured: O Aboolfawaris, said he, you indeed
can speak and act!

From that day they made preparations for war,
and searched for arms; but only finding a small
quantity, Cais consigned the country to the care of
Antar, and leaving his uncle in his place, he took a
noble string of he and she camels, and resolved on
selling them, in order to purchase with their produce
some arms and weapons. He set out for
Medina Yathreb, for that was the nearest place,
and its chief was called Ajijah, son of Jellah,
the Yathrabee; and he was the brother of Abdoolmotallab
on the mother's side; and between him

and King Cais there existed a friendship of long
standing, from the time of his father King Zoheir;
and when King Cais reached Medina Yathreb,
Ajijah was much pleased, and received him very
kindly. Cais related his adventures, and that he
was come to purchase arms. Now Cais having
heard that Ajijah had a coat of mail of the workmanship
of David, and exquisitely riveted, whose
like no one possessed; he addressed him, saying,
O Chief, I have heard that you have a coat of mail
made by David, which I am anxious to purchase,
that in it I may go against my enemies, and I will
give you its value instead. O Cais, said Ajijah, I
would have given it you, but Khalid has already
asked me for it, and praised me in his verses. What
are the verses, said Cais, in which he praised you?
Let me know them; and Ajijah thus repeated:

"When I demanded a favour from the race of
Yathreb, Ebe Amroo cried out, and Ajijah consented.
Remain under the protection of a Yathrabee,
for if thou stayest there, a shadow will
even dread thy power. I saw a man, over the
brilliancy of whose countenance was a vizor, by
which the sun was hid or shone. I have a
station in glory, in honour, and on high, but his
mansion is above the two Pisces. If he brandishes
his sword on the day of horrors, thou mayest see
the rays of his sabre flashing with death; and were
his hand and the cloud impregnated with rain, to
exhibit their bounties, his beneficence would endure,
and the cloud desist. In his house every

fugitive is safe, and with his donations he even
satisfies the unsatiable. Virtues were of old in
Jellah, and since him Ajijah has imitated him."

On hearing these verses, Cais was astonished at
their import and allusion: By the faith of an Arab,
said he, I cannot blame or reproach you. Cais remained
with Ajijah till morning, and having purchased
all the arms he wanted, Ajijah questioned
him, saying, O Cais, have you purchased the arms?
Yes, said he. Well then, said Ajijah, bid now for
the coat of mail. Cais was pleased; but said, By
the faith of an Arab, of all my trifling articles, I
have now only remaining one hundred camels: so
take them, whether it be much or little, and excuse
me for the deficiency. On this, he sent for the
coat of mail, and it was of great length in the skirts.
Take it, O Cais, said he, let it be considered as a
purchase made for a hundred she-camels, though,
in fact, it is a present from me to you. So he took
one of the she-camels out of the hundred, and restored
the remainder to Cais, who was very grateful,
and in three days, having procured every thing he
wanted, he took leave of Ajijah, and setting out for
his own country, he reached the valley of Yamouriyeh,
whence he sent home his arms with his slaves,
and proceeded unattended to Rebia, who, being
told of his arrival, met him, and complimented him,
receiving him hospitably, and making him welcome.
In the course of conversation, Cais asked his advice
about his attacking Khalid and the Aamirites. My
cousin, said Rebia, we are all yours, and at your

disposal. But whither have you been travelling?
I have been to Medina Yathreb to purchase some
arms. And where, said Rebia, are your purchases?
I have sent them home, said Cais, with the slaves.
Rebia stared about, and at last espied his portmanteau,
which was full. O my cousin, said he,
what is in your portmanteau? Cais laughed. O
my cousin, said he, there is in it what would surprise
you indeed, were you to see it. Let me see it then,
said Rebia. Cais alighted and took out the coat of
mail of Ajijah, and opened it before Rebia, who
was astonished. O Cais, said he, whence came you
by this? This is, said he, the coat of mail of
Ajijah, son of Jellah, the Yathrabee, and he has
made me a present of it. O Cais, said he, if that
man made you a present of any thing, it must be
invaluable; and Rebia stood up and put on the
coat of mail, and though he was very tall, it came
down to his heels. He walked away with it and
entered the tents; then rushing out with a drawn
sword in his hand, he cried out to Cais, This is my
coat of mail! it was stolen from me, and there are
my marks on it, this very flaw in the sleeves; and
if you do not tell me all about it, I will sue you for
it, and he recited these verses:

"O Cais, my coat of mail I never sold, neither
did I give it away; it was stolen from me by some
of the Arab hordes: I am not one that speaks
falsehoods—no; by the truth of Him who is concealed
from sight! It happened by chance there
was a flaw on it, and it will serve as a proof on

all points. By God, were you not nearly related
to me, I would bring down death upon you, even
in the month of Rejib."

Cais was stupefied for a time: Son of Zeead, he
said, what outrage is this? Dost wish to purloin
my coat of mail by such a frivolous pretence? And
thus he expressed himself:

"Wretch! thou wouldst purloin my coat of mail
by fraud, by foul accusations and falsehoods: the
coat of mail belonged to Ajijah, son of Jellah, the
Yathrabee. Talk not such nonsense; thou art
no more a child. By the truth of Him who spread
the wings of nocturnal obscurity, I will not give
it up, were even my father alive."

[1] Upon this, they disputed violently in words, and
a serious quarrel ensued, and they abused each other
most virulently. The Arabs assembled round them,
but Cais was unable to contend with Rebia and his
Arabs, for he was alone. So he calmed them with
his words, whilst the family of Zeead laughed at
him. Away, O Cais, said Amarah, to your family;
we will restore it to you, but should it happen that
we do not return it, send to us your champion Antar,
son of Shedad; let him come here and rescue
it from these horsemen.

Cais, being now aware they only sought to quarrel
and provoke him, mounted his camel and returned
home. He hastened to his wife, Rebia's daughter,
and said to her, If I abandon my coat of mail to
your father, all the Arabs will accuse me of imbecility
over the deserts and the wastes, and will reduce

me to infamy and disgrace. O my father, cried
his daughter Jemanah (and she was the most beautiful
of the daughters of Arabia; she could even
compose poetry, so that she was quite a proverb), I
will restore to you your coat of mail, for my grandfather
Rebia is very fond of me. Do so, O Jemanah,
said her father, do what you please.

Upon this she mounted her camel, and taking a
slave with her, she went to the valley of Yamoor,
where, as she entered the tent of her grandfather,
he stood up to receive her, and saluting her, treated
her with the greatest kindness, saying, What has
brought thee hither, O Jemanah? I am come, replied
she, on account of my father's coat of mail.
Here I am; send me not back disappointed, for I
am thy favourite. Yes, said Rebia, in his wily manner,
when I have fought Khalid with it, I will return
it to him. Jemanah, perceiving that he would persist
in his obstinacy, thus addressed him:

"My father will not permit that his coat of mail
should be purloined from him, and my grandfather
consents to purloin the coat of mail from
my father. My father's judgment is the judgment
of a prudent and cautious man; but the conduct
of my grandfather is the conduct of an oppressor
and a tyrant. The son of Zoheir will not give up
his coat of mail, neither will the son of Zeead yield
to salutary counsel. O Cais, this coat of mail was
left with thee, as an act of generosity, for the battle
that turns infants grey: so I fear that Antar,
who plunges into the horse-dust, will not yield it."

As soon as Jemanah had finished she departed,
and repaired to her father. May God be with thee,
O my father! said she: if it be possible for thee to
resign the coat of mail, give it up; for now that he
has denied me, he will resign it to no one. And if
thou dost dispute with him, he will dispute with
thee; and if thou wilt fight with him, he will fight
with thee: thus will the tranquillity of the tribe be
dissolved. Very well, said Cais. But the news soon
spread about the dwellings of the Absians, and it
came at last to Antar, who was exceedingly indignant,
and went to King Cais, to whom he said, How!
hast thou been cajoled by thy enemies? and thou
the king of the age! and canst thou submit to such
disgrace and infamy? If thou art willing to have
thy coat of mail rescued, I will soon redeem it for
thee, ay, before to-morrow's dawn, were it even on
the back of the driving clouds. I will slay that Rebia,
and Amarah, and the whole race of Zeead. It
was on this very account, said King Cais, I would
not inform you of it. And he told him all that had
passed with the family of Zeead, and how Amarah
had said, Hie thee hence, and send us thy champion
Antar, son of Shedad.

Without word or comment Antar retired home,
and called out for Shiboob, who instantly appeared.
O son of my mother! he cried, I wish thee to tell
me how I must manage, for King Cais has been
cajoled by Rebia, and my heart is in an agony at
the words of Amarah, for he even said to Cais, Hie
thee away; send us thy champion Antar, to rescue

thy coat of mail from hence. My advice is, said
Shiboob, that we proceed to the valley of Yamoor,
and that we hide ourselves near the tents of the
Zeead family. No doubt some one of them will fall
into our hands: we will take him prisoner, and
we will not desist tormenting him, till we ransom
him for the coat of mail of Ajijah.

That's just the thing, said Antar; and they waited
till evening, when they set out for the valley of
Yamoor, where, lo! they saw in front of them a
fellow lying asleep, and before him stood a horse.
Shiboob went up to him, and struck him with a
stick over the back of his head. Heinstantly awoke,
and much alarmed he was. Eh! said Shiboob, who
art thou? My lord, said the fellow, whilst he shook
as if in an ague—my lord, said he, I am no horseman.
I am no great man; but I am the slave of
the magnanimous Chief Amarah. And where is
Amarah? said Shiboob. My lord, said he, he is
just passed over to the tents of the Carad family,
just to have a look at his beloved Ibla, the daughter
of Malik; and this has been his practice for a long
time every night, and when he reaches this spot, he
puts on my clothes, and disguises himself in them,
and enters their tents. Ay! said Shiboob, I did
not know a word of all this. Accursed be ye both;
come, arise, strip off thy clothes, before I cut off thy
head.

The slave had just stripped off his clothes, when
Antar came up, and smote the slave with Dhami on
the neck, and severed his head from his body. Instantly

Shiboob put on the slave's clothes, and laid
himself down in his place, whilst Antar hid himself
near at hand for an hour, when lo! advanced Amarah.
As soon as the horse saw him, he neighed: I
am come to thee, thou neigher! said Amarah, now
that I have beheld my beloved. And he came up
to Shiboob, thinking it was his slave, and struck him
with his stick on the back of the head, saying, Get
up, son of an accursed mother, come, strip off the
clothes before morning overtakes us.

So Shiboob turned about, and began rubbing his
eyes, like one roused out of his sleep, and appeared
as if about to take off his clothes, whilst Amarah,
having stripped off his clothes, stood naked. At the
instant, Antar sprung upon him, and grasped him
by the small of his belly, and raising him in his
arm, he dashed him against the ground, and then
turned to upon him with a whip, till he made the
blood start from every part of his body. In short,
the agony of this chastisement was so acute, that
Amarah fainted. Shiboob came up to him and
bound his shoulders, and tied down his arms and
sides, and hoisting him on the back of his horse,
carried him away. O Arabs, cried Amarah, cover
my shame, and if ye are from a distant land, and in
quest of property and gain, congratulate yourselves
on your success: for I am no paltry fellow; I am
the Chief Amarah, son of Zeead, and my party is
near at hand; and if you do not sell my life for
cattle, you will heartily repent; for my friends will

rescue me without ransom or goods at all. But
Antar stood before him, and turned to again with
his whip on his body, till his very liver was on fire.
Ay, said he, I will redeem the coat of mail with thee,
which thy brother took away. Yes! thou saidst
to King Cais, Hie thee away! send us thy champion
Antar, son of Shedad; let him come and redeem
the coat of mail from us here. Then indeed
Amarah recognised the dreadful Antar, and he cried
out, Pardon, my cousin, pardon! for that is true
virtue; don't, now don't punish me, O my cousin,
for the flippancies of the tongue; and be sure of
every favour you can desire. No more talk! cried
Antar, till we reach the tents, where I will contrive
every variety of torture for thee; and they drove him
on before them to the tents, whilst Amarah endured
such a night, as he never experienced before, and
when they arrived, every one being asleep, Antar
confined Amarah at his mother's: and he appeared
in the morning as if nothing had happened.

In the course of the day, Rebia learnt that his
brother was missing. He wept, and so did his
brothers, and also his mother, and his relations, and
there was not one but said Antar had killed him. I
rather think, said Rebia, that Cais has set spies and
scouts over us on account of the coat of mail of Ajijah,
and has seized an Arab in order to redeem it
with him. But, by the faith of an Arab, that's
what I'll never do. I will, however, plant spies
over them, and every one that falls into my power

I will slay: I will carry on for ever a rooted enmity
against Cais, and I will aid the Aamirites against
him, that he may feel my power; and if Antar has
slain Amarah, no one will I put to death as an
equivalent but Cais himself, that he may know that
one like me will not sacrifice his retaliation for him.

Soon the account of the disappearance of Amarah
became public; it was also reported to King
Cais, that Rebia accused him of the deed, and that
he had stationed spies and scouts over them, that
should he be able to seize any one, he might kill
him. By the faith of an Arab, said Cais, Rebia lies
in what he says; and as to Amarah, he has no
enemy but Antar; and Antar has never been absent
from the tents. Moreover, I cannot believe he would
put him to death, for his mercy is ever superior to
his wrath. He has overcome him a thousand times,
and has never attempted to murder him; there need
be no alarm on that score, he will certainly re-appear:
never let it be said, that my cousins are become
my enemies, though I am of opinion, we should
be on our guard against them.

Thus he recommended the business to his brothers.
Go out by turns, said he to them, and protect the
pastures, otherwise Rebia may suddenly surprise us.
So Malik every day went out on horseback with the
cattle, taking with him a body of men, and when
Antar understood this, said he to Shiboob, Eh! son
of my mother, it appears King Cais then is afraid of
Rebia, and he thinks he will join the tribe of Aamir

against him. But as he will not permit me to act
against him, what I wish of you is, to go out every
day to the pastures, and if you see Rebia, or any
one of his family, advance, hasten to me with the
news, that I may show you what I will do. Shiboob
acquiesced, and went every day to the pastures,
concealing himself where no one could see him.

After this, Antar visited Prince Malik, and imparted
to him all about Amarah; that he was suffering
torments with him, and was almost dead, and
he wants to ransom himself for the coat of mail, but
don't believe him; and I have not yet punished him
enough. O Aboolfawaris, said Prince Malik, overjoyed,
kill him whilst the business is a secret. O
my lord, said Antar, I have never killed one of the
tribe, and should the circumstance reach your brother
Cais, that I have exercised my power against
his cousin, as long as he lives, he will never be reconciled
to me.

Thus passed three or four days, when lo! shouts
arose from the pastures. Antar was sitting in his
tent, when behold Shiboob entered; Arise, my
brother, he cried; come to your friend Prince Malik,
or Rebia will slay him; he has surprised him
in the pastures, with seventy horsemen of his family.
The moment Antar heard this, the light became
darkness in his eyes; he roared and bellowed, and
sprung off the ground on the back of Abjer, and
set out for the pastures, Shiboob going on before.
He stared about for his friend Malik, and seeing

him hemmed in with the horse of the family of
Zeead, and almost overpowered, he shouted—the
earth and the barren waste trembled, and the horsemen
shrunk back from the contest. How came this
dæmon here? cried Rebia, and he precipitated himself
from the sand-mound, and penetrating the dust,
wished to attack the dreadful Antar, when lo! his
brother Anis appeared, bent double over his saddle,
whimpering out, This shepherd-slave has broken my
ribs, (for Antar had, indeed, with the butt end of his
spear, broken his ribs, and had yelled at him, so he
wheeled off in flight, fearful of death).

Rebia slackened his bridle and shouted out to his
friends; when lo! some rushed, disordered in flight,
from beneath the dust: alarmed at death and destruction,
they fell back on their rear, and the fugitives
were followed by their comrades. Rebia also retreated.
But Antar cast his eyes at him, and beheld
the coat of mail of Ajijah. Whither wouldst thou,
O Rebia? cried he, and immediately he was up
with him, and shouted at him; every limb of him
quaked; he pierced his horse through a tender
part, and the animal stumbled and threw him off;
he endeavoured to rise up, but he tottered and fell
with the weight of the Ajijah coat of mail. Antar
drew forth Dhami from the scabbard, and was in the
act of extending his arm. Hold! O my cousin, cried
Rebia, pardon! for that is the true generosity of
nature; you are our cousin, and the reliever of our
sorrows. May God, said Antar, make thee die and

let thee not live, for never dost thou name me cousin,
but when thou art under the scimitar's edge. In
the feasts and entertainments I am still the slave,
the carrion born! Strip off that coat of mail, or I'll
strike off thy head with this sword, by the life of
the eyes of Ibla, to me the most binding of oaths.
Rebia instantly obeyed; he pulled off the coat of
mail, and delivered it to him, and then fled in haste
away, scarcely crediting his escape from death. Thus
Antar accomplished his hopes and wishes, and taking
the coat of mail with him, he returned to Prince
Malik; and, as they were retiring, King Cais came
forward with a numerous body of Absians; for,
having heard the circumstance from some shepherds,
he instantly mounted, alarmed for Malik. Seeing
him safe and well, he inquired what had happened;
he told him what Antar had done to the family of
Zeead; how he had redeemed the coat of mail and
the cattle. After which, Antar presented him the
coat of mail, for which Cais thanked him, and they
returned to the tents, rejoicing in their success. As
to Rebia, he retreated, routed and discomfited on
all sides, and sought his tets and habitations; and
when he considered himself secure, he collected his
companions and rebuked them, saying, My cousins,
you indeed failed to aid me at the very moment I
needed you most. O Rebia, said they, what dost
thou desire of us? Dost wish us to fight against
our cousins, and raise hostilities against our king?
Many of them are the husbands of our daughters
and our sisters. Has it not satisfied thee, that we
have followed thee to this place, but thou must urge
us to contend in battle against those who are the
dearest of human beings to us? In this point never
will we obey thee. If such is your resolution, said
Rebia, return to your families, for I can do very
well without you; and he called out to his brothers,
and ordered them to depart for the tribe of Fazarah.
As soon as Hadifah heard of his arrival, he went
forth to meet him, and received him honourably,
saluting him, and congratulating him, and accommodating
him with a portion of ground, wide and
extensive, and inquired his reason for quitting the
tribe of Abs. Rebia told him what had passed, and
what he had suffered at the loss of Amarah. Your
settlement, said Hadifah, in the valley of Yaamoor,
was not judicious; had you come to us, we would
have exerted our utmost in league with you. But
as to your brother Amarah, it must be all owing to
Antar, son of Shedad. O chief, said Rebia, our
misfortunes always proceed from that despicable
slave, and we have no other enemy but him. I must
indeed contrive his death, were my life to be annihilated,
and all my brothers to be slain. That night
came back Amarah, and he was in a most deplorable
wretched plight, tiled over with filth and ordure.
And when he told his brothers all the horrors he had
endured, they were in utter dismay, and greatly
augmented was their rage and indignation against
Antar, the lion warrior. O my son, said his mother,
will you never relinquish your stubborn violence on
account of Ibla and Antar? Are you not satisfied
with the calamities and misfortunes that have already
befallen you? O my mother, by your dear life, said
he, death itself would be more tolerable to me, than
what I have endured these days. I have experienced
tortures from Antar, in my life, I never
felt such from all the Arabs. Wait patiently for
us, my fine fellow, said Rebia, that we may open a
door for the destruction of Antar. Thus Rebia
remained, consulting some plan, till the news of
Khalid's departure on his expedition reached him,
and that he had thrown himself on Direed, son of
Samah, who had sent with him his brother Abdallah,
with twenty thousand horsemen, and that the whole
of the army of the Aamirites, when complete, would
amount to forty thousand men, twenty thousand of
which would march against the tribe of Abs, and
twenty thousand, under the command of Abdallah,
would march to attack the tribe of Fazarah. Hadifah
was confounded and bewildered, and sent for
Rebia, to consult with him; but they told him he
was absent, and that, a short time ago, he had taken
away his brothers, with forty slaves, and had proceeded
to destroy Antar. Oh! what will become of
us? he exclaimed; What will become of Rebia and his
brothers? And he sent to request assistance of Harith,
son of Zalim, and the horsemen of the tribe of
Marah. The news also reached King Cais and the
Absians. He was astounded and stupefied, and
assembling the chiefs, told them of Khalid, and the
Aamirites, and Abdallah, Direed's brother, and
asking for Antar, they told him he was absent.
King Cais sent to procure intelligence of his mother,
who said to the messenger, a crier cried out to him
in the night, and with him he departed. On hearing
this, King Cais was unable to distinguish light from
darkness. Truly, Antar, he cried, has disappeared
at the moment he was most required; and he consulted
with the Absians about what he should do.
Comfort your heart and brighten your eye, O king,
said they, for by the faith of an Arab, we must fight
for you, till by our acts we have settled your affairs
to your satisfaction, and we will not die but in the
presence of our families and our wives. My wish,
cousins, said King Cais, is to send to the tribe of
Fazarah, and to ask them to come to us, that we
may be a united force against our foes. My opinion,
said his brother Malik, is, that you be not cajoled
by them any more; ask no aid of them, for Rebia
is with them. So, my brother, stand staunch for
your dignity, and let not your honour and reputation
be sacrificed. However, they agreed to send a
messenger to Hadifah; he departed for the tribe of
Fazarah, where Hadifah was anxiously expecting
the return of Rebia, much terrified at the treacheries
of fortune. In a short time came Rebia, and his
brother Amarah, and some more of his brothers;
but as to his slaves, not one of them, black or white,
accompanied them. He had entered the tents by
night, and the next day he went to Hadifah and
saluted him. Hadifah inquired about his absence.
O chief, said he, I have slain Antar, but with him
were forty of my slaves killed. O Rebia, cried
Hadifah, much rejoiced at Antar's death, a man,
when he is engaged in the destruction of his foe,
must expend his property, great as it may be. The
reason of this was, that when Rebia repaired to
Hadifah, and was joined by Amarah, who told him
what he had suffered, he consoled his brother's
heart, and remained quiet till the next day, when
he took away his brothers, and forty slaves, and
repaired with them to the land of the Absians, where
he halted in a valley, and concealing himself, he sent
a horseman to Antar to supplicate his assistance, and
to conduct him to the valley. The horseman proceeded
till he came nigh to the tents of Antar, when
he cried out, O Chief Antar, I am a suppliant for
thy assistance. Antar instantly ordered Shiboob to
prepare Abjer; he brought him out bitted and
bridled. Antar sprung from the ground, on his back,
and took Shiboob before him, and followed the
horseman, who had begged his protection; and he
did not discontinue following him, till he was far
from the tents. As to the noble Arabs in those days,
when any one demanded their protection, no one
ever inquired what was the matter; for if he asked
any questions, it would be said of him that he was
afraid. The poets of those days have thus described
them in verse:

"They rise, when any one in fear calls out to
them, and they haste before asking any questions;
they aid him against his enemies that seek his life,
and they return honoured to their families."

Poets have also thus mentioned those who do
make inquiries of him who asks their protection:

"They dispute about the protection on frivolous
pretences, and they lengthen out the conversation
in questions, and when a suppliant calls out to
them in the desert, they snore, or else make themselves
acquainted with the business."

When Antar was at some distance from the tents,
O young Arab, he cried, console thy heart, and
brighten thine eye, but tell me now what is the
matter, for were thine enemy Chosroe, I would make
his balcony totter; if it be the Roman Emperor, I
will slay his warriors. O Aboolfawaris, replied the
man, stopping, I am of the tribe of Shiban, and with
me were my wife and my daughter; I was on a visit to
one of my brothers, and when my visit was concluded,
I was on my way home; and on reaching your
waters, twenty horsemen rushed out upon me; they
wounded me, and took captives my wife and daughter.
I fled, as you see; and when I heard of your
name, and that you were noble and generous, I
came to you, and I begged your protection. March
on forwards, said Antar, pitying him from his heart;
console thy mind, dispel thy fear and alarm. The
horseman continued to gallop on ahead of Antar,
till he conducted him to the valley, where Rebia had

drawn ropes among the trees for Antar's horse; and
when Antar was in the middle of the valley, Rebia's
slaves rushed upon him, crying out, Where art thou
now? Vile slave, how wilt thou escape hence? The
light became dark in Antar's eyes, but he galloped
towards the fellow who had begged his protection,
and pierced him through the chest with his spear,
and drove it quivering out through his back; he
shouted at his foe; he attacked, and bounded away
on his horse. But his horse being entangled among
the cords that Rebia had fastened, Antar dismounting
from Abjer, and grasping Dhami in his right,
and his shield in his left hand, fought on foot. As
soon as Shiboob saw this dreadful disaster, and his
brother's awkward situation, he felt assured some
stratagem had been contrived against him, so he
drew forth his dagger and killed four of the slaves,
and Antar slew ten. But they multiplied upon him,
shouting and throwing stones at him, and bellowing
at him, till they nearly destroyed him; his limbs
were unnerved, and he felt his calamity, when lo!
another stone fell between his shoulders, and threw
him at his full length on the ground. Rebia's slaves
pounced upon him, and bound him with cords, and
tied down his arms and sides; they seized hold
of Shiboob, and bound his arms also with ropes.
Bring him to us at the division of the road, cried
Rebia, that we may play with our swords through
their bodies. Antar recognized Rebia, and the
despicable Amarah. Verily, O Rebia, said Antar,
thou hast contrived well; this is a masterly plot
indeed. But whilst they were in this state, lo! a
dust arose, and there appeared five hundred horsemen
in armour. Go thou to Antar, cried Rebia, to
Amarah, as the dust approached, whilst I kill Shiboob;
then let us be off, or death will come upon us.
Amarah assented, and galloping up to Antar, drew
his sword with his left hand. Antar was tied on the
back of Abjer; Amarah lifted up his hand to strike
him; but just as he heaved up his arm with his
sword, Abjer started under Antar, and sprung forth
like a flash of lightning, and made towards the horses
that were advancing towards them, for he had been
trained by his master, whenever he saw a troop of
horse, to seek it, before they could seek him. Fly,
O noble fellow, fly, roared out Rebia, or death and
perdition will overtake us. Shiboob was dragged
along by a slave, but as soon as he saw his brother,
and how Abjer had started away beneath him, he
disengaged himself from the hands of the slave who
led him, and followed his brother Antar, that he
might know all the evil he had suffered. As to
Rebia, he fled, followed by his brothers. The troop
of horse assaulted the remainder of the slaves, and
tossing them upon their spears, stretched them dead
upon the ground. They afterwards surrounded
Antar in the barren desert. Now these horsemen
were Arabs of the tribe of Khoolan, and their chief
was a warrior, named Moshajaa, son of Hosan, and
he was one of the famed haughty tyrants, and celebrated
knights of the age. As soon as he saw
Antar, he recognized him, and cried out to his
comrade warriors, O my cousins, slay not this devouring
hero; for this hero is called Antar, son of
Shedad. I know that our King Safwan has a retaliation
against him, for he killed two of his sons;
and it is my opinion that we should take him away,
and go with him to our dwellings: there casting
him into fetters and chains, let us proceed to our
King Safwan, and receive from him an immense
reward in cattle, in exchange for this lion Antar.
As they assented to his advice, they took Antar
and Shiboob, and set out on their way home.

Now Rebia and Amarah, as they fled, turned
behind to look at the tribe of Khoolan; and perceiving
that they had surrounded Antar and Shiboob,
and had drawn their swords upon them,
they imagined they had slain them; so they eagerly
pursued their way till they reached the land of
Fazarah and joined Hadifah, to whose inquiries
about their absence they related what we have
already stated. Hadifah was in ecstasies of joy,
and thought Antar must be slain, and his limbs cut
in pieces.

In the mean time, the tribe of Khoolan travelled
with speed till they reached their own country,
where they cast Antar and Shiboob into chains,
and stationed a guard of slaves over them. But

Moshajaa, with a party of his tribe, repaired to
King Safwan, to give him the good tidings of the
fall of Antar, the conquering warrior.

The very day that Rebia arrived, and felicitated
Hadifah on the death of Antar, came also King
Cais's messenger to order Hadifah to march to the
land of Shoorebah and Mount Saadi, that they
might all form an united force. But when he consulted
with Rebia upon this subject, No, Chief
Hadifah, said he, let Cais and the tribe of Abs
settle with their foes as they like; for this once we
are stronger than they. Cais has now lost Antar:
let the enemy kill him, and make him drink of the
cup of death and misery. Hadifah accordingly
sent back the messenger disappointed, saying, Tell
Cais to arrange his own matters as he can, he and
the champion of his country, Antar, son of Shedad;
for never shall there be any hostile dispute between
us and the tribe of Aamir. The messenger returned
to Cais, and told him what Hadifah had said; on
which Cais, feeling the truth of his brother Malik's
advice, assembled the tribe of Abs, and ordered
them to prepare for battle, for he had heard that
Khalid was in the neighbourhood. They obeyed,
and prepared that very day. King Cais then sent
for the tribe of Ghitfan, who came the next day,
with Hatal, son of Antar's sister, and four thousand
horsemen, all spear-armed heroes.

In three days the Absians and Ghiftanians were
equipped, to the number of eight thousand horsemen,

all in coats of mail and in armour. My
cousins, said King Cais, I am of opinion we should
march and meet the Aamirites in the road, before
they reach our lands. They assented, and set out
to meet the tribe of Aamir; and when their whole
army was complete, it amounted to seven thousand
men, as one thousand were left to protect the cattle
and families. Thus they continued their journey
till evening, when King Cais alighted: Now, said
he to his cousins, I think we ought not to separate
beyond this distance from our wives; otherwise we
may have cause to fear for them on account of the
enemy. There they remained till morning, when
behold! the horses' fronts burst upon them. This
was a troop of the tribe of Aamir; the bickering
scimitars and Semherian spears glittered. Shouts
arose, and the horsemen were eager for the fight
and contest. The Absians called out in their patronymics;
the spears were interwoven one within
the other; the crowds pressed on violently; the
rush of the combatants was terrific, and the behests
of fate and destiny descended upon them. Rise to
arms! to arms! cried Khalid. The Brandisher of
Swords exhibited his activity beneath the dust; the
cleaving sabres were at work; and the cleft skulls
were hewn off. It was a day of dreadful portent,
and the Absians felt not secure till the light fled,
and the night came on in darkness, when they
retired from the army that had thus surprised
them; and they saw tribes, the like of which they
had never seen in all their lives. Now, said King
Cais to his people, let us return to our wives; it
will be the most expedient measure, for I fear some
of these tribes may invade our homes, and devastate
our dwellings. We have nothing to do but
to march before the darkness passes away; for this
is indeed an event of fate, and our affairs are in a
dreadful condition.

They arose accordingly by night, and set out for
their own tents. The enemy was soon aware of it.
Khalid gave a shout, and they were all in movement
by dawn. The Absians reached their dwellings,
and the women shrieked in excess of fear and
terror; and when they saw the Absian army return,
their screams of woe and distress increased, and
became still louder, alarmed as they were at dishonour
and infamy. In an hour the action commenced;
heads were scattered about; the party
was panic-struck, and their rapacious designs were
frustrated. The women screamed out to the lion-warriors,
and Ibla beat her sides and wept. All
the maidens of the tribe assembled like full moons;
they uncovered their faces, and let their hair flow
dishevelled; they cried out, and exciting them to
the contest, they exclaimed, O cousins, where is the
valiant warrior? where is he who would protect the
women on such a day as this? Then Gheshm, son
of Malik, attacked and performed dreadful deeds.
They continued in this state till evening came on,
and the two armies were separated from each other.

The Absians were discomfited that day, for two
hundred of their most renowned warriors were
slain. On that night the wailings of the children,
and the screams of the women and men, increased;
and shrill above the rest rose the shrieks of Ibla,
for the loss of Antar, the undaunted hero. Cais
himself remained in the greatest affliction. As to
the tribe of Fazarah, their condition was similar to
that of the Absians; for Abdallah, the brother of
Direed, assaulted them with twenty thousand horsemen,
and rushed upon them from all sides. The
Fazareans engaged them till they were near death
and extinction; and had not Harith, the son of
Zalim, been with them, they would have been cut
up and destroyed; for one noble Knight, when he
was with a weak party, could defend it, and steadied
it against the enemy. Rebia, too, fought with his
brothers firmly and resolutely, though he was also
anxious that Cais's inability should be proved; for
he knew well Antar was not present in the engagement.

But the tribe of Abs continued to fight with the
Aamirites for three days; on the fourth day the foe
routed them in the tents, and possessed themselves
of their fountains and waters, having completely
overpowered them with superior numbers. Good
fortune and fear prevailed alternately; heroes exposed
their lives to death, for they saw no rescue
from destruction; the armies of Aamir thronged
upon them like the foaming billows of the ocean,

driving them out of their dwellings. The Absians
fortified themselves on the sandhills and Mount
Saadi. O my cousins, said King Cais, let us
lengthen out the battle with the foe; perhaps one
of the heroes of Hijaz may still come to our aid:
so they acted in conformity with his commands.
But the one who that day was the chief victor over
the Absians was the Brandisher of Spears; he had
taken fifty brave horsemen prisoners, besides those
he had wounded and slain. The army was protected
by his intrepidity, and Khalid gloried in his
exploits. The last that challenged the Brandisher
of Spears was the Chief Shedad; and as he was on
the mountain side he remembered his son Antar,
and thus he mourned his death:

"Was it seen what arrow of all the arrows
of calamity pierced thee, thou son of the noble
and generous? Who was the warrior whose arm
could strike thee, and thy arm so irresistible in
its blows among the horsemen? Art thou to be
seen dead, laid low on the ground? Shall the
wild beasts of the desert prowl about thee on all
sides? In truth, the tribe has lost in thee a
Knight equal to a host of foot or of horse. Thou
couldst repulse the troopers, and, eager as they
were, they were deprived of their warriors on
the day of trial. O my son, since thy absence
from us, the hostile troops have invaded us, like
giant sea-monsters. Oceans have encompassed
us, rolling in furious waves of the bitterness of

spears and two-edged scimitars. Our heroes have
fallen into the power of the enemy, and our women
mourn in fear of death. We are enthralled
by horrors, and our maidens are in despair, fearful
of captivity. O son of the noble and generous!
Ibla calls on thee from her ulcered heart, and
weeps in torments of tears. Here I am come
forth this day; I will expose my life, and, aware
of the catastrophe, I encounter the heroes; for
perhaps thou mayst still join us, and we still survive
by thy perseverance, thou protector of the
wives of thy friends!"

When Shedad had finished, the Absian women
shouted to encourage him to the fight and combat.
Shedad descended, and his back was bent double
with his great age, for he was like an ancient eagle.
Who art thou, O Sheikh, cried the Brandisher of
Spears, thus eagerly moving towards death, and
drawing along the bridle of annihilation? O Gheshm,
replied he, dost thou not know me, that I am one of
the illustrious warriors? I am Shedad, son of Carad.
I am a knight, the soul of the day of battle and combat!
I am the father of Antar, the destroyer of the
stoutest tyrants! Thou art a pusillanimous wretch,
continued the other; and immediately assailed him.
Shedad encountered him, and there ensued so fierce
a contest and combat that the noblest warriors were
astonished at its fury. Their long spears were shattered
in their hands; they both disappeared from
the sight, and were veiled from the eyes of the spectators;

again they exhibited in the contest the most
skilful manœuvres, and the bravest were aghast at
their deeds. They continued in this state till fatigue
fell on the fingers of Shedad, for he was no match
for Gheshm in feats of arms; and when the Brandisher
of Spears saw this he assaulted him like a
lion, and clung to the rings of his coat of mail and
corslet, and dragged him off his horse's back, dashing
him on the ground: his cousins tied down his
shoulders, and bound him by the arms and sides.
Now rose their shouts still louder at the captivity of
Shedad, and their exertions failed, feeling certain of
death and perdition. The Brandisher of Spears
again returned to the skirts of Mount Saadi; Hola!
tribe of Abs, he exclaimed, come forth, if there be
any more of ye remaining; if not, surrender; for a
surrender is your only resource. At hearing this,
the Absians were more furiously enraged. O my
cousins, cried Cais, there is no means of escaping
death in the presence of these Arabs; and he resolved
on the attack, but Nazih prevented him, and
wished himself to challenge the Brandisher of Spears.
Oorwah anticipated him, and as he recollected his
friend Antar, his tears flowed; he hasted on, exclaiming,
O champion of Abs, may God not divide
from us thy stirrup! and may thy friends be never
abandoned by thee! And he thus mourned the death
of his friend Antar in these verses:

"The foul wretches have prevailed, O Aboolfawaris,
now thou art absent from the land of the

tame fawn. The Arabs have surrounded our
country, and they charge our heroes like fiends.
The tribe has lost in thee a knight, who used to
encounter our foes, smiling and unruffled. Thou
wert our guardian, O champion of Abs! when
every defender and protector failed us. Now thou
art gone, we are ruined and lost; our supports
have given way, and every one that sat down has
risen up to oppose us. How many women bewail
thee with eyeballs swimming in tears; and from
eyelids that never slumber! How many of our
warriors have been captured! and how many lie
dead among the devastated habitations! There is
no champion for the daughter of Malik, now
thou art gone, thou disgracer of horsemen! Who
now can encounter calamities, now thou art gone,
or wear off the rust in the day of terrors? May
God moisten the tomb where thou liest with
the dew of the clouds, charged with never-failing
showers!"

When Oorwah had finished, he rushed upon the
Brandisher of Spears, and galloped beneath the
thickening dust: there ensued a combat between
them that made heroes shudder, and confounded
the most resolute warriors. They continued in that
state till their spears were shivered in their hands,
and their souls were near expiring. Oorwah was a
brave knight, and an undaunted man of arms, but
in prowess he was no match for the Brandisher of
Spears; so fatigue fell on the hands of Oorwah,

which his antagonist perceiving, rushed at him, and
hemmed him in, and grasping him by the rings of
his coat of mail, he clung to him, and took him prisoner,
and dragging him along, miserable and abject,
he delivered him over to his people, who
pinioned and secured him. Oorwah being taken,
the Absians gave up all for lost. King Cais threw
his casque off his head, and cried out to his tribe
and his comrades, O my cousins, after this there is
no hope, no resource! their word against us is
blood. They have vanquished us, and I well know they will not suffer one of us to live, not a black or
a white. Let those who feel as I do, do as I do;
and those that fear death retire to the rear; for our
women are dishonoured, and the blood of our men
is shed. Our horsemen are overcome, and our
champion is lost: there is nothing left to protect us,
or defend our wives, but the blades of our swords
and the barbs of our spears. Thus saying, he galloped
down from the sand-hills and Mount Saadi,
surrounded by his brothers and warriors, and those
who stood by him on all important occasions; and
when they came to the spot they bent their heads
over their saddle-bows, and in one universal shout
exclaimed, O by Abs! O by Adnan! and they
poured down on the Aamirites like a torrent of rain.
Now, my cousins, come on! exclaimed Khalid, as
he marked them. See these fellows! they scorn
life. Tear out their souls; rejoice in the capture
of their women, and beautiful maidens, and the
plunder of their abundant cattle. Then the armies
and the troops assaulted, and made at the Absians
in all directions, and assailed them with swords, and
spears, and pointed lances. The plain was choked
up; the associated heroes rushed on; horsemen
were exhausted; the two forces were mixed promiscuously;
the steeds danced to the sound of the
lutes; blood streamed from the bodies; they persisted
in these dangers and perils till midday, when
the Absians were nearly destroyed, and extinguished,
and extirpated; the women cried out to the Lord
of Heaven; blood flowed; protectors and defenders
were diminished; existence was annihilated;
the Absians were lost amongst those armies and
troops, and dust-clouds like an extended canopy.
There was not one but exposed himself to every
disaster, and courted death in the midst of the
tumults; the plains appeared before them like
mountains; the black dust ascended over them in
columns, and they were clothed in garments of
blood. Such was their perilous situation, they were
nearly destroyed, and had resolved on flight, when
lo! a dust arose, and closed up every passage of the
country. It was not long ere the dust opened:
there was seen the glitter of corslets, and the waving
brilliancy of helms, and innumerable horsemen,
headed by a black knight, on a black steed, who
bellowed out, Ignoble dastards! I am Antar, son
of Shedad; quit these women and children: and he
instantly attacked the Aamirites, like a devouring
lion, accompanied by his warrior-friends. In an instant
the enemy was repulsed, and the twenty thousand
were routed right and left. The cause of the
release of Antar from captivity, and his arrival with
the horsemen, was as follows.

CHAPTER XXX.

When Antar fell a prisoner into the hands of the
tribe of Khoolan, they took him to their own
country, where Moshajaa confined him between four
iron stakes, and stationed over him a party of slaves,
saying to his companions, My cousins, this will we
continue to do until we receive from our master the
reward of our pains, and then we will deliver him
up to him, that he may do what he pleases with
him. And he instantly set out to King Safwan to
congratulate him on the fall of Antar. But the
women of the tribe of Khoolan having heard Antar's
story, and learnt his punishment, and having
marked the immensity of his bulk, and the horror
of his form, went to look at him; but the last that
entered was a very old woman, a stranger in that
land, and as soon as she saw Antar she recognised
him. She threw herself at his feet and kissed them,
saying, May this accident be the cause of joy to me,
O Aboolfawaris! How is it that the nocturnal wanderers
of evil have surprised you, and cast you into
prison and infamy? The women, on hearing these
words, and seeing her kiss Antar's feet, were much
astonished. Old woman, said Moshajaa's wife, who
is this black slave, that you kiss his feet? May

God be with you, noble ladies, said she, call him
not a black slave. By the faith of noble Arabs,
men of truth, and honour, there is not on the face
of the earth a braver man than this great warrior;
nor among the Arab chiefs, or the most illustrious
princes, is there one whose munificence is more unbounded,
or whose benevolence is more exalted. As
to his courage, said the women, we have heard of
it; it was clear and evident: but what hast thou
seen of his generosity, that thou shouldst thus praise
him? I will tell you, said she, and I will relate an
instance of his liberality. You all know my son;
well! once on a time he surprised some she camels
belonging to this young man, and took away about
a thousand of them; but as he was returning home
to be married to one of his cousins (it was his intention
to make these camels her marriage dower),
this man, black in skin, but fair in deeds and qualities,
overtook him, and rescued his camels, and
took my son prisoner, and went away with him to
the tribe of Abs; and just as he was going to put
him to death, he asked my son about his situation
in life, and his Arab descent, and on what account
he had plundered his camels. So my son told him
he was in love with his cousin, and that it was only
on her account he had seized the cattle. Upon this,
he ran towards him, and released him, and gave him
the thousand camels which he had plundered, and
presented him, over and above, three hundred more,
saying, When the property you have now in hand
fails come hither to me. My son returned delighted
and happy; and soon after married his cousin, and
all his sorrows were removed. And now we are
living under the aid of God and this youth, and
there is not a tribe in the desert but is sensible of
his liberality. The women being much astonished
at the narrative of the old woman concerning Antar's
generosity and benevolence, greatly extolled
and honoured him, and then quitted him. They
reposed in peace that night, but the next morning
the tribe was invaded by a predatory party of horse,
consisting of five hundred horsemen, all in coats of
mail, and clothed in armour, with a warrior of the
haughty tyrants of Arabia, called Mobadir. These
warriors and horsemen rushed upon the tribe of
Khoolan, whilst Mobadir cried out in a loud voice,
O Mavia, for such a day as this have I been
anxiously waiting on thy account; and he rushed forward
at the head of his heroes, pouncing down like
the rush of a torrent. He attacked the tents, and
brought down captivity among the dwellings. The
cause of his arrival was this: he had long demanded
in marriage the daughter of the chief of the tribe,
who would not consent to marry her to him; so he
watched her father, till having heard that he was
gone to King Safwan, he collected these heroes and
horsemen, and came to seize her as his captive from
beneath the glittering sabres. When the women
were aware of this event, they trembled at captivity
and infamy; screams and shrieks arose; but the
most dreadful calamity was in the dwellings of Moshajaa,
for they had invaded it by force, and surrounded
it with misery. There stood Mavia exclaiming,
Alas! alas! captivity! Alas! alas!
separation from home! This day the foe has vanquished
us, and we are for ever clothed in shame.
O noble ladies, said the old woman who had described
Antar, in this catastrophe there is nothing
to be done but to go to Antar and ask his aid, and
demand his protection: he is able to destroy your
enemies were they as numerous as the sands of the
desert. To this they assented, and screaming aloud,
went to the place where was Antar, the lord of
battles. Among the first was Mavia, and as they
threw themselves at his feet, O Aboolfawaris, they
exclaimed, we are under thy protection, and the
protection of Ibla, daughter of Malik: we have indeed
heard that thou art noble-hearted towards
women and maidens.

O Aboolfawaris, cried Mavia, kissing his hands,
a calamity has overtaken us, and we implore thy
assistance. And she related to Antar all that
Mobadir had done to them, from first to last; and
when, added she, he understood my father was absent,
he came in order to seize me by the force of
the cleaving scimitar; and now, O Aboolfawaris,
we are between two perilous circumstances, and two
deadly calamities; for we fear if we release you,
you will avail yourself of the opportunity, and
plunder our property, as well as that of the foe, and

then you will seek your own home, and no doubt
you will be excused in doing so; for indeed you
are near your death and every evil; but if we now
quit you, this tyrant will destroy us, both us and
you too. O Mavia, said Antar, console thy heart
and brighten thine eye, I will rout these cowardly
foes for thee, and I will disperse them among the
wastes and the wilds, and I will then return to my
fetters and my chains; and I will not depart hence
but by the mutual consent of all your men and
women; for generous men are not ungrateful, and
they do not abuse fortune for exciting troubles
against them. Know too that my captivity was
only the effect of fate and destiny, from which no
creature can escape or fly.

As soon as Mavia and the women heard this,
they were convinced of victory and conquest. They
ran towards him, and released him from his chains
and fetters, and brought him his weapons for battle
and carnage; As to your horse, said they, not one
of us can venture to approach him. Release my
brother Shiboob, said Antar, he is accustomed to
him: (Shiboob had been bound close to him), so
they set him at liberty. He went up to Abjer and
saddled him and brought him to his brother Antar,
who sprung from the ground on his back, after he
had clothed himself in iron, and a magnificent coat of
mail, in which he appeared like a strong battlement.
And he assailed the foe with a heart undaunted at
death and extinction: he shouted with his well

known shout in his wrath, Ignoble dastards, I am
Antar, son of Shedad; quit the women and the
children! and he attacked and transfixed the horsemen,
and drove them round the skirts of the dwellings:
at his second attack he repulsed them from
the walls, and slew twenty of them, overwhelming
them with shame and disgrace; he charged them
like a trampling lion, fearless of multitudes, and
thus expressed himself:

"Whenever I go as a guest to a tribe, and they
be alarmed by their enemies, may I never grasp
a spear-staff in my hand, may sleep never seal up
my eyes! My captivity by the Shrine of God is
no fault; for I have been proved in the day of
battles. I was made prisoner by stratagem and
the destiny of God, whose power is infinite over
his slaves, whom he drives, in despite of every opposition,
into bondage, either for their advantage or
destruction."

As soon as Antar had finished, he assaulted the
party, and dispersed their united bands, and routed
the horsemen, and destroyed their warriors. When
the chief saw Antar's exploits: Eh, bastard! said
he, what Arab slave art thou? tell me before I cut
off thy head, and extinguish thy life for thy opposition
to the depredations of the warriors of the
age. Mobadir had almost gained possession of the
whole clan, and was pillaging the property. Baseborn,
cried Antar, knowest thou me not? and what
noble hero I am? I am Antar, son of Shedad, the

conqueror of hardy warriors! Away to thy home!
for as to the booty, I have rescued it from thy
power; and if thou doubtest my word, come on—
on to the plain—that I may make thee drink of the
cup of infamy. Mobadir only laughed, and smiling,
said, They say too, that thou art a man that deals
fairly, but this day I see thou movest on the road
of oppression. I am, said Antar, just what they say
of me; but what is it thou requirest that I should
do thee justice? Know then, said Mobadir, that
I had nearly gained possession of the clan, and
seized my beloved; but thou hast interrupted the
accomplishment of my desires. Thou bastard, said
Antar, thou hast demanded a man's daughter in
marriage, but he will not accept thee for a husband;
thou hast staid quiet till he was absent on some
business, and now hast come in his absence to take
her captive from beneath the glittering scimitars;
and this is the justice with which thou hast acted
towards him. Mobadir rushed at him, and wanted
to charge in front of him, and gallop about; but
Antar would not permit him even to wheel round,
before he attacked him and stopped him in his
charge, and checked him in his martial display, and
aimed at him with Dhami between his eyes. Mobadir
received the blow on his shield, but it cleft it
in twain, and his casque it hewed in two, and the
sabre still continued its course down to his thighs,
even to the back of his horse, seven spans into the
ground: thus he hurled him and his horse to the
ground in four equal divisions. Alas! alas! cried
Mobadir's companions at the sight of this blow, this
furious warrior must be one of the genii; so saying,
they fled, throwing away all the property they had
acquired, and calling out to Antar, May God curse
thy flat-nosed father and thy harlot mother! how
hard are thy blows! how penetrating is thy thrust,
and how fierce is thy assault! Antar pursued them
till he drove them out of that country, and afterwards
returned to collect the scattered horses and
dispersed arms. Shiboob attended him like one of
the rebellious fiends till they reached the tribe of
Khoolan.

Antar no sooner dismounted from Abjer than the
women surrounded him, and kissed his hands and
feet. Noble ladies, said Antar, return me now to
my chains and fetters. But they said, By the
faith of an Arab, nothing shall touch thy feet, instead
of fetters, but the blessings of cheeks. By
the faith of an Arab, said Antar, that must never
be, were I even to drink of the cup of death and
perdition. Eh! son of my mother, cried he to Shiboob,
return me to my chains and fetters; let it not be
said that I have falsified my word. What! said
Shiboob, thou art surely mad. What! now thou
art at liberty, and hast vanquished thy captors,
wilt thou again cast thyself into chains and fetters,
and wait till some one comes to slay thee? Yes!
said Antar, let me not sin against my oath; let not
a falsehood approach me. Shiboob, on hearing

this, was more and more enraged, and in a great
passion came up to Antar, and fastened the weighty
fetters on his feet. Well then, said he to him, lie
there in base imprisonment, that thou mayest
not sin against thine oath! But Antar did not
remain in captivity longer than that night; for
on the next day the Chief Moshajaa returned
with his warriors, and as they came near to
the tents, they saw the dead piled up among the
dwellings and habitations. Moshajaa also beheld
Mobadir's head fixed on the point of one of the
tallest spears by the side of his tent. On inquiring
about this, they told him what Antar had done.
Moshajaa and his warriors were fixed in astonishment.
By the faith of noble Arabs, said he, we
shall never be able to requite this man by all we
can do for him; for whilst we went to demand his
death, he has done this deed for us; he has protected
our wives and families, and has even returned
himself to chains and fetters. Thus saying, they
ran towards Antar, the lion warrior, and set him at
liberty. Moshajaa fell down and kissed his feet,
and bringing him into the middle of the tent, they
clothed him in robes of honour, and presented him
with riches, and begged his pardon for what they
had done. O Chief, said one to Moshajaa, what
answer will you make to King Safwan, to whom
you have pledged your word? Cousin, said Moshajaa,
where can there be a more complete excuse
than this? Here is one who protected our wives
in our absence, and has done a deed no human
being ever did before. After this they made preparations
to accompany Antar, and to depart to the
land of Abs. Moshajaa mounted with five hundred
horsemen of the chiefs of his tribe.

Antar also set out on his way to the land of
Shooreba and Mount Saadi, greatly pleased at the
union with the tribe of Khoolan; and as he marched
at their head in great spirits, he thus recited:

"Where is my love? my sport? my song? Begone,
my failings of my early youth! What was
expanded is now folded up. The matrons and the
large-eyed damsels shall keep me in remembrance;
torture has not relaxed my powers in the battle,
and the lion stands in awe of me on the plain and
the mountain. It has not enervated me, and I
will not mourn in tears at home and my native
lands. In horses and black coursers is my delight;
love and wine are no more my occupations.
How can ambition raise any one to glorious eminence,
whose post is in talking of sports and
songs? My failing is in horses; my boast is in their
hoofs; when the lion hero moves on them, despair
moves with him. My Abjer blusters with
me on the day he bears me: is there a hero that
escapes me? or can a warrior touch me? How
many warriors have I put to flight in confusion,
meeting every form of death like a roaring torrent!
As to the dust, I have plunged into it,
high and low, with sword blows, and spear

thrusts, among scimitars and lances. I do not
intend that the tribe shall get drunk with my blood:
am I not their superior both in word and deed?
Let no one drink blood but who has a forfeit due;
and let him not repose, whose neighbour is in
trouble. The enemy cannot repel him with their
thrusts; he is replete with virtue, joyous with
wine. Were not Cais my King, and did I not
obey him, I would have drank of blood sweeter
than honey from Rebia and the wretch who resists
me on account of Ibla; still I am in anxious
fears about her; I am of the noble and illustrious
ones, ever renowned over the plains and the hills.
I wish to exterminate them, but my tenderness
prevents me, and I check my impatience. He
who wishes to be honoured as I am honoured,
let him pierce the warriors, or challenge the
heroes."

The chieftains were astonished at his eloquence,
and expressed the gratification they felt. May God
never abandon thee! may no one ever harm thee! O
knight of the age, and the result of the time and
the period! cried Moshajaa, for thou hast not left
for any one either a word to speak or a deed to do.
Thus they continued their march till they came
near to the tribe of Abs. Antar led them on like a
furious lion; he uncovered his head, and received
the horsemen of Aamir as the parched up land receives
the first of the rain, with resistless and never-failing
blows, as also the warriors of Khoolan, for

they were undaunted heroes, they penetrated through
the ranks of the foe, and made them drink of the
cups of death and perdition, scattering them over
the plain and the waste.

But when the Absians heard Antar's shout, their
souls revived, and they seemed to live again. Ay!
my cousins, exclaimed Cais, now take retaliation on
the foe, and cast off this dishonour, for this is our
champion Antar that is arrived; now destroy your
enemies over the plain and the mountain; and he
who will not exert himself in the battle, may he
never have a legitimate child! The Absians roused
all their energy and spirit for the contest. But
when Khalid saw Antar approach, he felt aware
that he was able to annihilate his whole force, were
they even double their numbers, and that he would
disperse them over the desert and the sand-hills.
So he called out to the Aamirites, and drew them
off; they hesitated not, but dispersed themselves
over the wilds and the wastes. Now I have nothing
to do, said Khalid, but to go to the tents and kill
all my Absian prisoners. When lo! they appeared
before him, mounted on high-blooded steeds, with
Shiboob hardly touching the earth with his feet.
For Shiboob, on the arrival of his brother Antar,
seeing how eager the enemy was in the contest, felt
assured that there must be some Absian prisoners
among them; so he set out for the tents of Aamir,
where meeting Shedad and Oorwah, and the other
prisoners, he hasted towards them, and released

them, and brought them horses, and weapons, and
corslets, and armour, and they became warriors
again. As soon as Khalid saw them thus rescued
from imprisonment and danger, he had no other
resource but to wheel round his horse, and fly to
the land of the tribe of Fazarah. After him also
fled the Brandisher of Spears; the standards and
ensigns were upset, and the whole army was scattered
over the plain and the waste, pursued by
Antar and the tribes of Abs and Khoolan, till they
expelled them out of the country, when they returned
to their dispersed horses and scattered arms;
and having collected their property and baggage,
they set out for the tents, Antar at the head of
them, like a noble lion. King Cais kissed him
between the eyes, and congratulated him on his
escape, and inquired what had happened. Antar
related how Rebia and his brother Amarah had
mediated his death, and every circumstance relative
to his imprisonment and liberation.

On hearing this, King Cais execrated Rebia and
his brother, and all the race of Zeead, saying, O
Aboolfawaris, be not distressed, for by the faith
of an Arab, I must punish the race of Zeead for
their conduct; but some one says:

"We acted kindly, and we were rewarded by
the reverse, and such is the conduct of worthless
traitors: those who act kindly to persons of a
different nature, are required as one who assisted
a hyena was requited."

O Aboolfawaris, added Cais, it is, however, incumbent
on me to repay the tribe of Khoolan, by all
the favours and benefits in our power, and that we
consider them among our friends and allies. But
we had better go first to the tribe of Fazarah, for
I fear their chief must be reduced to extremities,
and that we shall have some difficulty in delivering
him. Do, O king, as you please, said Antar, for I
will not oppose you; but here let us repose. Having
halted at the tents, the slaves brought them their
dinner, and they treated the tribe of Khoolan with
every distinction. They slept that night till dawn
of day, when they set out for the land of the tribe
of Fazarah, Antar marching ahead, and thus reciting:

"I am going to assist Rebia and his tribe; never
can I sit quiet when the dust of war is roused;
were it not for thee, O Cais, I would not go to
them; but thou art my glory and my protector.
Fazarah every day opposes me, but they are, in
the contest, ever under alarms. All the kings of
the earth fear my blows, and I have an impetuous
action in the battle, no other knight possesses my
ambition! Its seat is above the Pisces, and, in the
combat, my strength is like that of a trampling
lion. Although my complexion is black, my deeds
are the dawn of day, and fear of me is in the hearts
of the most valiant; for I thicken my spear-thrust
in every region, and I cry out in the heat of the
carnage, where is my opponent? I am the bold

lion and hero, as they call on me in the day of the
crash of multitudes. The kings of the earth are
sensible of the terror of my power. In the slaughter
I encounter the vagabond warriors, and my sword,
when the dust mounts on high, cries to me, steep
me in wine, the blood of horsemen; and when my
spear quivers on the deadly day, its barb is like a
kindling flash of fire. For love of thee, O daughter
of Malik, I am a lion hero. O thou ornament of
women in the assemblies! O Ibla, wert thou to see
my deeds and exploits, when the black columns
rise up on the desert, like the darkness of night,
thou wouldst see me rush into it with a violence
and vehemence, no one, either naked or clothed,
can surpass."

The warriors and chiefs, in astonishment at such
eloquence, pursued their journey till, as they approached
the tribe of Fazarah, they saw that the
enemy had surrounded them on all sides; their
voices were enfeebled—they were fighting among the
tents, and the power of utterance had almost expired.
For Harith, son of Zalim, who was with them, as
we before stated, seeing the party discomfited, said
to himself, Why should I thus presumingly interfere,
till I die slaughtered? Accordingly, about evening,
he took his men away, and seeking the pastures of
the tribe of Fazarah, he carried off five thousand he
and she camels; and saying, This is the reward of
my trouble, he set out for his own country. But,
in his absence, the sword played among the tribe of

Fazarah, and Abdallah, Direed's brother, fell upon
them unawares, with his troops. Khalid too, in his
fears, repaired to them, and told them the loss he
had sustained. Abdallah's alarms were awakened
at hearing this account of Antar and the Absians,
being certain they would not leave him quiet.
Anxious, therefore, to avail himself of the opportunity,
and pillage the property of Fazarah, and
wishing to retire before the arrival of Antar, he
called out to his warriors, and as he encouraged them
to the contest, they exposed their lives to death and
perdition; and making an assault on the tribe of
Fazarah, like voracious lions, they devastated the
country, and overwhelmed them with their triumphant
superiority. Just as they were resolved on
flight, all but Rebia, and the chieftains of Fazarah,
and Zeead, and as the wretch Amarah was trembling
in despair, with the women, arrived the tribes of Abs
and Ghiftan, and the warriors of Khoolan, and Antar,
the destroyer of horsemen. With one universal
shout of, O by Abs! O by Adnan! they rushed
down on the foe with hearts to which death was
sweet and easy, and in less than an hour they drove
them far from the tents, Antar exhibiting all his
horrors, and performing deeds that would turn
infants grey; and so astonished was the tribe of
Khoolan, at Antar's exploits, that they wished him
to return with them, that they might make him the
champion of their lands and territory. Before midday,
the army fled in disgrace, and Abdallah, giving
the reins to his horse, escaped. After this, the Arab
horses were dispersed, and Khalid also fled, and
sought the barren waste, alarmed at the chief Antar.
The horsemen were scattered over the plains and
sand-hills, and before evening, there not being one
left, Antar conducted his people, and the tribe of
Khoolan, back, and departed for the land of Abs
and Adnan. But King Cais halted with the tribe
of Fazarah, on account of Rebia, and congratulated
him on his safety. Ah, O Cais, where, indeed, is
our safety? said Hadifah; but that is of no consequence
to thee, that does not interest thee. King
Cais concealed these expressions in his heart; he
remained that night with them, and departed the
next day. But Antar, whilst he was marching with
the tribe of Khoolan, meditated on the circumstances
that had occurred to him among the tyrants of Arabia,
and he thus recited:

"Question my scimitar about my deeds on the
day of battle, and my blows amongst the kidnies
and the joints. Ask my whizzing spear, in the
sand-cloud, how many throats of noblest heroes
I have pierced. How many columns of dust I
have rushed through on my steed, crying out,
with a loud shout, Where is my antagonist? Whenever
Death sees me, he flies away in terror, frightened
at my Indian blade and spear. How many
warriors have I laid low with my sabre? whilst
the black blood rolled in waves from the breasts
of the combatants. I have routed, in the fiery

field, the sons of Aamir, on the backs of their
snorting chargers. They roam in flight, distracted
over the desert, horror-struck at my strength, and
the magnitude of my achievements. Learn, O
Ibla, how many warriors I have destroyed, how
many knights, on the day of carnage, I have
captured, and have then set at liberty, after lacerating
their joints. How many heroes have sought
to slay me, but have not succeeded in their
attempts, and their every machination has been
frustrated. I have left Khalid, son of Moharib,
mangled, stretched out on the stones, and the
rocks; and as to his ill-starred tribe, I have made
them drink of death with the wine of absinth.
Also, in the valley of Torrents, I annihilated their
crowds, and made Wirdishan drink of the cups of
the grave. I seized all the wealth of Irak, and
Chosroe himself arose, bewildered and aghast.
Verily, I slew Badhramoot in my strength, against
whom the lions of armies could not prevail. I
carried off the Asafeer camels for thee, and the
diadem of Chosroe, unequalled in the world. I
am the Antar of horsemen—the knight of the tribe
—merciful and clement—black in complexion—
intrepid. I am the dauntless hero in every fight;
I am the knight of the fiery contest of illustrious
chieftains. Though, my cousin, my complexion
is black, yet my deeds are fair offsprings of munificence.
I have that ambition, whose seat is above
Pisces, and my success and prosperity are the consummation
of all good fortune. Mine is perfect
liberality and purest love, and my mansion is the
resort of every guest. All the kings of the earth
dread my power, and my renown is spread throughout
every tribe. My spear-thrust appears in death
and perdition, wherever life pervades the muscles
of man. Death is terrified at me, and even when
he wishes to escape me, I goad him on to speedier
flight with my iron fingers."

The warriors and chiefs having thanked him, they
continued their march till they reached home, when
Antar alighted and conducted the tribe of Khoolan
to the tents. The next day came King Cais, and
the Absian chiefs. Antar rode out to meet them
and saluted them; and, to his inquiries concerning
the race of Zeead, By the faith of an Arab, my
cousin, said Cais, had you yourself even fallen upon
Rebia, and his brother, you would not have given
them bitterer wounds. They now made feasts and
entertainments for the tribe of Khoolan, and treated
them with every honour and distinction. King Cais
presented them with the most beautiful of his horses,
the finest of his spears, and the most brilliant of his
swords. Antar did the same as King Cais, and gave
their chief a string of Asafeer camels, and presented
him with five hundred of the she camels of the Volcano
Mountain. Thus, the tribe of Khoolan, much
gratified at the friendship of Antar, and the tribe of
Abs and Adnan, sought their own country and lands.
The Absians remained quiet at home; and the state

affairs of King Cais were well arranged under the
terror of Antar, son of Shedad; yet he always kept
himself informed of Khalid's movements, that he
might still have his revenge on him. But Khalid,
when he fled, sought the land of Aamir, and though
his party had preceded him, and had given the intelligence
of their defeat, on his arrival the crisis
appeared more disastrous. He assembled the chiefs
that very day, and he debated about an expedition
to the land of Irak, in order to complain of their
situation to Prince Aswad, his near relation. They
acquiesced in his wishes, and after they had secured
their property and families on the mountain tops,
they left the Brandisher of Spears to protect them,
together with a small body of men, and departed
for the land of Irak. Now Harith, when he quitted
the land of Fazarah, immediately conducted his
people to their own country, and then hastened with
all expedition to the land of Irak, wishing to avert
the calamities of the time, and to see how the business
would terminate, for he had a sister in Hirah,
married to a man called Sinan, son of Ebe Harithah;
she was usually employed in suckling King Numan's
children, and at that time she was nursing one of
his infants, called Shirjibeel. Harith alighted at
his sister Selma's, with the view of relating to King
Numan what the tribe of Abs and Adnan had
suffered from the brave Aamirites, as perhaps he
would send some aid to the Absians, and appoint
him to command it. The next day, he presented
himself to King Numan, and stated the case of the
Absians, and what the tribe of Fazarah had also
suffered from Abdallah, son of Samah. King
Numan was much mortified, as was also Prince
Aswad, on account of the tribe of Fazarah. Numan
even wished to despatch that very day a messenger
to the Arab hordes, and assemble an army to the
assistance of the tribe of Abs and Adnan; but, in
the course of the day, arrived Khalid and some of
the Aamirite chiefs, who repaired to Aswad with
their turbans hanging loose round their neck, and
howling in tears, and lamentations, and complaining
of the disasters they had endured at the hands of
the Absians. What! said Aswad, O Khalid, Harith
has just told us, that you had assembled an army
against the Absians, and had left them, like many
others, the prey of your sword, and my brother
Numan has resolved on writing to the Arabs, and
to send them to the tribe of Adnan, but now 'tis you
yourself that complain of them. Harith was right in
what he said, returned Khalid, but he knew not
what happened to us afterwards. But we, O prince,
were the first aggrieved by the Absians; for King
Zoheir falsely accused us of the blood of his son
Shas, and outraged us—he slew our warriors; but
when I overcame him, and put him to death, I
pardoned his wife and progeny. When Cais conquered
us, we secured ourselves in the mountains,
but they killed twelve hundred of our heroes in one
day, as Antar has described in his verses, where he
says:

"We slew of them two hundred and one thousand
freeborn in the defiles and deserts."

When we heard of Nacmah's death we threw
ourselves upon Direed, and set out to engage them,
and when we had reduced them to the last extremity,
their slave Antar came up, and with him a
party of Arab warriors: he defeated our armies,
and dispersed us. We are therefore come hither
that you may make peace between us and them,
and for every price of blood we will give ten; only
let them set at liberty our women. On hearing
Khalid's discourse, Aswad pitied him in his heart;
and engaging to accommodate matters, he went to
his brother Numan, and related all the transactions
between the Absians and Aamirites, and also Khalid's
arrival, and that he was anxious to make peace
with the Absians. As King Numan thought nothing
was more desirable than harmony among the
Arabs, he told his brother to introduce Khalid and
his chiefs. Aswad introduced them, and King Numan
arranged an impartial peace, neither prejudicial
nor too advantageous. He also gave them a splendid
entertainment; and thus that day passed till evening,
when they mutually communicated the various
events and circumstances that had happened to
them. Soon after, the horsemen having dispersed
and quitted King Numan's assembly, Harith, whose

envy of Antar was greatly increased by what he had
heard from Khalid, resolved to put Khalid to death,
even under the sacred hospitality of Numan. Fixed
in his determination, and only waiting till every one
was asleep, he sprung up, and cautiously moved
towards the tent where Khalid slept. He entered,
and finding him asleep, he smote him with Zoolhyyat,
and severed his head from his body. He was
departing, but it still occurred to his mind that
perhaps his blow had not had its effect, and recollecting
Warca's blow at Khalid on a former occasion,
he returned and placed the edge of his sword
against Khalid's chest, and leaned with all his
weight upon it, till he plunged it deep through his
body two spans into the earth[2] . Now being convinced
he had finished him, he hastened away for
his horse; he mounted, and quitted Hirah by night,
distraction in his countenance; sometimes turning
to the right, sometimes to the left, till the day dawned.
At that time Akhwedh arose to seek his brother,
but he saw him dead. He shrieked in his horror:
he ran to Aswad, and communicated the fate of his
brother. Aswad ordered Harith's men to be seized,
and they were instantly cast into chains and fetters.
Thence he went to his brother Numan, and related
what Harith had done. At this the light became
dark in the eyes of Numan, and he swore he would
put Harith to death.

As to Harith, after he had slain Khalid, he repented
of the deed, and feeling assured he must die,
he resolved to repair to the mountains and defend
himself there till overtaken by death. But how
can I be at ease? he said to himself; my cousins
will be all murdered. He therefore set out on his
return to Hirah, concealing himself among the
mountains and the sand-hills till evening, when he
reached Hirah, having first secreted his horse in
some by-place. He then sought the spot where his
companions were confined; perceiving their guards
drowned in the sea of sleep, he grasped Zoolhyyat,
and slaughtered them to the number of fity. Hie
to the tribe of Abs, he cried to his friends, and demand
protection of King Cais, son of Zoheir, and
of Antar, son of Shedad; but as for me, it is impossible
for any one of the subjects of King Numan
to protect me, for he is the king of the Arabs, but
I am resolved on taking retaliation before I am slain:
thus saying, he quitted them, and death became easy
to him, till he entered his sister Selma's dwelling: and
as soon as she saw him she saluted him. O my brother,
said she, what has brought you back, safe as
you were? I want thee, said Harith, to give me
Numan's young son Shirjibeel, that I may meet his
father with him to-morrow. I will request him to

forgive me this blood and this crime; and as I was intoxicated
when I murdered Khalid, perhaps he may
pardon me on account of his child, and then I care
not if the whole tribe of Aamir assemble against me.

His sister saw the propriety of this observation;
but she knew not the fraud and odious designs he
harboured; so she made over Numan's child to him
in her fears for her brother. Harith carried him
off, and hastened to the passage out of the city,
where he remained near his horse till the city gates
being opened, and the inhabitants coming forth, he
cried out in a loud voice. The people stopped when
they saw Harith, and hearing his shout, they stood
staring at him as he tossed Numan's child up in the
air, and as he fell he caught him on the point of his
sword; and the child fell, cut in two, on the spot;
and it was a lovely infant! On beholding this, the
people ran back to the city, and informed King
Numan of the death of his child by the hand of
Harith. On hearing the murder of his infant, a
flame was kindled in his heart. He ordered his
armies to march; and there went forth about twelve
hundred men in the pursuit of Harith. But he, as
soon as he had slaughtered Shirjibeel, mounted his
horse, and made towards the boundless desert; and
whilst he was travelling with all expedition, behold!
armies, like the rolling seas, appeared. He turned
upon them as a lion would do, and shouted; they
were dismayed. He shouted again in the faces of

their horses; he forced them back on their haunches,
and they cast their riders off their backs. We have
already mentioned Harith's superior prowess and
intrepidity. He was one of the thousand tyrants:
and he did not desist fighting from the forenoon
even till the sun turned pale, by which time he had
slain about seven hundred horsemen. But by the
evening he was almost dead; yet he did not so much
grieve for himself as he grieved for his sword, and
that the foe should possess it when he was no more;
so he went up to an immense rock that grew hard
by, and heaving up his arm with Zoolhyyat, he extended
his elbow, and smote the rock, wishing to
shiver the weapon by the blow, that it might not
fall into the enemy's possession, but it split the rock
in two, and he continued his flight. When King
Numan's troops came to the side of the rock and
beheld Harith's blow, their senses were startled;
they stopped short, and not one of them dared to
pursue him a span's length, saying to one another,
By the faith of an Arab, no one will pursue him but
he who bids adieu to life, and hails his death! for
when he saw no one before him to smite, he smote
this rock; but had this blow fallen on one of us,
what would have become of him? The twelve hundred
being thus routed, returned to Hirah, and told
Numan that Harith had escaped in safety. Numan
instantly sent for Sinan. Thou vile old man, said
he, thou perfidious dog! No one but thou has murdered
my son; it was through thee I knew that
Harith, son of Zalim. No one shall ever rescue
thee from hanging, unless he give security for thee
as responsible for Harith. Sinan gave security for
himself that he would produce Harith, were it possible,
and if not, he would be his substitute in captivity
and disgrace; and this the whole body of
King Numan's satraps guaranteed. But what happened
to Harith? When he had delivered himself
from the army of King Numan, he turned his face
towards the wastes and the wilds, and worked hard
to make himself a resting-place on the mountain
top, eating the herbs of the earth, and drinking of
the rain-puddles. As to his companions, whom he
had released from Numan's dungeons, and ordered
to repair to the tribe of Abs and Adnan, they
speeded away till they came to King Cais, and told
him how Harith had murdered Khalid. At hearing
this from the horsemen of Marah, King Cais was in
a transport of delight, and he invested them with
honorary robes. The Chief Antar also heard the
news, and was overjoyed, though he wished Khalid's
death had been the work of his own hand.
By the faith of an Arab, said he, if Harith comes
to me I will protect him from King Numan, from
Chosroe Nushirvan, and from every one that dwells
in the wilds and the deserts. King Cais too ordered
splendid feasts and entertainments; but as he
looked at Antar, he perceived that he eat and drank
but little, and did not partake in the pleasures and
amusements: so his brothers said to Cais, Outrage
not Antar's heart, but order his uncle Malik to
marry Ibla to him, that our joy may be complete.
King Cais accordingly sent for Malik, and taking
him aside, said, Why do you not wed Ibla to
her cousin Antar? is she not his affianced wife?
and have you not taken her marriage portion? Yes,
O king, said Malik; Ibla, and her mother, and her
father, and her brother, are his slaves at his service;
and if you wish it, to-night before to-morrow's dawn
I will marry her to him. In three days I desire,
said King Cais, that our joys may be complete and
our enemies be vexed. Malik acquiesced, and stood
up to go away after having kissed his hand; and
when they separated, Malik went home, and being
alone with his wife, he sent Ibla to her uncle's, and
as he wept before her mother, What's the matter?
said she to him. One has used me ill, said he, out
of whose influence I cannot withdraw myself; for
his heart is now relieved from the affliction of his
enemies, and Antar is even in greater favour with
him than with his father. He has obliged me to
marry Ibla to him; but by the faith of an Arab,
were the head of this vile slave to mount to heaven
itself, my heart could never submit to yield him my
daughter. Now Ibla's mother felt convinced that her
daughter could be matched to no one but Antar,
because he had ever protected her. As to Antar,
he returned home quite rejoiced at the order for his
marriage, and he wanted to mount his horse, and go
to his uncle's, when lo! his brother Shiboob came
up to him, distressed and melancholy. What's the
news? said Antar; what has happened? Know, son
of my mother, said Shiboob, that your sister Merwah
is come from the dwellings of the tribe of Ghiftan,
and she is in a violent passion, and probably
angry with her husband; but she wishes to see you.
Antar immediately went to see what was the matter.
This Merwah was the daughter of Shedad, and
married in the tribe of Ghiftan to a man called Jahjah;
and she had a son, whose name was Hatal,
who used to mount the horses, practise horsemanship,
and was habituated to nocturnal expeditions.
His uncle Antar was very fond of him; but when
he heard of the arrival of his sister, he hastened to
her: she sprung up towards him, and kissing his
hand, O my brother, said she, my son Hatal! the
heroes of Ghiftan have bewildered his mind: they
ordered him to join them, and took him away with
them to gain some cattle and plunder. But some
nights ago I saw a dream, and there were my son
and his companions in a forest all entangled with
trees, and over their legs chains and fetters of fire;
and at the mouth of the forest there was a ferocious
lion that threatened to devour them night and day.
I awoke; but I was terribly frightened. I rushed
out of the tents, and lo! I beheld a black slave at
the door in the garb of a beggar. I went in again,
and I brought him out some bean husks, which I
gave him, saying, Take these, O stranger! and
pray for the return of my absent son. Is not thy
son Hatal? said he. Yes, I replied; and I perceive
you know him. Know then, said he, your son has
fallen a prisoner into the power of Locait, son of
Zararah, and with him twelve warriors of his tribe,
and I am come as a messenger from him to you,
and he begs you will hasten to his uncle Antar.
And now, my brother, I am come to you, and my
object is to obtain my son's deliverance through
you. Antar was confounded at this interruption of
his happiness. Return home, my sister, said he,
and calm your mind, for I will go and release your
son. I will soon come to you with him and all his
property. Thus having appeased her mind, and
relieved her of her sorrows, he sent for Oorwah,
and told him what had happened; he ordered him
and his noble comrades to march, and recommended
his father Shedad to keep the affair secret, that
King Cais's heart might not be harassed. He took
away his brothers Shiboob and Jareer, and his
father Shedad, and the Carad horsemen, and his
uncle Zakhmetuljewad.

As to Ibla's father, he was rejoiced when he heard
this, for he had resolved either to inform Rebia, or
to escape by flight into the desert. So the business
turned out just as he wished, and his situation was
improved after all his discomposure; but when he
saw Antar mounted, he said in his perfidy and iniquity,
O my nephew, truly Hatal's mother has
spoiled all our pleasures by this untoward interruption.
Uncle, said Antar, there is a prescribed time

for every thing, and all that is predestined must
take place. And he quitted him; and finding his
people waiting anxiously for him, he departed with
one hundred of Oorwah's men, and two hundred of
the race of Carad, whilst Shiboob started ahead of
the horse on the road to the land of the tribe of
Darem.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Now Locait, son of Zararah, was an uncontrollable
knight; he was the bold one of the age and period,
and the Arabs called him the Eagle of War, and the
Knight of Woe. Locait had nineteen brothers by
the same father and mother, and he was the eldest;
and their father was conspicuous among men for his
birth and parentage.

One day, their father being seated in his tent, his
sons came to him, and complained of their brother
Locait's excessive pride and haughtiness, and stated
their resolution to emigrate. He sent for Locait,
who in fact was a great coxcomb in his gait, and
most ostentatious in his general deportment. My
son, said he (for he was exceedingly angry and indignant
at such conduct), you are indeed a most
self-sufficient fellow, and behave in a most overbearing
manner towards your brothers and your
comrades. Had you even in your pastures a thousand
of the Asafeer camels, or were you possessed of
Bedret-ul-Yemen, the daughter of Moazzem, the lord
of the Pavilion and the Palace, or could you even
overcome in battle the Chief Antar, the Knight of
Hidjaz, you would not even then strut about as at
present, neither would you swagger your limbs in

this bragging, blustering style. What! father, said Locait,
then these are the three accomplishments which
should a man attain, he would acquire the highest
glory among the brave and the heroic? What can
be superior to these three acquisitions? added his
father. At the instant, up started Locait and went
to his uncle, and asked his assistance. This uncle
was also a brave and valiant hero, and he promised
to aid him.

They mounted their steeds, and taking with them
two she camels to carry water and provisions, and
two sturdy slaves, they quitted their tents under the
cover of the night; and when they were at some
distance, after consulting which they should attempt
first, they were unanimous in the opinion, that they
should first of all proceed to the King Moazzem.

Now this king was a mighty monarch, and a stout
horseman. He was the lord of armies, and troops, and
lands, and cities; his country lay on the borders of
the cities of Nihas, and it was called the land of As,
where he possessed a strong impregnable fortress,
in which was an idol named Jebbar, which this
king and his people worshipped. He had also a
daughter called Bedret-ul-Yemen, of whom he was
very fond; and out of his great affection, he consigned
her over to the idol, and rejected every suitor
and every wooer.

Locait and his uncle travelled on till they reached
the country of King Moazzem, where they beheld
populous cities, abundant cultivation, and tents and

dwellings, and spears and swords, at which sight
Locait was much disordered; he turned towards the
fountains and the waters, and having bathed, and
clothed himself in magnificent robes, he with his
uncle proceeded to King Moazzem. Near his palace
they met the officers and satraps, to whom Locait
addressed himself: My wish, said he, is to visit your
King. The satraps entered: the King deliberated,
but at last exclaimed, Go out, and ask him his name;
for if it be Locait, son of Zararah, invite him in; if
any one else, turn him away: for thus has the idol
ordered. Moreover, I saw a dream, in which I was
standing in front of the idol, and I demanded of it a
husband for my daughter. In these days, it replied,
there will be sent for thy daughter a valiant husband,
and a brave hero, called Locait, son of Zararah.
Marry him to thy daughter, and let him
share in thy favours (but this dream was the result
of his fears about his daughter).

So the attendants went out, and asked Locait his
name. He said, Locait! The King Moazzem admits
thee, said they: and he entered in the presence
of the King, who directed him to be seated; and
having also imparted to him the dream he had seen,
he prepared feasts for three days, after which he
pitched the marriage canopy, and introduced Locait
to his daughter, without marriage, any dower,
or donations. Locait went to her, and saw she was
a full moon no description can attain; but he was
ashamed to approach her without a wedding present,

lest he should become a scandal in every land. So
he turned his back towards her, and slept till the
damsel also fell asleep; when he started up, and
awoke his uncle. Arise, my uncle, said he, let us
repair to King Numan to procure a marriage dower:
and they sallied forth by night.

They rapidly continued their journey till they
reached the city of Numan, and by great good fortune
they met Harith, roaming like one distracted
among the deserts, for they had heard of his adventures.

Locait no sooner saw Harith, than he pounced
down upon him like an eagle, crying out, Eh! son
of Zalim, whither wouldst thou seek refuge from
the great King and the lion warrior? Harith, on
hearing this address, and seeing him alone, felt his
courage rise against him, and shouted out, Hola!
O Arab, What man art thou? tell me quick. Surrender,
said Locait, ere thou diest!

Upon that, Harith poised his spear, and let out
his horse on its speed, and charged at him. Each
rushed upon his antagonist, and commenced the
combat, that lasted till the day was darkened, when
Harith being exhausted by the contest, Be generous,
thou Arab, he cried, and outrage not a man, whom
the sufferings of this widely-extended desert have
debilitated. Take me prisoner, and perhaps it may
be productive of good. And he threw away his
spear, and stood still. Locait thinking he had surrendered
himself, Dismount, said he, that I may

pinion thee. Promise me, said Harith, that thou
wilt not concert with King Numan for my blood.

And he continued his insidious importunities (his
intention being only to protract the contest a little),
till he drew forth his sabre Zoolhyyat, like a flash
of lightning, and fell upon Locait, like the descent
of an overwhelming calamity, and smote him. He
cleft his casque, and the chains, and wounded him;
and had not Harith been previously exhausted, he
would have slain him.

Locait repented of what he had done; the world
seemed darkened in his eyes, and the blood streamed
down his face: but when Locait's uncle saw him in
this condition, he rushed upon Harith, and occupied
him in the contest till Locait had recovered, and regained
his senses; and his return was like the return
of a lion. He shouted at Harith, and drove at him
with the heel of his spear, and hurled him on the
ground: his uncle dismounted and pinioned him.

Early next day, Locait resumed his journey till
he reached the land of Irak. In the excess of Locait's
good fortune, he arrived during Numan's days
of festivity[3] , when he clothed every one in splendid

robes; and as soon as the slaves beheld him, they
crowded towards him from every direction, and continued
to load him with robes of honour till his
horse could move no further.

King Numan being informed of the circumstance
immediately mounted, his heart bounding with joy,
as he exclaimed, This is indeed a joyous day, and
a real triumph over foes and enemies. He received
Harith from him, and cast him into a subterraneous
cave, and there left him. But Locait presented
himself to Numan, who complimented him, and
asked his rank, and parentage, and his tribe, and
his Arab connexion. My lord, said he, I am of the
tribe of Darem, lords of honours, and distinctions,
and spears, and swords; and I am Locait, son of
Zararah. Be so obliging, said Numan, as to demand
what you want, and be sure of attaining it in
these days of joy. Upon this Locait took courage,
and informed Numan of his marriage, and the cause
of his expedition; and I ask of you a marriage
dower for my wife Bedret-ul-Yemen. By the protection
of an Arab, said Numan, had you demanded
my kingdom, I would have made it over to you.
And he ordered him a thousand Asafeer she camels,
to which he added an infinity of other things, as he
said to his attendants, Do ye also give this youth all
the cattle and flocks that you drove to the pastures
this day. After this, he ordered them to pitch tents
for him without the city, and convey him wine and
meat.

Three days Locait passed very merrily, but on
the fourth he departed, habited like a powerful
monarch, with horses, and mules, he and she camels,
and slaves, and cattle; and with his uncle he continued
his journey over the deserts; and the world
was too compressed for the excess of his joy and
exultation. As to the father of his bride, his misfortune
was severe; for his countrymen irritated his
heart with reproaches; yet he expressed outwardly
his resignation, and concealed his affliction and vexation
till Locait's return with the cattle and the
camels. The whole country was in confusion with
delight: the King himself went out to meet him,
with the grandees of the tribe, and saluting him, inquired
whither he had been? O my lord, answered
Locait, you acted towards me on my arrival here
as no one ever acted before, and heaped upon me
obligations beyond my powers to bear; you even
married me to your daughter Bedret-ul-Yemen;
but I could not submit to the idea of possessing the
daughter of a king without a marriage-donation, and
I be called too the Knight of the Universe: so I
went away to seek some gain, and the God of old
has bestowed on me these favours.

Thus saying, he gave orders to his slaves, and
they led away the noble steeds, decorated with
housings of gold, and the Asafeer camels, which are
the wonders of wonders, and exhibited all he had of
garments, and cattle, and high-priced jewels. The
King was astonished at the extraordinary things he

beheld, and he gloried in such an illustrious husband
for his daughter. He made splendid feasts,
and sent for musicians, and made his daughter a second
marriage-banquet. He married her to Locait,
and all his griefs and troubles were at an end.
Thus they caroused and feasted till the day dawned.

After a stay of seven days, Locait prepared for
his departure. The King granted his permission,
and made him immense presents in cattle. Bedret-ul-Yemen
having taken leave of her father and
mother, they raised her on the back of the camel;
but the King accompanied her one whole day, as a
last farewell of her. On the second day Locait requested
him to return; and he continued his course,
having succeeded in all he had coveted, and as he
travelled on, passing over the wilds and the wastes,
he thus recited:

"I have succeeded in my object and demands of
fortune, for I have possessed myself of Bedret-ul-Yemen
by my sword. She is indeed the full moon
when it rises over her tent; the rosy-coloured
moon, that lights up the desert for my distracted
love. It is as if the sword of her father flashed
from her eyes, that vanquish hearts without laws,
human or divine. Her beauty is so perfect, the
sun might envy it, when it rises in all its splendour
over the dwellings and the lands. It is, as
if beauty's self fraternised and associated with her,
as the soul of life associates with the body. Were
she to call a ghost from the tomb it would answer,

and from its shroud would say, Here am I.
I have possessed myself of her by my sword, having
broken the hearts of all her suitors by my venturous
trials. To-morrow will the spectators be
amazed at my ambition, when I draw along the
train of my glory in my native land. When I
draw my sword in the battle, I make knights bow
to it from Senaa to Aden."

When Locait had finished, he continued over the
deserts, when lo! Antar's nephew, Hatal, and his
companions, drew nigh. Seeing Locait, and the cattle
he had with him, his avidity was excited, and he
ordered his men and warriors to desire him to abandon
his property. But Locait, in the pride of his
character, paid no attention, but rushed upon him
with all his impetuosity; and they fiercely engaged,
till eight warriors being slain, and twelve more being
prisoners, he assailed Hatal, and exhibited against
him all his wonderful powers and terrors; but they
were not long engaged, before he took him captive,
and united him to his comrades. Being much surprised
at his prowess, Of what tribe art thou, said
he, for I never yet beheld thy equal? O Chief, replied
Hatal, I am called Hatal, and my maternal
uncle is Antar, son of Shedad, the knight of battle
and war: it was he who instructed me in this horsemanship
and dexterity in the spear-thrust and sword-blow.
O my uncle, said Locait, turning towards
him, there never was so fortunate an expedition as
this; for thou knowest the cause of my departure

from home was the scandal of my father, who, when
my brothers complained of me, said to me, Were
even a thousand Asafeer camels in thy pastures,
and wert thou to marry Bedret-ul-Yemen, the
daughter of the lord of the palace and great pavilion,
and wert thou to overcome in battle Antar,
the Knight of Hijaz, thy deportment would not be
such as this, nor wouldest thou swagger thy limbs
in all this presumption. I am now arrived at two of
these distinctions, and I am now reaching the third,
as I have taken this lion-youth prisoner; for he is
the son of Antar's sister, and his uncle will unquestionably
come to release him as soon as he hears
what has happened to him; and then will I fight
him in the presence of my father.

After this he set out, traversing the mountains
and valleys in ecstasies of delight, till he reached his
native land. The good tidings had preceded them;
his father had been very anxious on his account, till
being informed of his son's approach, he went out to
meet him with his brothers, and the aged Sheiks of
the tribe. As soon as he saw him and the quantity
of cattle he had with him, he was overjoyed, and
inquired what had happened. Locait related his
adventures; he established himself in the dwellings,
and the horsemen of the horde stood in awe of
him. He made entertainments for them all, and in
the excess of his self-admiration, and his anxiety to
meet Antar, he despatched a slave to Hatal's mother,
as if from her son.

But now let us return to our former narrative.
Antar and his father Shedad continued their journey
with two hundred horsemen of the family of Carad
and Oorwah, and his men, seeking the land of the
tribe of Darem; and as they hastened over the sandhills,
Antar was very melancholy at this interruption
of his joys, and thus he spoke:

"My transports are silent; but my grief, how
can I conceal it? In my heart is the flame of
love, that consumes it. How can I disguise my
situation? it is evident. How can I deny it?
My tears disclose it. I say, my heart is at rest
about my love of thee; but it is a prey to anxiety,
and it cannot change. Oft, as I say, my fortune
is bright and pure, the nights of absence return
to renew its sorrows. O Ibla, how can I endure
with patience my distraction? My fate resists
me with every open outrage. I am seeking Hatal,
to rescue him from captivity, and I will disgrace
whoever puts him in fear. I will make Locait
see the exploits of the lion Antar: he shall shrink
from me, and I will expose him to peril."

They travelled on till they came nigh unto the
land of the tribe of Darem, where they repaired to a
lake, and halted to consult on what they should do.
My opinion, said Shiboob, is that you ride on for
the rest of this day, till you know that you have
passed beyond the abodes of the tribe; and when
you are in their rear, conceal yourselves whilst I
depart for the tents, and on my return I will explain

to you how to surprise them, and seize their property,
and rescue Hatal and his companions; thus you
may succeed in all your wishes, and we return home.
You are perfectly right, Shiboob, said Antar.

Shiboob accompanied them till he was certain
that he had conducted them beyond the dwellings
of Darem. Now, pursue your way, said he, to the
valley of Ramla, which is ahead of ye; there conceal
yourselves, and move not till I return. He took
with him his brother Jareer, and clothed himself in
a jacket of coarse cloth, with wide sleeves, and put
on an immense turban, that closed over his face.

Thus they went on till they reached the tents,
when the slaves sprung towards them in all directions,
inquiring who they were. We are messengers
from the tribe of Aamir, said Shiboob to Locait,
son of Zararah; where shall we find him?
Repair to that great pavilion, said the slaves. Upon
that Shiboob advanced, and Jareer followed him;
and they found Locait seated at the door of his tent,
and his brothers round him, and all his cattle scattered
about. Shiboob penetrated through the crowd,
but before Locait could question him, May God
grant long life to the noble Chief, he exclaimed; the
honoured Prince, the Lord of great emprise, the
Chief Locait, Chieftain of the tribe of Darem. Hail
to thee, too, said Locait (to whom this discourse was
very gratifying, and who was greatly surprised at the
fluency of his speech), O Arab born, speak thy purpose,
make known thy demands. What manner of

man art thou? I am, my lord, of the tribe of Aamir,
your friends and allies, said Shiboob; and I am come
to you with intelligence that is exactly to your wish.
My master Ahkwedh, son of Giafer, has sent me to
you out of his great regard for you, saying to me,
Go to my brother Locait, and tell him that Antar is
proceeding with a party of warriors in order to rescue
his nephew Hatal, and his companions; and I
am alarmed on account of his violence; but if there
should be any good opportunity, make him drink
of horrors to suffocation, and should he know any
thing of Harith, who slew my brother Khalid, in the
sacred hospitality of King Numan, let him secure
him for me; and if Hatal is still with him, let him
despatch him hither, and I will send in his stead as
much cattle as he desires.

By the faith of an Arab, said Locait, in admiration
at the sweetness of his language, this slave is
an eloquent fellow. May God bless the tribe that
makes its slaves resemble princes and chiefs: as to
Harith, said he to Shiboob, I took him prisoner,
and I presented him to King Numan, and I have
received in his stead camels and horses. As to
Hatal, he is with me in bondage and confinement,
and when his uncle Antar comes to release him, I
will accelerate his death, and thus will I accomplish
the three distinctions, on account of which my
father shamed me; and I will not leave one of the
Absians to tell the tale. Moreover, I am determined
to depart to-morrow morning to meet this black slave.

O my lord, continued Shiboob, expressing his thanks,
if you would but be so obliging as to make over to
me those foul wretches, I should be so glad to have
the chastisement of them whilst they are in confinement,
till you return from this expedition, bringing
with you the tribe of Abs and Adnan in chains and
captivity, and at their head their slave Antar: then
will I return to my master Ahkwedh, son of Giafer,
and tell him all about it. Youth, said Locait to
Shiboob, did your spies say with how many horsemen
Antar was coming against us? Yes, my lord,
said Shiboob, he is coming against you with a thousand
horsemen of Ghitfan, and the tribes of Abs
and Adnan. Locait laughed and smiled at this;
May God disgrace the mustachios of that bastard
slave, cried he. And he ordered his slaves (according
to the decrees of fate) to deliver Hatal and his
companions over to Shiboob.

As soon as the sun had risen over the mountains,
he took away with him three thousand of his choice
warriors, leaving five hundred horsemen to protect
the cattle and families. He departed, roaring in his
rage against Antar; and he knew not that he whom
he sought was concealed in his rear. No sooner
were the dwellings deprived of their protectors, than
Shiboob sent his brother Jareer to inform Antar of
all we have mentioned.

Jareer traversed the deserts in quest of his brother,
and told him of Shiboob's contrivances, and that
Locait had set out with his warriors and horsemen.

Greatly delighted, Antar ordered his comrades
to equip themselves with their arms, and to prepare
for the contest. He instantly departed, and by
morning reached the lands of the tribe of Darem,
where he saw the cattle grazing, which his men attacked,
and drove away all they could of he and she
camels, whilst the slaves ran home exclaiming, Woe
and death! The horsemen mounted, and the troops
hastened from every direction, intending to redeem
the plunder, all clad in armour and corslets, well
accoutred, and determined to resist. But Antar
having already sent the cattle away with fifty lion
horsemen, stopped with the remainder; and when
the enemy came up, heroes shouted out at heroes,
and they stretched out their spears, and commenced
a furious battle, driving with their lances, that
wrenched out lives. They smote each other with
scimitars till blood gushed forth, and streamed, and
filled the whole desert.

Antar overpowered them with his impetuosity and
intrepidity, forcing them back till the fight was continued
close to the tents, and the women were nearly
reduced to slavery and infamy. Screams arose; the
slaves rushed out; maidens sought their protectors
and defenders; and existence seemed annihilated.
Shiboob had made himself known to Hatal and the
rest, and told him the real state of the case, and the
plans he had adopted; at which they were much delighted,
rejoicing at the prospect of release from
captivity and ignominy.

Now Shiboob seeing the tents vacated by the
horsemen, and every one employed in the contest,
released his friends from their fetters, and brought
them horses, and a sufficient supply of arms, saying
to them, Now, away to your cousins, and aid them.
Accordingly, Hatal rushed on, followed by the
others. They shouted, they assaulted, they bellowed,
they fought, till the people of the dwellings
resolved on flight, having resisted till evening; but
Antar goaded them so fiercely, that they were all
huddled together with the women. Upon that he
retired, and night coming on with darkness, My
cousins, said he, our companions are released from
captivity; and it would ill become us to enslave
women in the absence of the warriors. It will be
better for us to return hence, and renounce all outrage
and violence. And I, said Shiboob, will conduct
you over the extent of the desert, and by cutting
across the mountains and the plains, by morning I
will bring you out in a distant land. Do, O Shiboob,
as you please, said Antar; perhaps we may
soon reach our own country.

Shiboob set off with them early in the night,
whilst he himself kept in their rear till sun-rise,
when he conducted them down to the waters of
Caiwan; here they halted, and rested their horses.

Shiboob still directed them across the deserts and
wastes by unfrequented paths, till he approached
the land of the tribe of Aamir, where he made them
travel along by-roads, and halt till night, when he

desired them to drive on the camels and horses, and
pursue their way in haste, and before morning he
had left the enemy behind him, but he said not a
word about it to his brother. Well, Shiboob, said
Antar, what are the dangers we have left behind?
Son of my mother, replied Shiboob, you know well,
that between you and the tribe of Aamir there is an
enmity of long standing, and particularly that Brandisher
of Spears, and Ahkwedh, son of Giafer. At
hearing this Antar was much disordered. Thou
son of a dog, said he, and so thou art afraid of a
numerous body of men! By the faith of an Arab,
had I known what thou wert about, I would not
have left the tribe of Aamir in peace and quietness.
They halted, till the day was spent, and then departed,
seeking their native land: now Shiboob cast
round his eyes, and behold a dust arose, and closed
up every vent in the country. It will be as well
to prepare for battle, said he to Antar, and not move
hence till we exactly know what all this means.

Having stationed the he and she camels in their
rear, they advanced towards the dust, and waved
their spears. Soon the cloud cleared away from
an army like the drifting sand, and horsemen like
fragments of a mountain. All were in coats of mail,
and breastplates of great weight, and with them were
camels, and horses, and cattle, and women, and
children, and the shrieks of woe convulsed the mountains.
Now then it is all evident,—The truth is apparent,
cried Shiboob to Antar, our property and

our families, my brother, have been a prey to calamities;
our abodes and our lands have been pillaged;
and if my apprehensions are right, this army is of
the tribes of Aamir, of Ghani, and Kelab. They
have vanquished our country, and have rooted out
every vestige of us. Thou art right, brother, said
Antar, and now I hear the voice of Ibla, and the
women of the Carad family. On this day shall be
made known the virtue of the brave. This calculation
was correct, and the cause of it was Ahkwedh,
son of Giafer, in whose heart was a sparkling flame
against the tribe of Abs. In his fury against them,
and his alarms of their invasion, he stationed spies
and scouts over them to bring him news. Thus
matters continued, till he was informed that Antar
was gone to the tribe of Darem, and with him some
of the noblest warriors. He also learnt that Rebia
and his brothers were still with the tribe of Fazarah.
Well, said he to the Brandisher of Spears, what say
you, O Gheshm, to an expedition against our foes,
thus insuring retaliation during the absence of their
slave? Very right, said Gheshm, and accordingly
they assembled the Aamirite horsemen, and those of
Ghani and Kelab, and there came six thousand well
equipped, all brave fellows. Leaving one thousand
to protect the dwellings and the country, he marched
till he reached the land of the tribe of Abs; where,
dividing his army into three corps, he surprised the
Absians under the veil of the night, when, most of
the people being asleep, he put them to the sword,
and before the morning rose in smiles, he had possessed
himself of the tents and dwellings. King
Cais had fled with his brothers, and those who were
able to escape. The horsemen were scattered
about, and sought the land of the tribe of Ghitfan;
some betook themselves to Fazarah, and the tribe
of Abs was completely disorganized, and ruined.
In the morning the Aamirites returned home, after
having taken prisoners the women, and plundered
their property. They travelled in haste, triumphing
in the success of their wishes, for the greatest part
of the Absians had been driven away in despair;
many of their horsemen were wounded, and no people
were ever reduced to such a miserable state. The
Brandisher of Spears being under some alarm, lest
King Cais might turn upon them, and bring troops
and armies against him, hastened their march, till
they met Antar and the Absian horsemen. Now
the whole tribe appeared through the dust, and
Antar heard the screams of the women, and the
lamentations of Ibla. He rushed towards the quarter
of the women, and pounced down upon them like an
eagle. His noble horsemen followed him, for he
was chiefly anxious to release the prisoners from
torments. When the tribe of Aamir recognised
him, they shouted, and the Brandisher of Spears
exclaimed, How lucky is this rencounter, than which
none more beautiful was ever traced on the leaves
of history! Attack this slave-dæmon, my cousins,
he continued, that we may erase out for ever every
vestige of the tribe of Abs. Come on! come on!
Antar made at him with his whole might; then
rushed on the whole army. Antar met them with
the horsemen of his tribe, for they were horsemen
that would mount even lions; they received the
spears on their chests, harder than stones and rocks.
Antar was at their head, with spear-thrusts that
made their very skins shrivel with horror, and in
an hour, their ensigns and standards were upset,
and his horsemen were like one man on that celebrated
day. Spears were extended; the stern-faced
heroes assailed, and the most tenacious of
existence were prodigal of their lives; whilst they
all tasted of sorrow and wounds. Antar roared at
their head and shouted; horsemen drank cups from
death; the women instantly heard his shouts, and
they exclaimed, Oh glorious morning! Antar, the
grasper of lives, is come! and they prayed for his
victory and triumph to the Source of the Clouds and
the Conqueror of the Winds, who opens for his servants
the gates of life without a key. Praise be to
him! may he grant sinners repentance and grace!
They continued in this dreadful state, till the brilliancy
of the day being converted into the darkness
of night, the two armies separated from the blow and
the thrust, after they had been engaged in a contest
that would have turned youth to age. There were
laid low of the tribes of Aamir, and Ghani, and
Kelab, about seven hundred horsemen, over the face
of the land, and five-and-twenty of the Absians
were slain, and as many wounded. Yet they retired
from the combat, like wild beasts when they
start from their dens, and behind them was the
lion Antar, and his nephew Hatal. And having
alighted, they began to consult and deliberate how
they should engage that numerous host. As for
me, said Antar, were the battle to last a whole year,
and around me were to assemble all the tribes and
hordes of the desert, I will not stir hence, till I
release the women from the hands of the foe, and I
disperse them over the wastes, and the wilds. As
for me, by the faith of an Arab, I will not leave of
all these five thousand, no not an old or a young
one; as for me, I will offer myself alone as their
antagonist, and I will make them taste deep of
misery. After all their exultations, their warriors
and their chieftains will I slay. Thus he remained,
watching over them in the obscurity of the night.

As to the tribe of Aamir, when they quitted the
combat and halted at their post, bewildered at the
tribe of Abs, and at their assault, they complained
of their situation to Ahkwedh. If this dæmon continues
to assail us, he will not leave one of us alive,
particularly since he knows Ibla is with us. O my
cousins, said Ahkwedh, if we do not make a general
attack upon them to-morrow, the Brandisher of
Spears being with us, we can never hope to succeed.
Speak not, O chief, said the elders, in this manner:
we never can succeed against Antar, we cannot overcome
him, whilst he has behind him men like wild

beasts, all of whom protect his rear. Were I not
afraid, said the Brandisher of Spears, of Shedad, and
Oorwah, and Hatal, I would go out against him tomorrow,
and would engage him, and take off his
attention from you, till his companions might be all
destroyed. But I also fear King Cais may overtake
us with the Arabs of Hijaz, and powerful
armies, which we shall be unable to resist; we shall
be obliged to fly, and abandon all this booty. My
cousins, if the business is indeed, as it is represented,
said Ahkwedh, I will send away the prisoners with
one hundred valiant horsemen, and when morning
dawns, we will by some means contrive the destruction
of Antar; and if there comes an irresistible force
against us, and we resolve on flight, we shall, at any
rate, have the advantage of the property and booty.
This will do, said the Brandisher of Spears; for
Antar, if he knows this, will go after them, and then
we will attack his companions and destroy them:
but should he stop, after he receives this news, his
heart will be so pre-occupied with Ibla, that his
resolution will fail, and he will be in despair. We
will make a sudden attack, and complete our
wishes, for he never could engage this tempestuous
ocean but when Ibla is present. After this harangue,
they despatched the captives with one hundred
horsemen, and sent with them the guide, Kimhar,
who led them away under the veil of obscurity;
and when daylight shone, the first that started forth
to the fight was Antar, and he knew nothing of what
had happened. The armies of the tribe of Aamir
arose, like the ocean when it roars. Ahkwedh
shouted out towards them, and assured them of the
entire ruin of the Absians, for they consisted of
four thousand well known horsemen, and the Absians
only amounted to one hundred and fifty; but their
hearts ever anticipated victory and conquest, relying
on the intrepidity of Antar. With such
resolutions they engaged; they pierced each other
with Redeinian spears, and they smote each other
with their edged scimitars. Calamities and evils
were magnified, and men felt anguish as they expired.
But God aided Antar and his deeds, that
day. How many warriors laid he low! How many
heroes and brave men did he reduce to despair!
They continued in this state till mid-day, when
Antar seeing the Brandisher of Spears plying his
cleaving sword among his comrades, instantly fell
upon him, like the descent of a ravenous eagle—he
closed with him; and as he exhibited all his wonderful
prowess and courage, he shouted at him in a
voice that terrified him; he manœuvred with him
for an hour, till having exhausted him, he thrust out
his hand towards the rings of his corslet, and was
about to throw him on the ground, when lo! a dust
arose, and a black cloud of sand mounted on high,
and beneath was seen the glitter of armour, and the
gleam of spears, and men fearless of death, and
undaunted, exclaiming, O by Darem! and at their
head was Locait, son of Zararah, like a frantic eagle,
and round him were his brothers, like devouring
vultures; and when they came nigh to the field of
battle, and saw the engines of war revolving, they
rushed upon the Absians, like greedy lions, for they
had heard the shouts and cries, and had distinguished
friends from foes. When Antar marked
this occurrence, and saw all the troops directing their
lances towards him, he let go the Brandisher of
Spears, and turned to defend himself. The horsemen
encompassed him on all sides, whirling their
sharp sabres about his body, and he felt assured of
death. But the Absians fought like men in despair;
the thin blades laboured among them; death and
annihilation were let loose upon them; and had
not the God of heaven assisted them, not one of
them had survived to taste of water.

They continued in this dreadful contest till the
darkness separated them, after the Absians had lost
twenty valiant fellows. Shedad and Oorwah, and a
number of the Carad family, were wounded: they
were surrounded by the foe on every side, and
every way of access and egress was cut off. Locait
having rescued his property, and rejoicing in the
accomplishment of his object, hastened to Ahkwedh.
The Aamirite Chiefs thanked him for what he had
done, and, to their inquiries about the cause of
his arrival, he told them what had passed. When
Antar heard of the departure of Ibla and the
women for the land of the Aamirites, he laid down;
he was sorely afflicted for his companions and the

captivity of their women: grief and melancholy,
such as no heart of man or fiend ever felt, fell upon
his soul, and his gall was bursting. Turning towards
the noble Absians that survived; Although
I feel, said he, as if my life could not last beyond
this night; yet to-morrow morning I will challenge
these armies that surround us on all sides—I will
shame them with their numbers—I will call them
forth by hundreds and more. If they do this, I
shall succeed in my project, were they even as numerous
as the sands of the desert: if they assault,
I will destroy these armies in your presence, and I
will rescue you with spears and cleaving scimitars;
I will protect you with my vehemence and perseverance
till you reach the land of Shureba and
Mount Saadi; then will I return alone against
them, and I will overwhelm them with my strength
and my power, or my skin shall be flayed off with
the barbs of their spears. O my son, said Shedad,
there is not one of us that will abandon thee whilst
thou art alive, were our lives to be reduced to collarbones
and shoulder-blades. Thus also said his
nephew Hatal, and all the rest. The two armies
reposed, some feeling secure, and some apprehensive,
till, day dawning, the fierce Absians arose for the
contest, and their souls bade adieu to their carcasses.
The universe was convulsed with shouts; the foe
resolved to attack them with swords and spears,
when lo! Antar started forth into the field, and
rushed forward, determined in his mind to do something
that might be recorded of him, and perhaps
remove his grief and distress; then he thus recited:

"We are a tribe that fear not annihilation; we
regard not the results of calamities. How should
we? Death draws up his skirts, and we encounter
him with our noble spirits. There is not
one of us that fears death; for death is predestined
to every one alive. Come forth, then!
behold the lion of the den, resolved on chasing
the wild beasts in the midst of the deserts.
He dreads not the warriors in the field of battle;
he fears not the most numerous hosts; he comes,
and this day ye shall feel his powerful thrusts,
and his blows that cleave skulls. If I live, I
will succeed; if I die, I shall fall, slain by the
separation from my beloved. The peace of God
be with thee, daughter of Malik; and now this
day will I ply my sword-blows among them."

Antar had not finished, when, from the quarter
of the tribe of Aamir, there arose a dust that darkened
the day; and lo! there arose another dust,
and it appeared from the quarter of the tribe of
Abs and Adnan, and it was more extensive than
the former, and the shouts more tumultuous and
more terrific; and the horsemen, who were beneath
it, were eagerly pursuing their march, headed by
King Cais. As to the first dust, it discovered the
captives of the tribe of Abs and Adnan, and all their
property, and their leader was a knight, with shouts

and roars, vociferating, I am Harith, son of Zalim.
Victory and conquest are thine, O Aboolfawaris!
for the lion-warrior is at hand. The cause of this
event was, that when Harith had slain Khalid in
the private apartments of Numan, and had also
murdered his son Shirjibeel, as we mentioned,
Locait took him captive, and delivered him over to
King Numan, who confined him till the days of
festivity should expire. Mootejeredah learnt what
had happened, and was not grieved at it, for he had
killed the murderer of her father. So she sent to
him five slaves, who had been brought up with her
as her brothers, and ordered them to exert themselves
in his liberation. Tell him, said she, to go
to the tribe of Abs, and proceed to my brother
Cais, and Antar, and demand their protection.
The slaves went forth accordingly, and waiting till
they found an opportunity, they entered, and slaying
the guards placed over him, they gave him his
liberty, and mounted him on a horse.

Harith set out, travelling over the wastes, not
crediting his escape till he had passed the tribe of
Aamir, when lo! he met the Absian captives, and
their property under the conduct of the hundred
horsemen. Harith was delighted. The Aamirites
did not recognise him, but they made at him, and
surrounded him. He stood firm, and cried out,
Well! would ye exhibit your cowardly superiority
against me, a single person? Ye are ignorant of my
rank; for I am he who slew your Chief Khalid, son

of Giafer, and clothed ye with the greatest shame.
Calamities were easy to him; he assaulted them,
and his vehemence became still more furious, till
mid-day, when he had slain seventy of their bravest
horsemen, and the remainder resolved on flight.
The Absian slaves released their chiefs, and the
women also assisted them. The nobles being liberated
from the chains and disgrace, started forth like
ravenous lions, and surrounded the remainder of the
Aamirites, whom they destroyed to the last, and
left not one alive. With expressions of gratitude
to Harith for this deed, they alighted in that place,
when Harith related to them the various accidents
that had happened to him, and what Mootejeredah
had done for him; and I am now going, he continued,
to your King, to demand his protection.
Alas! said Malik, Ibla's father, such distresses as
have befallen our King and people were never felt
by the heart of man. And he informed him of their
captivity, and that Antar was now fighting. Return
with me, said Harith, this moment to Antar,
that we may join him in the contest, and aid him in
these adversities.

But as to the second dust, it was the dust of
King Cais, who arrived with three thousand of the
renowned Arabs of the tribe of Ghiftan, and they
were come to rescue their property and families;
but they were abandoned this time by the tribe of
Fazarah. As soon as King Cais approached the
troops and armies, he uncovered his head and attacked,

his companions doing the same, and shouting,
O by Abs! O by Adnan! whilst Harith and
his followers shouted, O by Marah! O by Dibyan!
At this cry, Antar's heart took courage, and was
calmed. He roared and bellowed in his well known
voice: Hail then the day, so inauspicious to the
foe! As Locait had already imparted to Ahkwedh
the occurrences between him and Harith, he was
greatly amazed at his release; shouting out to the
tribe of Darem, he rushed upon Antar and Harith.
King Cais assailed the foe with his party, and confronted
the tribe of Aamir. In less than an hour
the two armies were promiscuously thronged—
the dust arose—the scimitars laboured—the barbs
pierced the sockets of eyes—blood gushed out from
the nostrils—the noble steeds were thrown down—
the swords hacked right and wrong—ribs were
broken, and waists cut through. Antar and Harith
performed deeds that confounded beholders. Harith's
heart was full of rage against Locait, so he
sought him over the plain, as he hewed off necks
and throats with his sabre, till the earth was crammed
with carcasses. Antar also wished to bear
himself the weight and evil of the battle; so the
flame of war blazed furiously, and the blows continued
among them till the light departed; and on
that day the tribe became a proverb. At last the
two forces divided, and the tribes of Aamir and
Darem were defeated. Locait retreated in repentance;
for six hundred of his horsemen were slain,
and three times as many of the Aamirites, who were
annihilated; and when they halted, the battle was
calmed, furious as it had been. Antar met Harith,
and to his inquiries about him, he related his adventures
from beginning to end; and now, he
added, I am come to demand your protection, O
Aboolfawaris, and the protection of King Cais.
Antar having tranquillised his mind, and promised
him security, Harith was rejoiced, and thanked
him. Antar went to King Cais, accompanied by
Harith, and told him what he had narrated, and
how he had aided them with his exploits. Cais
thanked him for his friendly exertions, and promised
him assistance, and the extinction of his oppressors.
At hearing this, Harith thus addressed him:

"Hola! hail to your lands and your tents; as
long as ye live, hail! hail to the man who seeks
your asylum, whom troubles and adversities have
oppressed! I have endured things not to be expressed
in words, not to be described by all my
powers of speech. I have plunged into horrors,
and I am come in haste to a King who extinguishes
fos and heroes. O Cais, thou art an
active hero, and a knight whose accomplished
wisdom defies all imitation. I must tell thee,
that I slew Khalid, and made him drink to the
dregs the cup of death. Truly thy sister released
me by force from prison, when I was watching,
and all around were asleep. I retaliated for thee
with my scimitar—I have redeemed thy due from

him who was thy foe—I have travelled over the
deserts till I reached a party of Aamirites, with
whom were thy captives: they were in ignominy;
they were mourning in anguish the cruel vehemence
of the dusty fight. Ibla too was shrieking
in captivity, and her tears were streaming down
her cheeks. She was exclaiming in her disgrace,
Where is Antar, that he might see my dishonour,
and what I suffer in my debasement? I released
the captives from them with my furious assault,
and in my heart I loved and pitied them. I am
now come from the land of Irak, bent towards
thee to seek thy protection, thou noble-born!
Art thou not the brave in war, Antar, to whom
the stalking lions bow in submission? O knight
of Abs, to thee I make my complaint, my sorrow,
and griefs; to thee, who feelest no affliction. Be
my support then, O Absian youth, and aid me;
for he who seeks thee, is soon free from pain.
Protect me against Numan; there is none but
thou to defend me from myself and from dreadful
events; for when thou appearest, thou art feared
and dread; and thy perseverance resists every
attack. How many are the horses thou hast left
plundered of life, and their riders sleeping on the
earth! When they hear thy name on the day of
battle, fear may be seen fluttering in their hearts.
Every tribe knows, that where thou art the battlement,
there dwells no affliction. All the kings
of the earth fear thee in battle, for thou standest
alone brave among men. Asylum and refuge
can never fail mankind: thou art the protection
against the adversities of fate—thou art raised up
to the brilliant shooting stars by courage—thou
hast raised thy station above Pisces. Mayst thou
never decline in glory, in eminence, and honour,
whilst the sun shines, and darkness disappears!
O Cais! O crown of Kings! one whose exaltation
no one can attain, protect me, for this day I am
come to thee to try thy protection, thy faith, and
thy engagement."

King Cais was much pleased at Harith's verses.
By the faith of an Arab, said he, were Chosroe or
the Emperor of Rome to demand thee, they shall
never set eyes on thee; and thus also Antar swore,
saying, Extinguish all thy fears and apprehensions,
and be afraid of no mortal man. They then reposed
in joy and happiness, and their enemies in
sorrow and affliction, till the day dawned, when
they renewed the fight, and bodies and souls were
spoiled by swords and spears. It was a dreadful
calamity, and a scene that would have turned infants
grey, till about mid-day, the tribes of Aamir
and Daren being defeated. Antar mangled their
horsemen with his irresistible thrusts, and made skulls
fly off with his sword: he chopped off hands and
wrists, and hewed off wrists and joints. The Brandisher
of Spears encountered Harith—they engaged—the
combat raged between them till their
blood flowed—they saw woe and misery, and the

earth and sky disappeared from them—they continued
till the day closed; still they persisted in
their deadly spear-thrusts; but at last the tribes of
Aamir and Darem took to flight. The Absians,
seeing their confusion, pursued them, destroying
them with the cleaving scimitar, till the whole
country was obscured. Then the Absians retiring
with the spoils of the warriors, and their arms and
corslets, and dispersed horses, reposed in that spot,
after they had expressed their thanks and gratitude;
every one congratulating his neighbour on his
safety.

In the morning they departed with the women
and families, and plunder, and cattle, and set out
for their own homes. Antar delivered the booty he
had taken from the tribe of Darem to his uncle
Malik, saying, O uncle, when I possessed myself of
this plunder, I laid it aside for the celebration of
the wedding-feast. My nephew, said his uncle, we
will soon accomplish your wishes, and on reaching
home, we will occupy ourselves only in our pleasures.
Antar's heart was comforted at these words, and
soothed at this promise; but the words of his uncle
were all fraud and guile, and his heart was full of
rage and resentment. When we arrive, said King
Cais, who also heard this, we will only wait three
days, and then we will marry Ibla to Antar, before
any other impediment comes upon us; for our foes
are many, and we have traitors amongst us: moreover,
the calamities of fortune are not to be trusted,

for we are not secure from King Numan, should he
demand the aid of Chosroe, King of the Persians,
against us, or should he invade us on account of
Harith, son of Zalim. Then they hastened over
the wastes and wilds; as Antar, by the side of
Harith, thus recited:

"I have opposed the revolutions of incontrovertible
destiny. I have endured absence and
separation. I show the sentiments of love for a
tribe that would renounce me, and truly their
hearts evince no sincerity. I ease with hope my
sickened mind, and with exemplary patience that
never ends. My foes abuse me for my swarthy
complexion; but some of my deeds should wipe
off that blackness. Ask the tribe of my acts, O
Ibla, and those who witnessed my exploits and
warlike deeds. I repulsed the horse and the warriors
round me as they brandished their long
spears in their hands. I plunged impetuously
into a sea of death, whilst the flame of war was
furiously blazing: I returned tinged with the
blood of foes, and the foam of war, that drenched
my steed. How many did I rescue from the
dreadful scene in the glorious path of firmness,
reviving hearts with my sword two-edged
and luminous, whose point would cleave the
hardest rock, and a spear, whoever was pierced
with it, the perfect light never revisited his eyes!
Were it not for my sword, and the barb of my
spear, I could never have raised a firm support

for the Absians. I am Antar; well known is my
reputation, that I am the knight of the noble
steeds."

At hearing Antar's verses, Harith's heart was
gladdened, and he extolled him (for Harith was the
vilest of men, and full of guile, and it was only his
fear of Numan that made him humiliate himself: he
also knew that all the united Arabs could not protect
him, so he humbled himself to the tribe of Abs,
and confided in Antar). They continued their
journey till they reached their country. As to Malik,
Ibla's father, all his projects had failed; he was
melancholy and distressed, and he felt assured his
daughter must escape out of his hands, and that
Antar would be married to her, whether he liked it
or not. So he took his son apart, and told him
his secrets. My opinion, said his son to him, is,
that you send to the tribe of Fazarah, aad acquaint
Rebia and Hadifah that Harith is with us; that he
has demanded our King's assistance, and has confided
himself to Antar: perhaps they will inform
King Numan of this intelligence. On hearing this,
Malik was aware that numerous advantages would
accrue from it; and he immediately sent to Rebia
to complain of his situation, and to inform him of
what he did know, and what he did not know.

When they reached home, they pitched their
tents, and being well established and settled, all the
country and dwellings seemed secure in their inhabitants,
and smiling in the return of its occupiers;

and it was all in confusion with feasts and entertainments,
and convulsed with jollity and merriment.
Antar conducted Harith to his habitations, and
passed most of his time with him, anxiously expecting
his uncle would fulfil his engagements, and on
King Cais he depended for assistance and favour.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Five days after, came Khemisah, Ibla's handmaiden,
to Antar (he was at his mother's). O my
lord, said she, be on your guard against your uncle
Malik and his son Amroo; be not deceived by
their words and promises, for he has broken his
engagements. Now just about that time a messenger
came to him from Hadifah and Rebia, desiring
him to entice Antar out to the lake of Zat-ul-irsad,
by professing great love and affection for
him. There we will suddenly surprise him, and
put him to death, and thus be relieved from his
persecutions. We will just give you some slight
wounds; so that when you return home, and King
Cais questions you about the circumstance, you
may say, some predatory horse surprised us; and
as we were intoxicated, they treated us as you see;
and thus you will remove this dishonour from your
daughter! I have learnt this, continued Khemisah,
from one of Rebia's slaves, called Maktoom, who
loves me with the most faithful attachment. He
communicated to me this plot. The maiden quitted
Antar, whilst he formed his conjectures about
what she had told him.

Now Rebia wrote to King Numan to inform him
about Harith, and that he was with the tribe of
Abs and Adnan, who had resolved to defend him
against the world, and that Antar had also given
him his protection. He also imparted to Malik,
Ibla's father, what he had done. Antar continued
in his doubts and his fears, till one day his cousin
Amroo came to him, saying, O Aboolfawaris, my
father invites you to a feast at the lake of Zatoolirsad.
On hearing this, Antar entered his tent,
and put on his most magnificent robes, under which
he still kept on his coat of mail and breastplate;
and as an additional precaution, in consequence of
Khemisah's warning, he also girded on his famed
Dhami; and Shiboob brought him Abjer. Antar
mounted, and, together with his brother, proceeded
to the lake of Zatoolirsad, where he found Malik
expecting him, and his slaves were standing in front
of him. He advanced, and received him kindly.
Antar thanked him; but they had not been seated
long, when they brought dinner, and afterwards
the wine; and in the course of conversation, said
Malik to Antar, I wish you would send to your
friends, and invite all your associates, as many as
you please, that we may decide on the marriage-feasts,
and complete all your wishes: it is my intention
not to leave out any one, high or low, but
to have them all at the banquet, there to clothe
the widows and orphans, that your name may be

celebrated: so do just what you please. Antar's
heart was comforted at these words, and his mind
felt quite at ease.

After this conversation they pushed about the
wine-goblets; the damsels sung, and the time passed
agreeably away, whilst Malik kept turning about to
the right and left; and, as he cast his eyes towards
the plains and the sand-hills, he continued coaxing
Antar, and making him drink, till Antar perceived
the slaves winking at each other: at this he was
roused, and on his guard; and Khemisah's words
were verified. Shiboob stood by him with Abjer's
bridle in his hand, sometimes keeping close to them,
sometimes walking round them, when lo!
he saw
the slaves encircling Antar, and Amroo clapping
his hand on his sword, waiting the signal from his
father. Shiboob set up the roar of a lion; Rise! rise,
son of my mother! he exclaimed; quit these foul
villains, for in their hearts are nought but intrigue
and guile. Antar started up; he drew his sword,
and was about to ply it among the slaves, when lo!
the horsemen of Fazarah appeared, headed by Hadifah
and Rebia, exclaiming, Rush on him on all
sides; make at him with spears and scimitars!
Antar on hearing this prepared to mount Abjer,
when cried out Malik to his son, Smite him with
the polished sword, and prevent him from mounting,
thou poltroon! Accordingly, Amroo struck Antar
about the waist, and cut through his clothes, and
reached the coat of mail, which we before mentioned;

so his attempt was foiled, and his expectations were
frustrated. Already was Antar on the back of Abjer;
he grasped his destructive spear, and made
towards the troopers, before they could attack him,
cursing his uncle, and upbraiding him. He met
the warriors, and Shiboob flew before him, like a
fawn; his bow was in his hand, and his quiver full
of arrows. Antar pierced their chests with his spear,
and Shiboob hurled them over with his shafts
through their eyeballs and their throats. As to
Jareer, he was quite frantic. Your projects, ye
sons of adultresses and whoremongers, have failed
in the chase of the devouring eagle, he exclaimed.

The day was nearly spent; but the obscurity did
not come on before Antar had overthrown the horsemen,
and had dispersed them; and the plain and
the desert seemed too confined for them; they felt
the blows and thrusts that hewed their armour: had
a lion heard them, he would have fallen or fled. The
warriors were scattered over the wastes, and they
felt assured of destruction and calamities. But Antar
overtook Hadifah, and as he was about to pierce
him with his spear, Shiboob anticipated him, and
smote Hadifah's horse with an arrow; he stumbled,
and Hadifah fell. Antar dashed at him, and struck
him the blow of high indignation, and cut through
the two coats of mail, which enveloped him with its
closely knitted rings, and the sword penetrated to
his joints. Quitting him, he rushed at Rebia, and
shouted at him; but he wheeled round in flight,

and endeavoured to avoid him, for, seeing his attacks
that terrified him, and his blows that made him
shudder, he cried out, What mean these assaults of
drunkards? these blows of intoxication? this slave
can never fight but death is at hand; and every
achievement becomes easy to him. And he sought
the tribe of Fazarah; and those who wished to
escape followed him; but those who remained Antar
left stretched upon the ground. Haml returned for
his brother, who was lying on the earth; he dismounted,
and fastening him on the back of his own
horse, carried him off, following Rebia, whilst Antar's
sword still played amongst those that lagged
behind. At last retiring, he thus exclaimed:

"See what the foe has done; but I am the conqueror
over every rebellious unlamented enemy.
I have a sword whose brilliancy flashes like lightning,
and when my hand wields it, it sparkles
like the shooting stars. I have a spear whose barb
exterminates the foe, and leaves him dead on the
dusty earth. Whoever wishes to meet me, to him
I exhibit death how easy, and life how difficult.
They wished to destroy me; but my firmly-grasped
sword is in my hand, and the genii of the
earth dread my blows. I am the Antar of horsemen
in the field of battle. I pounce down upon
the heroes, and they are satiated with my thrusts."

He then returned in quest of his uncle Malik
and his son at the lake; but he could find nothing
of them (the fact is, he determined first to bind up

his wounds, and then to confine Ibla, and absent
himself from the tribe). They must have returned
to the tents, said Shiboob, and to-morrow there will
be a deal of talking and disturbance. They set
out for the dwellings, and reposed till morning,
when Antar, being recovered from his intoxication,
sent for Shiboob, of whom he inquired what had
actually occurred. He accordingly detailed every
circumstance; in confirmation of which he also produced
his corslet, and lo! it was dyed in blood.
Just then came in Khemisa in haste; O Aboolfawaris,
said she, my mistress Ibla sends her compliments,
and informs you that her father and
brother have fled, vowing that they will never dwell
with the tribe whilst you are in the country.

The cause of this, and the disgrace of Ibla's father
was, that, having failed in his plan to destroy Antar,
he was ashamed to return to the tents and habitations.
Here we can no longer remain, said he to his
son; I am resolved to repair to King Numan, and demand
his assistance to soothe the sufferings I endure
from this slave-demon. I will also inform him, that
Harith is with the tribe of Abs, and that they have
protected him; and this deed will be the cause of
their total extirpation: and if Antar should be slain,
against whom we have laid so many snares, then
indeed all will end well; we will marry your sister
to some one, under whose benignity we may live,
and under whose awful influence we may be secure.
Away! continued he to his slaves, seek the pastures;

tell Ibla, that I am become a wretched wanderer in
the desert through fear of her infamy, and if she
wishes to preserve her honour inviolate from the
talk of the slanderers, let her seek refuge with my
brother Shedad, for there Antar will never presume
to wound her modesty. Upon this, he set out with
his son early in the night, and travelled with all
speed, on horseback; but the slaves returned, and
informed Ibla and her mother of what had passed.
I will not go, said Ibla, to the dwelling of my uncle:
I will not stir from my mother's side. I have no
suspicion of my cousin; for he will protect me from
both strangers and relations; and never shall I be
a captive whilst he resides among the tents. Having
reposed till morning, she desired Khemisa to go to
her cousin Antar's, as we have already observed.

Antar's heart burst; he felt as if his soul had
quitted his body; and whilst he was in a state of
profound melancholy, Oorwah and Harith visited
him, and as they bantered him for his being so retired,
he related what had occurred with the tribe
of Fazarah, and that Rebia had sent to inform
Numan of all that had passed; and, added he, between
him and us enmity and war must unavoidably
arise. As to King Numan, said Harith, trouble
not yourself about him; for if I hear that he is
marching against us, I will only take ten horsemen,
with whom I will set out, and destroy his armies
and camps. As to your uncle, O Aboolfawaris, it
would be better to seek him: take with you one of

King Cais's brothers; follow him, conciliate him,
and bring him back to the tribe on account of his
daughter; for some one thus says, "the sorrow is
relieved, and the pain diminished that inflames a
love-sick youth, particularly when he complains of
his misfortunes to a compassionate heart."

As Antar listened to Harith the tears gushed
from his eyes, and his phrenzy became more violent.
Just then entered a messenger from King Cais,
saying, O Aboolfawaris, my lord King Cais summons
you to his presence, for a messenger from
Hadifah is arrived, stating, that he has a grievous
complaint against you. Upon this Antar mounted,
and repaired to King Cais, before whom he dismounted,
and saluted him. O Aboolfawaris, said
Cais, what is the meaning of this affair? how could
you drink to such excess as to commit so outrageous
an act? O King, said Antar, what have I done to
deserve such a reproof? Hadifah's messenger has
just arrived, said Cais, and he states that in consequence
of your blows he has been nearly reduced to
an untimely death; and he has couched his message
thus—O Cais, I rode out one day with a hundred
of my noble horsemen, and my cousin Rebia was
also of the party. We passed your way, that we
might congratulate you on your safety, and make
our apologies for not joining your expedition, or
assisting you against the enemies that had rebelled
against you (the truth is, we had then a large body
of horse in Yemen, which is but just now returned

in safety). We went to make our compliments,
but Antar started up against us, when he was at
the lake of Zatoolirsad; he was intoxicated; he
slew my men, and overthrew my heroes, neither did
he desist till he met me. But I imagine that when
he saw me he was ashamed, for he instantly lifted
up his arm with his sword and struck me, intending
to murder me; and had not his uncle kept him off
from me he would have followed us even into our
country.—Great King, said Antar, by the truth
of him who rooted firm the lofty mountains, and has
the power of life and death, and makes the rain to
fall in his bounty and munificence, verily all this is
false; they only came to assist my uncle to destroy
me, and to shed my blood. And Antar related
every circumstance to the King, from beginning to
end, adding, My uncle has quitted the country, and
fled; there is no occasion for me to appeal against
them, for their enmity towards me has been evinced
a thousand times, and whenever my uncle appears
a little inclined towards me, Rebia communicates
with him, and estranges his heart from me: but as
to what they say about the party of horse in the
cities of Yemen, they tell the truth; for Hadifah
and Rebia, when they knew that I was gone to release
my nephew Hatal, sent after me one hundred
horsemen, promising them cattle in recompense for
my death. But Locait fell upon them, and slew
most of them. All this has befallen me, and I concealed
it from you, for fear they should say, Antar
commits violences and outrages; but I will soon
show them the consequences of tyranny and oppression
when the enemy returns and disgraces them.

King Cais easily distinguished the truth from the
falsehood; for he was now put into the direct,
straight-forward road. Return to Hadifah, said
Cais to the messenger, and tell him, Cais says, by
the faith of an Arab, there is no truth in thy words;
Antar is right, and his evidence unquestionable.
Moreover, every one that advises me to banish Antar
from the tribe only wishes my destruction, and annihilation,
for I am a man with many foes, and few allies.
How often has Antar rescued your wives and families
from infamy and disgrace; and moreover, I will
not interfere between Antar and the tribe of Fazarah,
for they have provoked him a thousand times.
Thus he sent back Hadifah's messenger, and took
Antar to the tents, where he learnt all his sorrows
and the outrages he had endured.

Antar had remained in this way five days, without
relishing his meals, or sleep, when Ibla and her
mother sent for him. Know, my cousin, said Ibla,
that your uncle and his son have turned their faces
to the desert and the wilds; it would be advisable
for you to go after them, and pursue their track,
for this has happened to them by the advice of
Rebia; so be kind to my father on my account.
Antar's heart was instantly calmed. Returning
home, he sent for Oorwah, and his father Shedad,
and summoned Harith, and his uncle Zakhmet-al-jewad,

to whom he related the conversation that had
passed with Ibla and her mother. I am resolved,
added he, to follow my uncle, when it is dark. I
will punish him for his conduct towards me in
thus listening to the advice of those accursed enemies.
I have only sent for you to ask your advice
on this point, and to recommend Ibla to your kindness,
for I fear my expedition will be long. As to
Ibla, said Shedad, she shall not stir from my dwellings,
and she shall be kept for you till your return.
See how it has turned out, just as I before mentioned,
said Harith; let us two go together. By the
faith of an Arab, said Oorwah, I will not remain
apart from you. I must be of your party, for when
you are away from the tribe, all the country is black
as night, in my eyes. Antar expressed his thanks,
they made every preparation, till the gloom of night
coming on, they mounted, having first drowned
themselves in armour, and mailed themselves in
corslets, and girded themselves with scimitars, and
slung their spears over their shoulders. Shiboob
went ahead, like a male ostrich, and when they
were at some distance, said Antar to Shiboob, Conduct
us by a road where we may meet neither friend
nor foe. Come then with me, said Shiboob, and
see the miracles I will perform; and when I have
brought you out of this land, I will arrange every
thing to your satisfaction. Thus they hastened over
the wilds and the sandhills, under the night, till they
came nigh to the land of the tribe of Aamir, where
Shiboob having concealed them, said to Antar, It
will be well for me to go forward, and bring you
some news. Away then, said Antar. Shiboob put
on the clothes of a pauper of Yemen, and set out
traversing the countries and plains, whilst they remained
in anxious expectation of his return all that
day and night, till the morning, when Shiboob appeared
like an ostrich, and with him a slave, as black
as a thunder-cloud, whom he was dragging along
with a rope round his neck, and when he stopped,
he shouted at him, and pulled him with all his force.
Antar was amazed; Who is this slave, Ebereah?
said he. This is the slave of Ramih, son of Sabah,
said Shiboob, and from him I have had some news
of your uncle and his son; he has informed me, that
they are with his master in torments, and disgrace,
and his master is the chief Ramih, the lord of the
tribe of Jibhan, and he is threatening them with
death, morning and evening; for when I quitted
you yesterday evening, I penetrated into the land of
the Aamirites, and there this slave met me, advancing
from the quarter of the valley of Zorood. Who
art thou, wandering in the obscurity of the dark
night? said he to me. Of the tribe of Aamir, said
I, and what dost thou want? Son of my aunt, I am
of the tribe of Jibhan, replied he, and my master
has sent me to Akhwedh, son of Giafer, and the
Brandisher of Spears, to congratulate them on the
fall of Malik, son of Carad, and his son, into troubles
and difficulties with my master Ramih; so that
they may come to him, and witness their death, for
they are their enemies. At hearing this my reason
fled, and my distress increased. Come along with
me, said I to him, that I may conduct you to the
tents of Akhwedh, son of Giafer, for he is my master.
So he went along with me, my hand locked in his,
whilst I continued to question him about the circumstances
of Malik and his son's accident, and kept
occupying his attention, till the wings of darkness
were spread out, when I gave him a cut over the
shoulder with my dagger, and having mastered him,
I bound him fast, and here he is. At this, Antar's
wrath was kindled into a burning flame. He went
up to the slave, Whence art thou coming? said he.
From the land of Aniziteen, my lord, replied he. And
how was it your master obtained possession of that
Absian and his son? asked Antar. Know, my lord,
added the slave, that my master, Ramih, was returning
from a feast, to which he had been invited, and
with him was his wife, Daad-ool-aamiriya, and also
a horseman called Abd Minah, who is the champion
of our country, and the knight of our tribe, and as
they came nigh home, they met this Absian and his
son, travelling over the sands; so he took them
prisoners, and returned to his own country, where
he chastised them in the severest manner, chaining
them up with the dogs. On this, Harith ran up
to the slave, and, raising his sword in his hand,
smote him, and severed his head from his body,
saying, O Aboolfawaris, it is my opinion, we should
traverse the land, and perhaps we may overtake your
uncle, and rescue him from torture; and I am convinced
that, after this affair, he will be like a slave
to thee. O Harith, said Antar, were I to perform
every act the tenderest friendship could imagine, it
would only increase his hatred and obstinacy; but
with me he has a powerful intercessor, and that is
his daughter Ibla, for whom my heart is cauterized,
and "she is the life that animates me, and for one
eye let a thousand eyes be protected."

They continued on the road towards the land of
Aniziteen, and Shiboob conducted them across the
wastes, followed by Antar and his comrades. As
Antar thought of what his enemies had made him
suffer, and how he had submitted to be subdued,
he thus recited:

"The revolutions of the world are easy to me;
its inhabitants are of no account to me, and they
are of little value. In every scene of war there
is a report of me; whenever they hear that
warriors were disgraced in it, I raise the dusty
storm, and the steeds charge, weighed down with
the indefatigable horsemen. I do deeds no one
else can do; were other horsemen to do so, they
would be exhausted. I consent to be degraded
among men. I respect them, but my death they
esteem lawful. I am patient, on account of my
beloved, though they outrage me. I cannot relinquish
my passion, but no pity do I find. Perhaps
fortune will favour me with possession; for

after the bitterness of absence, how sweet will be
enjoyment! I am the Antar of the Absians, and
my name fills the atmosphere, hill, and dale. I
thirst for the blows of the flaming sword, and the
brave are rendered infamous through me. I send
them back, and they fly light and swift, and complain
of the spear-thrusts of which they are
wearied."

Harith was much pleased at his expressions, and
his eloquence, and being much surprised at his
generosity, O Aboolfawaris, said he, had any part
of what has happened to you happened to me, I
should have slain my uncle, and every one that depended
on him. I should have plundered his property,
and have taken away his daughter, and made
his wife a captive. That, O Harith, is what I will
never do, said Antar, were I to drink of the cup of
death, for could they even make me quaff of perdition,
I can never do but what they please. I well
know that what is fated must come to pass. Thus
they travelled on over the wilds, till they reached
the haunt of lions, near which was the abode of the
tribe of Jibhan. Here they arrived about evening,
and, halting in a by-place, they began to consult.
Say not a word, said Shiboob, till I enter
among the tents, and see how many horsemen are
gone away from the tribe. O Shiboob, said Antar,
we are four of us, and we disregard numbers, great
or small, for victory is from God, and by the faith
of an Arab, no one shall enter the tents, but you and

I, for I am very desirous this time to see my uncle,
whilst he is suffering these tortures; perhaps it
may appease the fury in my heart. How can that
be? said Shiboob, you have such a particular way
with you, and I fear they may discover us, and
then we shall be killed, and we shall spoil all our
good luck. What say you, you base-born fellow?
said Antar; were the tribe as numerous as the sands
of the desert, I will not permit any one to touch you,
not an old one or a young one; and if the alarm
should be given, I will show you what you may
remember in your heart for ever. If it must be so,
said Shiboob, and you are resolved upon it, off then
with these arms; and Shiboob put him on a disguise,
and took him away to the haunt of lions, where they
cut two bundles of wood, which might be of use to
them in the adventure. Each took up a bundle and
proceeded. It was almost dark when they entered
the tents, through which they continued to pass,
attentively observing every thing, till they came to
the tents of Ramih, where they saw Malik, and his
son in extreme misery, tied up with the dogs. Behold
your uncle, said Shiboob, let your grief be now
assuaged. Antar threw his bundle of wood off his
head, and Shiboob did the same; but they did
not stop till Ramih, who was the chief of the
Jibhanians, came out, attended by a troop of slaves,
who laid out a sofa for him to sit on. He then
began to talk to his shepherds, who were parading
before him his horses and his cattle: and he inquired
of them about the pastures and the grain.
O my lord, said one of the slaves, I beheld a most
extraordinary sight this day; for whilst I was in
the valley of meadows, tending the flocks, I came
upon the high road, where, behold! was a knight
hunting the fawns. He was mounted on a black
steed, and in front of the knight was a man on foot
girded with an Arabian bow, and round his waist
was a quiver, full of arrows, and both were in pursuit
of a fawn, endeavouring to catch it. I stopped
to look at them, when lo! the man on foot outstripped
the knight. He seized the fawn by the left
horn, and the knight, catching it by its right horn,
and gazing in its face, thus in poetry exclaimed:

"Depart, and, ever in the protection of God,
may no evil e'er overtake thee! for thou resemblest
my love in her eyes, and her beauty, so depart in
security. Although thy form resembles the damsel,
no imagination can comprehend the virtues
of her mind."

As soon as the knight had finished his verses, my
lord, he let the fawn go out of his hand, and it went
off skipping over the barren waste, when soon two
more knights joined them. And what is there so
wonderful in all this? said Ramih; I suppose they
are of the tribe of Cahtan, and that the evening has
surprised them, and consequently they must repose
in my land, and will quit it in the morning. Antar
was much astonished at the fellow's having remembered
his verses (for it was he and Shiboob who

had chased the fawn). But Ibla's father, Malik,
having also overheard this account, was convinced
the man on foot must be the dusky Shiboob, and
the knight Antar, so he said to his son, Should this
be my nephew, on his way to release us from these
dreadful tortures, never will I again harbour evil
against him, never will I again listen to his foes.
It is long, that I am without news of my slave, that
I sent to Locait, said Ramih, addressing his slaves
and troops, that surrounded him, and I am very
anxious to put these two Absians to death; I am
quite tired of keeping them night and day. It will
be as well to wait, said one of his cousins, till they
come to enjoy the spectacle, so that they may not
blame you. Now Malik and his son heard this
discourse, and they felt sure of death and perdition;
but Antar and Shiboob were standing without,
each leaning against his bundle of wood, the night
covering them with its obscurity. Ramih having
terminated his discourse, arose to go to the tents,
and as he went by Malik and his son, he stood
over their heads, and beat them over their noses
with a whip, saying, May God curse the family
to which you belong, for you are full of perverseness
and iniquity, fellows of little generosity
and justice, ever celebrated for perfidy amongst
men, and falsehood is your clothing. Then addressing
Malik, he said, So thou art one of the Absian
sheiks, and a black slave has a thousand times done
thee kindness, and has rescued thy daughter from
captivity and disgrace, and he is Antar, son of
Shedad; thou hast also taken from him a splendid
dower in cattle, and hast affianced to him thy daughter;
but thou hast ever lied: may God curse that
hideous face of thine, and all thy infamous transactions!
I will indeed cast thy flesh to the dogs, for
thou art a lying sheikh: and Ramih went off to bed.
Antar raised up the bundle of wood, and flung it
on the fire; he drew his sharp scimitar, making
towards the dwelling where was his uncle, Malik.
Shiboob followed his example. The slaves, who had
charge of Malik and his son, were three; they were
stretched out in sleep. Antar put them to the
sword, and not one of them stirred. Shiboob
entered the habitation; he was like a great camel;
he broke off the fetters from Malik and his son,
saying, Take each of ye one of the swords of these
slaves, and trot on before me, that my brother may
defend ye with his sword, Dhami; be grateful for
his deed, and don't be niggardly of his bride, Ibla.
Accordingly, they did as he desired them, and
hastened away. But Antar, the illustrious warrior;
he stood near Ramih's tent, when lo! Ramih issued
forth, alarmed by the noise. Antar smote him, and
made his head fly from off his shoulders; then
followed his brother, terrified on his account. The
wood blazed, and the flames were furious, and the
fire was extending among the tents. The dogs
barked, and the warriors started forth, and they
were all horror-struck; every one drew his sword,
eager to discover what was the matter. The night
became bright as day, from the blaze of the fire,
whilst Shiboob continued to urge on Malik and his
son, and quickly passed through the tents. Antar
followed them, wielding his sword. They proceeded
into the desert, till terror fell on the inhabitants;
when Antar, his uncle Malik, and Amroo, having
mounted some of the scattered horses, Shiboob wished
them to seek the haunt of lions, and escape from this
terrible scene. But Oorwah and Harith joined them;
for having heard the alarm, they determined to assist
Antar, and accordingly brought his horse and
his arms. He put on his breastplate and his girdle,
he mounted his steed, and grasped his spear. Let
us begone, said he, whilst they are occupied about
the death of their chief.

And as they urged on their journey, Harith turned
towards Malik to abuse him, saying, Who is like
this noble lion, to whom every lion humbles himself
or flies? How then could you hate and avoid him by
flight? O Harith, cried Malik, I am a man whose
eyes have been in a swoon, and those ever err whose
errors are predestined by the God of old.

Malik dismounted, and, advancing towards Antar,
humbled himself before him, saying, By the faith
of a noble Arab, if I betray thee again, let me not
be a man, and let me not be akin to the tribe of Abs
and Adnan; for thou hast in this instance done a
deed we never can forget, and thou hast resuscitated
our lives after their extinction: comfort thy heart,

and let thy mind be at rest, for Ibla can suit no one
but thee.

At hearing this, Antar's sorrows were relieved,
and his afflictions were removed; he dismounted,
and having embraced his uncle, they traversed the
desert and the hills, till the obscurity was illumined,
when lo! some Jibhanian horsemen overtook them.
The cause of their arrival was, that when they heard
the alarm, every one rushed out of his tent, inquiring
what was the matter. The women told them what
had happened to Ramih; so they re-entered their
tents, and put on their arms, and galloped over the
wilds; and amongst them was the knight of Jibhan,
Abd Minah. He mounted with the other heroes,
and sought the lands of Abs and Adnan, hastening
over the wilds till they overtook Antar. O Ebe
'ool Ebyez, said Antar, perceiving that the horse
had overtaken them, take my uncle, and his son, and
Harith with you, and march over the desert whilst
I keep off the foe. No, by thy life, Aboolfawaris,
said Oorwah; we will not return but altogether;
so also said Harith: but his uncle Malik, when he
saw the troops making towards them with spears,
and swords, was dreadfully alarmed; O Aboolfawaris,
cried he, thou art our stay; 'tis thou must
ward off from us peril after peril; on such a day as
this I must remember thee.

Whilst they were thus talking, lo! another dust
arose from the quarter of the tribe of Darem, and
there appeared beneath it a troop of one hundred

horsemen, spear-armed, and headed by Locait, who
was coming to assuage his heart in the murder of
Malik and his son; and when they saw the Jibhanians,
they raised their shouts till they came up
with them, who acquainted Locait with what had
happened to their Chief Ramih, and told them how
Malik and his son had been released. This, said
Locait, must be the act of that cunning Shiboob;
for in the same manner he rescued Hatal, and then
they plundered my property, and slew our slaves;
but now they shall not escape me: attack them
boldly, but do not despise them on account of their
small number. Assault them with spears and swords,
and particularly if Harith be with them. Thus he
attacked with his men, and the desert was in commotion
with the glitter of spear-barbs: they slackened
their horses' bridles, whilst shouts and clamours
arose. It was a frightful scene for Malik and his
son; they both cried out in the name of Antar, and
they were in a dreadful plight.

Antar was quite overjoyed, for he felt assured his
uncle's perfidy was converted into sincerity; Which
wouldst thou prefer, said he to Oorwah, their right
or their left? or wouldst thou attack Locait? But
Harith urged on his steed, and made against Locait,
without noticing Antar, or speaking to him. Antar
marked his actions, and followed him much delighted
at his uncle's promises; and as he attacked, he thus
burst out—

"Rancour has quitted my uncle's heart; it has

vanished. When he saw what was just, he renounced
his malice: my heart rejoices in his words;
how should it not, when I see his actions? But
if he falsifies his promise, I will deliver him over
to Him who sees us, and who firmly rooted the
mountains. Away with the man, who, whenever
I humiliated myself to him, failed me, and grieved
me. On the day of the thrust of the spear, I am
to him the noblest of knights by my maternal and
paternal uncle; but when he is safe with his family,
I am the son of Zebeebah, the tender of
camels. O sword, be thou the judge between us;
when we are present in the battle, and when they
fly, and when the spear-thrust exhausts the foe,
tell them the messengers of death are here to multiply
the afflictions. What is passed, fate has determined;
and he who fights obtains glory. I am
the Antar of War in the day of contests; these are
my acts in pure truth."

As Oorwah assaulted and heard his verses, he was
amazed at his eloquence, as also were Malik, and
his son, who thought it necessary to engage in company
with him. Thus they attacked as the horsemen
came upon them in every direction. The shouts
mounted on high, and were loud; the brave became
proverbial; the spear-barb drank of the blood of
kidnies. Harith and Locait fought as no former
tyrants ever fought; whilst Antar dispersed the
horsemen over hill and dale, filling all hearts with
fear and dismay.

At the close of the day Antar had diminished
their numbers; and having left the Jibhanians
stretched out on the rocks and stones, he turned to
Harith, and saw him still with Locait, and the tribe
of Darem, engaged in a furious contest of fierce
spear-thrusts. They had slain his horse; he had
fallen to the ground. Locait shouted, and rushed
at him; but Antar, who saw this calamity, roared
and assailed like a shower of rain, when it deluges;
he sought Locait and Harith in the most determined
manner, dispersing the horsemen with his well-tempered
blade. Oorwah also rushed towards Locait,
and pierced him with his spear, penetrating his
thigh even to the horse's back, and halted near
Harith, till he had mounted him on one of the
scattered horses, and then attacked the remaining
Daremites. Remove this disgrace from me, my
cousins, and fly not, cried Locait; soon will I bind
up my wound, and return to the contest, and I will
not have it said we fled from only four men.

Upon that his horsemen resisted, and extended their
long spears: it was an hour to them that would turn
warriors grey. They continued in this state till the
day fled, and the night came on with its veil of obscurity;
then fled the horsemen of Darem, Antar
setting them on fire with unremitted thrusts. None
escaped but those whose deaths were postponed, or
whose bodies bore marks of Antar's spear.

Locait wished to persist in the combat, but he was
incapacitated by the anguish of his wounds: he was

safe personally, but in his heart was a raging flame
at having suffered this disgrace from five horsemen.

Antar retired, the blood trickling from his sleeves;
and his uncle could not cease praising him whilst he
traversed the desert. But Antar was not tranquil
or at ease till they came near to the land of Shoorebah
and Mount Saadi, bearing with them immense
property; for they had plundered every horde
through which they had passed; and just as they
were going to send on Shiboob before them to inform
the tribe of their approach, lo! one of King
Cais's slaves met them; O by the Arabs, he cried,
how lucky to meet you on the road! Antar was
startled: What more have you to say? he exclaimed.
What has brought you here? O Aboolfawaris, said
the slave, I am now in pursuit of you, for my lord
Cais has been much agitated since your departure;
the loss of you has distressed him. Your father told
him you were gone to seek your uncle, but did not
know whither you had directed your course. The
King was greatly afflicted, and despatched slaves
one after another, who returned all disappointed;
but I set out last night—No more of this talk, said
Antar; what news have you of my father Shedad,
and of the family of Carad? O Aboolfawaris, replied
the slave, the tribe of Abs is in the greatest
trouble and tribulation, on account of the rise of
dissensions, and the devastation of the country; for
you, my lord, know that Hadifah is a most perfidious
fellow; his head is full of absurdities, and he cannot

bear to see any one possessed of a he or a she
camel, particularly whilst that Rebia is with him,
instigating him with all his art and deceit: and now
too there is between Hadifah and my Lord Cais a
controversy and a wager about the speed of their
horses, and the people are alarmed at death and
misery.

Now it happened that when King Cais sent his
slaves after Antar, one of them returned and said,
My lord, as to Antar, I can hear nothing of him;
but on my way home, I passed by the land of the
tribe of Temeem, and I slept in the dwellings of a
clan called the tribe of Riyah, where I saw a colt
amongst the colts most remarkable for their beauty.
It belonged to a man called Jabir, son of Awef: my
eye never beheld the like of this colt, and never did
I mark one of equal velocity in the race-course.
Cais's heart was captivated at the account of this
colt, and his anxiety was very great. Now this colt
was one of the miracles of the age, and the most
beautiful animal the noble Arabs had ever brought
up. It was the most illustrious of all the Arab steeds
in birth and pedigree, for its sire was called Ocab
by the Arabs, and its dam Helwee, whose rapidity
the lightning even envied. Nations were enraptured
at her form, and the tribe of Riyah had long exulted
among the Arabs on account of this mare and stallion.
Now the sire of this colt was returning home
with Jabir's daughter by the side of a lake (it was
just then the time of meridian heat): it was there he

beheld the mare Helwee standing by her master's
tent: he neighed, and burst his halter. The damsel
was abashed, and let him go, and hastily took
refuge in one of the tents out of her extreme modesty
and bashfulness. There the stallion remained
till the damsel again came forth, and caught him by
the halter, and led him to the stable; but her father
seeing her disorder, that could not be concealed,
questioned her: so she told him what had passed.
At this, the sparks flashed from his eyes, for he was
an ill-conditioned fellow; and he immediately ran to
the middle of the dwellings, and raising up his turban,
cried out, O by Riyah, O by Riyah! and instantly
the Arabs collected round him, to whom he
related the whole affair, saying, My cousins, I will
not leave the seed of my horse in the womb of
Helwee, neither will I sell it for cattle or camels;
and if they will not let me extract the fœtus out of
her, I will commission some one to kill her. Come
on, do what you please, they all cried; for we will
not oppose you (now it was the custom of the Arabs
to act after this manner in those days). So they
brought him the mare, and tied her down before
him; he sprung up, and turning up his sleeves to
his shoulders, he brought a bowl of water, and
wetting his hand in the water, he mixed up some
clay, and thrust it up the mare's belly, with a view to
destroy what was originally ordained by God to exist.
But the mare became with foal without any harm, and
the fellow returned, his passion being now cooled.
And there was only wanting a few days of the year
when the mare brought forth a perfect colt; and as
the owner of the mare beheld it, he was greatly
pleased, and all his apprehensions were at an end.
He called it Dahis (thruster), in allusion to what
Jabir had done.

The colt turned out more beautiful than its sire,
Ocab; broad-chested, long-necked, hard-hoofed,
open-nostriled, its tail sweeping the ground, sweet-tempered,
and, in short, the most extraordinary
animal that ever was. They brought it up, and it
increased in size for a long space of time, and it became
like an arch of a palace, till one day its dam
going out to the lake, followed by its colt, Jabir,
the owner of Ocab, chanced to see it; he rushed
towards it, and carried it off, leaving its dam to bewail
its loss; and saying, at the same time, This is
my colt, and I have a greater right to it than any
one else.

The news soon reached its master, who immediately
assembled the chiefs of his tribe, and after
he had told them what had happened, they repaired
to Jabir, and reproached him, saying, O Jabir, you
had your will of your cousin's mare at first, and had
your due, and we decided that point for you. But
now you wish to seize his property and outrage him.
No more talk, said Jabir, none of your abuse; for,
by the faith of an Arab, I will not surrender it to
him till you put me to death, or take it from me by
force; and I will stir up a war against you. Now

the tribe was unwilling to excite dissensions. We
like you too much for that, said they, on account of
the kindred between us. We will not fight you for
it, were it even an idol of gold. Now the owner of
the mare and colt was called Kereem, son of Wahab,
a man peculiarly famed for his liberality and generosity
among the Arabs; and when he perceived
Jabir's obstinacy, O my cousin, said he, as to the
colt it is yours, and it belongs to you; and as to the
mare, here she is before you, and let her be a present
from me to you, in order that the colt and its dam
may not be separated; and let me not appear a person
capable of defrauding his cousin of his property.
He then turned away, and made over the colt and
its dam to Jabir. The tribe highly applauded his
action; but Jabir was so abashed at his kindness to
himself, that he returned the dam and colt back to
him, and with them a handsome string of he and she
camels. Dahis turned out a most perfect animal in
every respect; and when his master wished to race
him against another he rode him himself, and would
say to his antagonist, Precede me an arrow's shot,
that I may overtake you and pass you; and he not
only came up with him, but outstripped him far;
and to any one that saw him he appeared like an
arrow in its most rapid flight, or a star sped with
calamities. When Cais heard of this he was quite
beside himself, and he could not sleep. He sent to
its master, Kereem, saying, Sell me this colt for
whatever you choose of gold and silver, that I may
send it you without delay, and there be no room for
reproach. Kereem was highly incensed and indignant
at this message. Cais must be a dolt or an
ill-bred fellow, said he. What! does he suppose that
I am a merchant to sell my horses, or that I am
unable to ride this horse myself? By the faith of
an Arab, had he sent to request Dahis, as a present,
I would have sent it to him immediately, and with
him a string of he and she camels; but in the way
of traffic this can never be, were I even to be made
to drink of death.

The messenger returned to Cais, and told him
Kereem's answer, at which Cais was exceedingly
enraged. Am I the King of the tribes of Abs and
Adnan and Fazarah and Dibyan, said he, and shall
a foul Arab presume to contradict me? And he
called out to his men and warriors; instantly armour
and coats of mail sparkled, swords and helmets glittered,
the bold heroes mounted their hard-hoofed
steeds, they slung on their spears, and set out for
the land of the tribe of Riyah; and as soon as they
came nigh they rushed upon the pastures in the
morning, and carried off an immense quantity of
cattle, which Cais surrendered to his noble cousins.
After this he invaded the tents and dwellings, for
the inhabitants were perfectly unprepared for any
such catastrophe. Kereem also being absent on
some military excursion with his men and chiefs,
the Absians attacked the habitations, and captured
the wives and daughters. Now Dahis was tied

amongst the tent ropes, for Kereem never rode him
in battle, fearful of death, or some accident; and
one of the slaves, who was in the dwellings, happening
to perceive the invading host, went up to Dahis,
intending to burst the heel-ropes by which he was
tied; but he was totally unequal to that difficult task.
However he mounted him, tied as he was, and struck
his sides with his heels, and he flew away with the slave
in the excess of his high spirit, and continued springing
and skipping like a fawn till he reached the desert;
and though the Absian horsemen galloped after
him, they could not even overtake his dust. As
soon as Cais saw Dahis, he recognized him, and his
anxiety to possess him increased; he advanced towards
his rider, whilst his regret was exceedingly
violent, because he was aware that if he pursued
him he should never succeed in his hopes, however
eagerly he might follow him. The slave, being now
at some distance from the Absians, dismounted from
the horse, and having united the heel-ropes from his
feet, again mounted, King Cais still pursuing him;
and when he came nigh, Stop, O Arab, he cried,
you have my protection and security, by the faith
of a noble Arab! At this the slave halted. Have
you a mind to sell that horse? asked King Cais, for
you have fallen on a purchaser the most wistful of
all the Arab warriors. I will not sell him, my lord,
said the Arab, but for the restitution of all this
plunder; and it will reflect some honour on me that
I shall have made him of so much value and consequence.
I will buy him, Arab, of you, added
Cais, and here is my hand in confirmation of my
engagement and bargain. The slave instantly
agreed, and dismounting from the colt, delivered
it over to King Cais, who mounted in the fulfilment
of his hopes, ordering the Absians to restore the
cattle they had taken; and they did so, not detaining
even the value of a halter. Thus King Cais
possessed himself of the horse, and being overjoyed
at his success, returned home. As soon as they were
established, Cais, out of his great fondness for Dahis,
used to feed and rub him down with his own hands.
And soon the account of Dahis reached the tribe of
Fazarah; and in the heart of Rebia the flame of
envy was kindled. Hadifah also was in a similar
state, and they wished to contrive his death. My
opinion, said Rebia, is that you have patience for
some time, till Cais cool in his passion for him, for
he is now completely devoted to the horse[4] .

CHAPTER XXXIII.

About that time Hadifah gave a grand feast, at
which Carwash, King Cais's cousin, was present;
and when they had eaten their dinner, and the cups
of wine were circling round, the conversation turned
upon the most famed chieftains of that period, till
having exhausted that topic, they began talking of
their celebrated steeds, and their races in the desert.
O my cousin, said Carwash, there never has appeared
such a horse as my cousin Cais's, Dahis: there
can be no competitor for superiority, for he startles
every one that looks at him; he is the antidote of
grief to every one that beholds him, and he is a
strong tower to any one that mounts him. Thus
he continued to describe him in such glowing terms,
that the hearts of the tribe of Fazarah, and the
minds of the family of Zeead, were in agonies.
Hear him, my brother, said Haml to Hadifah: this
is quite enough, continued he, turning to Carwash,
all that you have said about Dahis is stuff, all nonsense,
for at this day there are not finer horses than
mine or my brother's. Upon this, he ordered the
slaves to parade the horses before Carwash, and
they accordingly exhibited before him the horses
of the family of Beder. Here, Carwash, said Haml,

look at this horse. It is not worth his dried fodder,
said Carwash. They then paraded Hadifah's horses,
amongst which was a mare called Ghabra, and a
stallion called Marik. Look, Carwash, at these
horses then, said Hadifah. They are not worth his
dried fodder, repeated Carwash. Hadifah, very indignant
at these expressions, exclaimed, What! not
even Ghabra? Carwash. No, said Carwash, not
Ghabra; nor all the horses on the face of the earth.
Will you make a match for King Cais? said Hadifah.
Yes, said Carwash, that Dahis will beat all the horses
of the tribe of Fazarah, had he even on his back
whole kintals of stones. They disputed, asserting,
and contradicting each other, till said Hadifah,
Well then, let the winner take as many he and she
camels as he pleases. You will play me false,
Hadifah, said Carwash, and I do not wish to take
you in. I will not bet you more than twenty she
camels, to be paid by the owner of the beaten horse;
and thus the business was settled. Having finished
the day in eating, they reposed that night; but early
next day Carwash rode off, and sought the tribe of
Abs, till coming to King Cais, he told him all about
the bet. You have done wrong, O Carwash, said
Cais. You might have betted with all the world,
but Hadifah, for he is a very obstinate fellow, and
full of shifts and pretexts. But if you have settled
the bet, I must cancel it. Cais only waited till his
company had quitted him, when he mounted his
horse and repaired to the tribe of Fazarah, whom
he found seated in the midst of the dwellings, with
their dinner before them. Cais dismounted; he
bared his arms, and seated himself amongst them,
and began eating their dinner, like a generous Arab.
Cousin, said Hadifah, wishing to quiz him, what
large mouthfuls you take; Heaven defend us from
your voraciousness! I am indeed hungry, cousin,
said Cais, but by Him of hereafter and heretofore, I
am not here merely to eat your dinner, but I am
come to dissolve the wager, which was made between
you and my cousin Carwash. I request you
will break the bargain, for every thing that happens
over the bottle should be annulled and forgotten.
Know then, Cais, said Hadifah, I will not be off the
bet, except that I receive the he and she camels,
and when you have produced them, it will be perfectly
indifferent to me. However, if you wish, I
will seize them by force, or if you like, I will renounce
them by way of grace. Whatever Cais could
say, over and over again, Hadifah still kept to one
side of the question; and as Hadifah's brother only
laughed at him, Cais was in a violent passion, as he
said to Hadifah, (his face all flushed with rage) How
much was the bet between you and my cousin? For
twenty she camels, said Hadifah. As to the first
bet, Hadifah, said Cais, I dissolve it, and I will lay
you another, and let the wager be thirty. Forty,
said Hadifah. Fifty, said Cais. Sixty, said Hadifah;
and they continued rising till they made the
bet a hundred she camels, and consigned the contract
into the hands of a man called Sabic, son of Wahab,
whilst a crowd of old and young collected about them.
What distance shall we run? said Hadifah to Cais.
Forty arrow shots, said Cais, and we have an archer
called Ayas, son of Mansoor, (for there was no Arab
at that day could shoot like him, and the Arabs had
made him quite a proverb). King Cais was anxious
indeed for a longer race, on account of the strength
of his horse's muscles, for the greater distance he
went, the more his spirit and animation increased
in his movements. Determine then, said Cais to
Hadifah, when the match shall take place. Forty
days, I think, said Hadifah, will be required to train
the horses. Very well, said Cais; and the affair was
mutually settled, that the horses should be trained
forty days, and the race-ground should be near the
lake of Zatulirsad; and the horse that should
arrive first should be the winner. Cais having given
his consent, he returned to the tents. Cousins, said
one of the Fazarah horsemen to his neighbours, be
assured dissensions will arise between the tribes of
Abs and Fazarah, in consequence of this race between
Dahis and Ghabra: the two tribes will be
disunited, for King Cais is come in person, and
he is a prince and the son of a prince. He has
endeavoured to annul the bet with Hadifah, who
would not consent, and this will be a business that
will occasion a contention that will last nearly fifty
years, and many will be destroyed in wars and
battles. As to that, said Hadifah, I care not about
it, neither will I follow such advice. I will soon
describe to you, O Hadifah, the end of this, your
obstinacy with King Cais, said Ayas, and thus he
addressed him:

"In thee, O Hadifah, there is no beauty, but in
the purity of Cais there is no stain; how pure is
his advice, and how becoming; but propriety is implanted
in him. Bet then with some one who has
not in his possession even an ass, and whose father
owns not a horse. Give up Cais, for Cais has
wealth, and possessions, and horses, and a fiery
spirit, and moreover, that Dahis, who in the day
of the race is pre-eminent, when he moves or stands
still. He is a horse, when a night of dust sheds
its obscurity, you may see his hoofs like a firebrand."

O Ayas, said Hadifah, thinkst thou I will shrink
from my word? I will have the camels from Cais,
and I will not permit my name to be banded about
as one incapable and beaten; let things have their
course.

When King Cais reached the tents, he first ordered
his slaves to train his horses, but to be most particular
in their attention to Dahis; and then he related to
his brother and his uncle Asyed what had passed
between him and Hadifah. It was on that day
Shiboob arrived, and gave the news of Antar's return,
to the great joy of King Cais. All the tribe of Abs
went out to meet him, and saluted him. King Cais
took him by his side, and received him most honourably,

and conversing with him, asked him what had
occurred during his excursion. Antar related every
circumstance concerning his uncle Malik; how he
had rescued him from punishment, and released him
from the dogs; and, in reply to Antar's inquiry
about the horse-race, Cais repeated what had occurred
between him and Hadifah. O king, said
Antar, calm your heart and brighten your eye, run
the race and fear not; for, by the faith of an Arab,
if Hadifah moves or excites any disturbance, I will
kill him, and I will kill the whole tribe of Fazarah.
Thus they continued, till they reached the tents,
but before Antar would enter the tent of his cousin,
Ibla, he went to look at Dahis, and walked all round
him, and saw that he was the wonder of the world
in qualities that astonished every one; and Antar
having comforted Cais's heart, went home. By the
faith of an Arab, said Harith, it would be better to
renounce this business than to persist in it, (Harith
was related to the tribe of Fazarah, and he was afraid
that Antar would bring down upon them a violent
death.) Antar reposed that night in his tents, but
the next day came Sinan, son of Ebe Harithah,
to King Cais, from King Numan, and the cause
of Sinan's coming was Hadifah's messenger, who
reached Numan, and told him that Harith was with
King Cais and Antar, Who are resolved, said he,
to protect him against you and Chosroe Nushirvan,
and all the inhabitants of the wilds and wastes. I
cannot imagine, said Numan, that my brother-in-law
of the tribe of Abs will protect the murderer of my
son; and he immediately ordered Sinan to repair to
King Cais and Antar, and to demand Harith of
them. Sinan accordingly departed for the land of
Abs and Adnan, and arriving on that day he proceeded
to King Cais, and told him he was come to
demand Harith; For it is reported, said he, that you
have given him an asylum. King Numan has sent
me to you, saying to me, If Harith is with King
Cais, tell him to surrender him to you, and do you
bring him to me. Now I am his surety, and you
know the consequences. Cais was much troubled.
I know, O Sinan, said he, you are an old sheikh, and
many persons submit to your opinions. You have
learnt that Harith has slain my father's murderer,
Khalid, son of Giafer, and for our sakes he has
exposed his life, and when he fell into King Numan's
power, my sister rescued him from death. She sent
him to us, knowing well that we should protect him.
We will not surrender him to any Arab of the wilderness:
had he come to us, when we were sufficiently
secure in our tents, perhaps we had driven
him away from our tribe; but as a consummation of
good fortune, he met our prisoners with the tribe of
Aamir, and rescued them with his sharp sword, and
he has behaved generously towards us, first and last;
we cannot therefore dismiss him from our protection,
were even our heads to fly off before him. The
man is under our protection, and neither King
Numan, nor Chosroe Nushirvan, shall have any
authority over him; not a hair of his head will we
deliver up, till after the blows of the thin-edged
scimitar, or the thrust of the well-proportioned spear;
let Numan be pleased or angry, just as he likes.
They were thus conversing, when lo! Antar came
in, brandishing his sword Dhami, for he had heard
of Sinan's arrival. As he entered, he did not salute
or speak, but turning upon Sinan, Thou despicable
sheikh! he cried, thou artful dog! art thou he that
is come from King Numan? Were I not in the presence
of this king, I would make thee drink of thy
death. Avaunt! begone! away to him who sent
thee! tell him from me that I have protected Harith,
neither will I deliver him to an Arab or a Persian;
and if Numan sends us another messenger, he shall
not return from me but degraded and repentant.
Sinan arose, and was struck with horror; he was
confounded and bewildered; he immediately departed,
and in his heart was an unquenchable flame,
and an unappeasable fire against Antar. In the
meantime, Hadifah had heard of Antar's return,
and that he had encouraged Cais to the race. O
my brother, said Haml, I fear, should Antar fall on
me, or one of the family of Beder, he will kill him,
and we shall be dishonoured. Annual the race, or
we shall be annihilated. Let me go to King Cais,
and I will not quit him, till I persuade him to come
to you to request the bargain may be broken, and his
perverseness be satisfied. Do as you please, said Hadifah.
Accordingly, Haml mounted his horse, and
immediately went to King Cais, without asking any
permission, and there he found his uncle Asyed, who
was a wise and sensible man. Haml saluted him and
kissed his hand, and exhibiting great interest about
Cais, O my cousin, said he, know that my brother
Hadifah is but an ill-conditioned fellow, and full of
intrigue. I have been these three days abusing him,
in order to induce him to abandon the wager. Well,
said he, at last, if Cais again returns to me, and
wishes to be off the bargain, I will annul it; but let
not the Arabs hear that I abandoned the bet in fear
of Antar. Now you know, my cousin, that to forbear
with cousins is the greatest of kindnesses, so I
am come to request that you will go with me to
my brother Hadifah and ask him to give up the
race, before any disturbances arise, and the tribe
be driven away from its native land. At hearing
Haml's discourse, Cais was abashed; for he was
easily persuaded, and was of a noble birth and origin:
he immediately started up, and leaving his uncle
Asyed in his place, he accompanied Haml to the
country of Fazarah, and when they were half-way
between the two hordes, Haml went ahead of Cais,
whom he thus praised; at the same time blaming
his brother Hadifah, in these lines:

"O Cais, be not incensed against Hadifah, for
he is a vile obstinate fellow, and iniquitous in his
deeds. O Cais, if you pertinaciously persist in
this wager, destruction will be its result, and its
consequences will be fatal. I fear that my brother,

for his foul deeds, will suffer what the youth
Kelthoom suffered, who raised his brother to high
honours; but he swerved from propriety, and
became a rebel, and his power was annihilated.
O Cais, both you and Hadifah are high-spirited,
and on that account I am in great affliction for
you. Renounce all private interest, be kind and
generous, before the oppressor becomes the oppressed."

Haml continued abusing his brother, and admiring
Cais, till they reached the tribe of Fazarah by evening,
where they saw Hadifah and the chieftains assembled
together. Cais saluted them, and throwing
his eyes round, saw Sinan seated by Hadifah's side.
He disguised his feelings, and exclaimed, O Sinan,
return, if thou wouldst exert thyself in the cause of
peace and friendship, and the preservation of the
blood of noble horsemen. O King, said Sinan, I am
paralysed on that point; by the faith of an Arab, I
cannot possibly redeem my life from death, for you
know that I am Harith's surety with Numan, and
as I cannot return, I have sent my comrades to acquaint
him with my situation, and in the mean time
I am come hither to seek an asylum till you and
your brother-in-law Numan decide on your future
movements.

Now this speech of Sinan's was all dissimulation
and deceit; and he only came to the tribe of Fazarah
to embroil the two tribes, and to work their mutual
destruction; for when the scene between him

and Antar was over, Sinan rushed out quite stupefied.
Away, said he to his companions, away to
King Numan, and tell him all you have heard from
the black Antar, that contemptible fellow; and desire
him to send intrepid armies against the Absians,
to root out every vestige of them. As to me, I will
repair to the tribe of Fazarah, to plot the death of
Antar, and the Absians, that I may extirpate them,
and knock down their boundary marks.

His companions hastened to King Numan, but
Sinan reached the tribe of Fazarah, and Hadifah
received him with great distinction, asking the cause
of his arrival. I am come, said he, to carry away
Harith from King Cais; but Antar has said to me
so and so: I have therefore sent to Numan to tell
him what Antar has said, and what Cais has done.
In the mean time I am come to you, and I cannot
possibly think of returning home till I have contrived
the destruction of Antar and Cais, and not
left a man of them alive. Hadifah told Sinan all
about the horse-race; and I have just sent Haml,
he added, to King Cais, and it was my intention to
make peace; but now that you have imparted this
to me, I will never give my consent to any accommodation:
and just at that moment arrived Cais and
Haml.

Hadifah, as soon as he saw Cais, resolved to overwhelm
him with shame, as Sinan had recommended.
As to thee, said he to his brother, pray who ordered
thee to go to this man? By the faith of a noble

Arab, were every human being on the face of the
earth to importune me, and should say to me—O
Hadifah, do but relinquish one hair of these camels,
I would not relinquish it till after the sword-blow
that cleaves, and the spear-thrust that penetrates.
Cais blushed, and remounted his horse, reproaching
Haml for his conduct. The night was now advancing,
when Cais, convinced that this affair was
entirely owing to Sinan, thus spoke his rebuke:

"In truth I abhorred the horse-race, fearful of
outrage; but my adversary is stanch to his bargain:
I said gently, Hadifah, abandon it, and
hear what I in my clemency say. But he was
violent; and as he saw me become milder, he became
still more outrageous. Such intemperate
acts are iniquitous: they insulted me when they
saw me gentle, and I am called a great coward.
As to me, by Him to whom belong the pillar, and
the shrine, and Zemzem, and the wall, I have
that resolution in me, that will put to flight the
calamities of fortune, when they are even destined
by fate; and I have heroes that will meet the rush
of death with hearts incorporated in their whole
frames. O family of Bedr, although power consists
in command and prohibition, by my life, it
cannot last long: but he who has advised you this
day has erred, and over him will hover the birds
of death."

King Cais applied the latter lines to Sinan; he
then proceeded till he reached home, where he found

his uncles and brothers sitting in anxious expectation
of him, and in a state of the greatest inquietude. O
my son, said his uncle Asyed as soon as he saw him,
thou hast done a foolish deed, for thou hast degraded
thyself. Had it not been for Sinan, said Cais, I
should have accommodated the business; but now
there is nothing for it but the race and the wager.
He then communicated to them that Sinan had
taken refuge with the tribe of Fazarah, and had engaged
to aid them with his advice and contrivances.
They were amazed, and repented of having let him
escape out of their hands.

King Cais reposed that night, and as he was fixed
in the determination about the race, he trained his
horse for forty entire days. The Arabs of that
country had engaged to each other to come to the
pastures to see the race; and when the forty days
had expired, the horsemen of the two tribes assembled,
and flocked to the lake of Zat-ul-irsad;
and also Ayas the archer was there, who, turning
his back upon the lake, to which the horses were to
run, and moving himself towards the north, shot his
hundred shots with his arrows, till he finished at a
well-known spot. Soon arrived the horsemen of
Ghiftan and Dibyan, for they were of one country,
and between them were kindred and relationship,
and all were called the tribe of Adnan. Cais had
recommended Antar not to be present, he was so
afraid of the occurrence of dissensions. Antar
listened, but he could not stay quiet; and being

alarmed for King Cais on account of those dastardly
Fazareans, who might betray him, he mounted Abjer.
He girded on his sword Dhami, and taking
Shiboob by his side, he joined the multitude in his
fears for King Zoheir's sons; and when they approached,
they saw him like a mailed lion; his sword
was drawn in his hand, and his eyes were throwing
out red burning coals.

As they all halted, they continued to look at him,
till he being in the midst of them, cried out in a
tremendous voice, Eh! noble Arab Chiefs, and illustrious
men here present—ye know, that I am the
favoured man of King Zoheir, father of King Cais,
and that I am the slave of his munificence; it was
he who admitted me to rank and kindred, and caused
me to be numbered amongst the Arab chiefs; but
though he did not survive, that I might repay him
for his kindnesses, and make the kings of the earth
subservient to him, he has left his Absian son as his
heir, whom his other brothers have acknowledged,
and have placed in the seat of his father, on account
of his good sense and uprightness, correct judgment,
and high rank; I am his slave, his property, the
succour of him who loves him, the enemy of him who
opposes him: never shall it be said whilst I am
alive, that I ever saw him debased by a foe. As
to this match, to which he has graciously given
his consent, it is incumbent on us to aid him
in all his wishes; so there is nothing more to
be done but to let the horses go. Victory is from

the Creator of day and night; and I swear by the
sacred Shrine, by Zemzem, and the temple, and the
eternal God, who never neglects his servants, and
who never sleeps, that if Hadifah commits any act
of violence or oppression, I will make him drink of
death and vengeance; I will make the whole tribe
of Fazarah a fable amongst mankind: and, O Arab
Chiefs, if you really desire the race, be impartial;
otherwise, by the eyes of Ibla, I will make the
horses plunge through blood. Antar is right, cried
out the horsemen in every direction.

Upon this, Hadifah selected for his mare Ghabra
a jockey from the tribe of Dibyan, one who had
spent all his life in bringing up horses, and had even
passed the obscurity of night in that occupation.
But Cais chose for his horse, Dahis, from the tribe
of Abs, a jockey more expert and scientific than the
Dibyanian; and when each was mounted on his respective
horse, Cais gave this recommendation to
the Absian jockey:

"Give him not the rein entirely; if the sweat
and moisture burst out on him, wipe him with
your legs, and gently press against his loins; but
if you push him too hard you will distress him."

Hadifah heard what Cais had said, and he also
wished to imitate him, so he gave his recommendation
to his jockey, as follows:

"Give her not the rein entirely; if the sweat
and moisture burst out on her, wipe her with

your legs, and gently press against her loins; but
if you push her too hard you will distress her."

Antar laughed. By the faith of an Arab, said
he, you are beaten. O Ebe Hidjar, expressions in
poetry are not so deficient, and the application of
verses is not so obliterated, that you should speak
just as Cais spoke. Cais, however, is a king, and
the son of a king, and he must always be imitated;
and your following him in your speech is a proof
that your horse will follow his over the desert.

On hearing this, Hadifah's wrath and indignation
were roused, and he swore an oath that he would
not run his horse that day; and would not race till
the morrow by sunrise. Hadifah only desired that
delay, in order that he might in his perfidy contrive
some vile scheme; for when he saw Dahis, he was
amazed at his form, and the beauty of his points.

The judges dismounted, and the Arab horsemen
were about to return home, when lo! Shiboob cried
out in a loud voice, O tribes of Abs, and Adnan,
and Fazarah, and Dibyan, and ye all that are here
present, wait for me a little, and hear words that
shall be recorded from generation to generation.
All the warriors halted: Speak, O Ebe Reah, said
they, what is it? Perhaps there may be some good
in thy words. O illustrious Arabs, said Shiboob,
ye have heard what has passed about the match
between Dahis and Ghabra; and I will stake my
existence that I will beat both the horses, were each

of them to fly with wings, but upon this condition,
if I beat I will take the hundred camels that are
agreed upon; but if I am beaten I will give fifty
camels. On this, one of the Sheikhs of Fazarah exclaimed,
What's this, thou vile slave, that thou
sayest? Why, if thou winnest, shouldst thou take
a hundred camels, and if thou art beaten, shouldst
thou only give fifty? Eh! you he-goat of a fellow,
you dung-born, said Shiboob, I only run on two
legs, and a horse runs on four, and he has a tail to
boot. So all the Arabs laughed, much amazed at
the conditions he made, and as they wished very
much to see him run, they assented to the perilous
undertaking.

But when they had returned to their tents, said
Antar to Shiboob, Eh! thou son of an accursed
mother, how canst thou beat these two horses, for
whom the horsemen of the tribes have assembled,
and say that in this age there are not their equals in
the race, not a bird that can overtake them? By
the truth of Him who produced springs from the
rock, and who knows what is to be before it is, replied
Shiboob, I will outstrip the two horses were
each of them to fly with wings. Ay, thou black
born, and much benefit will come of it, for when the
Arabs hear of this circumstance, they will never
again attempt to follow me when I run away over
the deserts. Antar smiled, for he knew what was
in his mind. Shiboob then returned to King Cais,
and his brothers, and all the spectators, and engaged

on his existence that he would outstrip the two
horses. All present were witnesses to his sayings;
and they then separated in the greatest astonishment
at his determination.

But as to the treacherous, perfidious Hadifah,
when evening came on he sent for one of his slaves,
called Damis, who was a great bully. O Damis, said
Hadifah, you are ever talking of your dexterity,
but hitherto I have never had occasion for you. My
lord, said Damis, say what you want, that I may
exert myself in the execution of your business.
What I want of you is to go to the great defile, said
Hadifah: remain there, and conceal yourself till
morning. Mark well the horses, and see if Dahis
comes by first; if so, bolt at him, strike him over
the face, and make him start back. Let Ghabra
run ahead of him that we may not incur the disgrace
of being beaten; for when I saw Dahis, his
appearance created doubts, and I fear he will beat
my mare Ghabra, and outstrip her in the desert,
and I become a derision among the Arabs. But
how, my lord, shall I distinguish Dahis from Ghabra,
when they both advance beneath the dust? I
will assist you in some measure on their respective
standards, he replied. Hadifah collected a number
of stones, as many as were necessary to make him
comprehend the standards. Take these pebbles,
said he, and as soon as the sun shines begin to
count them, and throw them on the ground in fours;
when you have cast away two-thirds or threefourths

of them it will be Ghabra, for this is her
standard to that spot. If you see her advancing,
let her pass, and do not oppose her; but if you
have only thrown away one-fourth, or one-third, or
less than that, then Dahis will be the first—rush
out, strike him with a stone across the face, and
drive him back on the desert, and let my mare
Ghabra run ahead of him. The slave assented,
and taking the pebbles went to the defile, where he
concealed himself, and Hadifah felt assured of being
the winner.

When the day dawned, the Arabs being collected
from every quarter, were huddled together in one
mass; the judges let go the horses, and their jockeys
gave a loud shout; they started forth like lightning,
when it blasts the sight with its flash, or a gust of
wind, when it becomes a hurricane in its course.
Ghabra shot ahead of Dahis, and left him behind
her over the desert. Thou art thrown out, my
brother of the tribe of Abs, cried the Fazarean, to
the Absian, so comfort thyself in thy grief and distress.
Thou liest, retorted the Absian; in a short
time thou wilt see on whom the disappointment will
fall: wait till we have passed these shingles; mares
work better in such troublesome places than on
plains and level grounds. When they came to the
mead, Dahis launched forward like a giant when he
stretches himself out, and he left his dust behind.
He appeared as if without legs or feet, and in a
twinkling of an eye he was ahead of Ghabra. Then,

cried the Absian to the Fazarean, send a messenger
by me to the family of Bedr, and do you taste of
the bitterness of patience in my rear. Shiboob
all the while kept ahead of Dahis, like the northern
blast, and he skipped along like a fawn, and rushed
with the violence of a male ostrich, till he came nigh
to the defile, where Damis was concealed. Damis
had cast away of the pebbles less than a quarter.
He stretched out his eyes, and saw Dahis advancing.
Damis waited till the horse came up to him, when
he shouted at him, and springing at him, struck
him a severe blow with a stone over the eyes. The
horse started back, and staggered; the rider nearly
fell off; but as soon as Shiboob saw this, and spied
out the subtle slave, he knew that he belonged to
the base-born Hadifah. In the excess of his fury
he rushed at him, and in haste drew his dagger, and
striking the slave Damis, ripped out his entrails, and
exterminated his existence. He then wanted to
return to Dahis and coax him, when lo! up came
Ghabra, like a gust of wind, tearing over the wide
desert. Shiboob was afraid of being beaten, and
that the camels would be taken from him, so he
returned, and playing away with his feet made towards
the lake, where he arrived first by two arrow-shot.
Ghabra came on his heels, and Dahis came
in last, bearing the marks of the blow between his
eyes, and the tears were streaming down his cheeks.
The spectators were amazed at Shiboob's activity,
and the power of his muscles; but as soon as
Ghabra advanced, arose the shouts of the Fazareans,
and when Dahis came up in that state, the jockey
informed the tribe of Abs what the slave had done.
Cais saw the effects of the blow on the face of Dahis,
and heard all the circumstances. Antar bellowed;
he dashed his hand on his resistless Dhami; he
roared out in a tremendous voice; he longed to put
the tribe of Fazarah to death; but the Sheikhs prevented
him—so he had patience—they went to Hadifah,
abusing him and reviling him, for his infamous
transaction. He denied it, and perjured himself
with false oaths, swearing, he knew nothing about
the blow Dahis received, and said, I demand my
due; I will not relinquish my bet; I will not admit
of this paltry excuse. This blow cannot but be of
bad omen to the tribe of Fazarah, said Cais; God
will truly grant us victory and triumph, and we
must positively root out every vestige of them; for
Hadifah only desired the race in order to produce
troubles and dissensions, and that war and commotion
might fall upon the tribes, that men might be
killed, and children be orphaned. The conversation
grew more violent, shouts arose in all directions,
and the polished swords were drawn; the cries of
the warriors were loud, and there only remained the
rush to arms. Upon this, the Sheikhs and the wise
men dismounted, and uncovering their heads, they
penetrated the crowds, and humiliating themselves,
they settled the business in the best possible manner,
That Shiboob should take the hundred camels from
the tribe of Fazarah, the amount of the wager, and
that Hadifah should abandon all further controversy
and dispute; thus endeavouring to extinguish animosity,
and to stop the rising tumults, and to calm
the differences among the tribes. Then the families
retired home, and in their hearts was as much of
rancour as filled their bosoms; but it was Hadifah
whose resentment was the most vehement, and whose
hatred and perfidy were the most virulent, particularly
when he heard of the death of his slave
Damis. As to King Cais, also, his heart was replete
with passion, and rooted grudge, whilst Antar comforted
him, saying, O king, distress not your heart,
for, by the tomb of King Zoheir, I will bring down
infamy and disgrace on Hadifah; it has been on
your account I have hitherto respected him. And
thus they dispersed to their tents. In the meantime,
Shiboob, as soon as day dawned, slaughtered twenty
of the camels he had taken, and distributed them to
the widows and the maimed. Another twenty also
he slew, and made with them a magnificent feast,
and entertained the slaves and handmaidens of the
tribe of Abs. The next day he slaughtered the
remainder, and made a grand dinner at the lake of
Zat-ul-irsad, to which he invited the sons of King
Zoheir, and the noble chieftains. When they finished
eating, the cups of wine went round, and they all
approved Shiboob's conduct. Now what Shiboob
had done soon reached the tribe of Fazarah; how
he had slaughtered the camels, and feasted the
illustrious Absians. So the fools of the tribe assembled
round Hadifah. O Ebe Hijar, said they, we
came in first, and the slave of those impostors has
eaten our camels; send to Cais and demand your due,
and if he sends the camels to you, 'tis well; if not, let
us raise a roaring war against the Absians. Hadifah
raised his head to his son Ebe Firacah: O my son,
said he, instantly ride to Cais, and say to him, My
father says, you must instantly pay him his bet, and
then you will be generous, otherwise he will take it
from you by force, and then you will be overwhelmed
with affliction. At that time, one of the chief Sheikhs
was present, and when he saw Hadifah resolved on
sending his son to Cais, Eh! O Ebe Hijar, said he,
art thou not ashamed to send such a message to the
tribe of Abs? They are thy cousins: is this in
conformity to reason, or the extinction of dissensions?
Never mention such people, but to pardon and to
do good. My opinion is, thou shouldst abstain from
this obstinacy, for it will be repaid by extirpation,
and the dust of war. Cais has been impartial, and
has done no outrage; and as to the horsemen of
Abs, make peace with them; it is more consistent
with thy dignity. Mark thy slave Damis; he struck
Dahis, the horse of King Cais, but how speedily God
punished him, and left him dyed in his black blood.
I have advised thee to listen to wholesome counsel;
act worthily, and renounce such foul proceedings.
After this, thou art aware of thy situation, and now
look after thine own affairs. Hadifah was furious
at these words: Thou despicable Sheikh, thou false
dog, he cried, shall I be afraid of Cais, and all the
whole tribe of Abs? By the faith of an Arab, men
of trust and honour, if Cais send not the camels, I
will not leave him a tent standing. The Sheikh
was greatly vexed, and to alarm him, thus said:

"Outrage is base, O Ebe Hijar, for it springs
unawares, like the watchful night wanderers; beware
of its blows when swords are drawn: be just,
and clothe thyself not in infamy. Ask the well-informed
of Themood, and his tribe, when they
rebelled and committed acts of tyranny, he would
tell thee, how an order from the God on high
destroyed them in one night; he destroyed them
in one night, and in the morning they were laid
low, with their eyes fixed upwards."

Hadifah, totally disregarding the Sheikh, and his
verses, not only cursed him, but ordering his son,
Away to Cais, said he; and thus departed Ebe
Firacah for the land of Abs; and when he arrived,
he entered the dwellings of King Cais, where, not
finding him at home, he asked his wife Modelilah,
Rebia's daughter, about him. What dost thou
want of him? said she. I demand of him our due
and our wager, replied he. Alas! for thee and thy
due! son of Bedr, replied she, dost thou not fear
such perfidy? Were Cais at home, he would despatch
thee to the tombs. Ebe Firacah returned, and
told his father what his wife had said. Hey! thou
foul coward, said Hadifah, hast thou returned, thy

business unfinished, and frightened by the daughter
of Rebia? Go back. It is now evening, said his
son, let this be to-morrow's deed; and he slept that
night in his tents, to take leave of his father and
uncles. As to King Cais, when he came home, his
wife informed him of the arrival of Ebe Firacah to
demand the camels. By the faith of an Arab, said
Cais, had I been present, I would have killed him;
but it is over—let it pass. That night Cais passed
in grief and sorrow, till the day dawned, when
being seated in his pavilion, Antar came to him:
he sprang up, and placing him by his side, told him
all about Hadifah. And he has had the impudence to
demand of us the he and she camels! continued Cais;
but had I been at home, I would have slain him. Cais
had not finished his speech, when Ebe Firacah stood
before him. He neither made any salutation nor previous
address; but said, O Cais, my father desires you
to send him his due, and then you are generous;
otherwise, he will mount against you, and take them
by force from you, and then you will be overwhelmed
with affliction. On hearing such words, the light
became darkness in the eyes of King Cais: he
snatched up a winged javelin; Thou son of a base
cuckold, said he, how is it thou art not more civil
in thy speech, when in the presence of one like me?
and he smote him with the javelin through the chest,
and it issued through his back, and as he was falling
off the horse, Antar caught him, and lashing him
on, he turned the horse's head towards the quarter
of Fazarah, and struck him with his whip over the
flanks. The horse returned to his pastures till he
reached his stable; and he was floating in blood.
The shepherds carried him away to the tents, crying
out, O misery! O woe!

A flame was kindled in the heart of Hadifah; he
smote his bosom, and was in the greatest consternation,
exclaiming, O tribe of Fazarah, to arms! to
arms! So the foolish ones assembled round Hadifah,
and said, Arise with us against the tribe of
Abs; let us retaliate on them. O my cousins, said
he, lay not down this night but under arms. It was
Sinan who urged on the absurd party of the Fazarah
tribe; for it was his purpose to excite dissensions
among the tribes; he also smote his bosom,
and cut himself over the chin, as he cried out to the
tribe of Fazarah, Vengeance! Vengeance on the
tribe of Abs! leave them not a tent to live in.

The tribe of Fazarah reposed that night, having
prepared all their implements of war and battle. By
break of day. Hadifah was mounted; the warriors
were ready, and they left no one in the tents but
the children, and those who had not the force to
fight. Rebia was amongst those left behind, he and
his brothers, saying, I will not war against my
family. I will not be for them or against them. As
to King Cais, after he had put Ebe Firacah to
death, he was aware the Fazarah tribe would seek
him with their warriors; so he also made preparations
for battle: and as it was Antar who arranged

all King Cais's affairs, and put every thing in proper
train; he mounted with the Carad heroes, and
the Absians were immersed in armour and brilliant
coats of mail. They made ready for the contest,
leaving no one in the tents but the women, and those
who were unable to stand. And amongst those left
behind was Harith, who said, I will not engage the
tribe of Fazarah, for they are my relations. This
was a dreadful event for the two parties. They
marched out against each other, and the sun had
not risen when the dust flew on high, and the lightning
of the scimitars flashed, and the whole region
was convulsed; the light of day was obscured.

Antar was resolved to start forth and appease his
heart, when lo! Hadifah came forward arrayed in
sable robes, his heart and soul ulcerated with grief
on account of his son. Son of Zoheir, he cried, it
was not well to slay an infant; but it is well to
issue forth into the scene of battle, that it may be
decided by the contest of spears who deserves dominion,
you or I. At this King Cais was vexed;
he rushed from beneath the standards, resentment
overpowering every feeling; he sprang at Hadifah.
Urged on by the rancour they entertained against
each other, they charged on their noble steeds till
the day became black in their eyes. Cais was
mounted on Dahis, and Hadifah on Ghabra. In
the contest between them there past things unseen
before; each tribe despaired of its master, and they
resolved on the attack to assist them, that the vehemence

of the combat might be diminished. Just
then intense were the shouts; the cries arose on
high; scimitars were drawn; the spears were extended
between the ears of the Arab chargers. Antar
advanced towards Oorwah and his father Shedad;
Attack with me these dastards, said he, and make
to their right with the unsheathed swords, that we
may send it rolling against their left. At that moment
the elders of the two tribes came forward, and
stood in the centre of the plain, their heads uncovered,
their feet bare, and over their shoulders
hung the idols. They presented themselves before
the two armies (the horsemen were alarmed for the
results), and thus they addressed them; O my
cousins, by all the union of kindred between us,
make us not a proverb against the ordinances of
God's slaves: let not our enemies and our enviers
have cause to reproach us; relinquish this controversy
and dissension; widow not the women; orphan
not the children; be satisfied with the blood
that is against you among the Arabs; humble yourselves
to the Absians, your cousins. We ask of you,
how many nations before you has outrage annihilated!
how many tribes have plunged into evils
and calamities, but have soon repented of their impious
deeds! how many men have swerved from
propriety, and have stumbled into the pits of anguish
and regret! Wait then for the destined hour
of death; expect the day of dissolution; for it is at
hand. Ye will be lacerated by the hovering eagles
of destruction, and you will be consigned to the
gloomy recesses of the grave; then let there be no
record but of your virtues when your carcasses become
extinct. The Sheikhs did not desist from their
harangue till that burning flame was quenched, and
the passions of these resolute heroes were tranquillized.
Hadifah retired from the contest; and it was
decided that Cais should pay Ebe Firacah's price of
blood with a great quantity of cattle, and a string
of he and she camels. Neither did the Sheikhs quit
the field of battle till Hadifah embraced Cais, and
acquiesced in this arrangement. Antar roared and
bellowed, O king, said he to Cais, what is this deed?
What! shall the tribe of Fazarah take from us the
price of blood for one slain, and the sword of our
resolution thus brilliant? Shall our prisoners be
ransomed but by the barbs of the spears? Shall the
blood of our dead be shed unrevenged? Hadifah's
rage increased: Eh, thou bastard! said he; thou
son of a foul mother! What is it that honours thee
or disgraces us? Were I not ashamed of these noble
Sheikhs, I should have annihilated thy numbers by
this time: I should have left thy women widows
and thy children orphans. Hadifah's resentment
then being inflamed, By the faith of an Arab, said
he to the Sheikhs, who had exerted themselves in
restoring harmony, I will hear no more of peace,
were the foe even to plunder me with the points of
their spears. Do not so, son of my mother, said
Haml to his brother; ride not over the road of
folly; abandon such loathsome ways; be at peace
with our cousins, for they are the firebrands of the
zealous Arabs; their brilliant stars, and their dazzling
suns. It was but the other day you outraged
them, and ordered your slave to strike their horse,
that it might fail and swerve from the direct road.
As to your son, he was justly slain, for you sent to
demand what was not your due. After this there is
nothing so recommendable as peace; and he who
seeks war is a tyrant and an oppressor. Accept the
compensation and be tranquil, or else you will open
upon us a flame that will burn us in the fire of hell,
and thus he recited:

"By the truth of Him who firmly rooted the
mountains without a foundation, if you do not
accept the compensation of the Absians you are
deceived. They call Hadifah chief; be thou a
chief, and be satisfied with cattle and wealth.
Quit the horse of outrage; ride it not; it will
conduct you to a sea of sorrow and affliction.
Hadifah, renounce violence like a liberal man,
and particularly the battle against the horsemen
of Abs. Make them a strong tower for us when
the foe charges us, in the Absian superiority.
Make them to be of the number of our friends,
for they are of the noblest resolution, and Absians.
And if Cais has acted oppressively, it was you
who taught him treachery a few days ago."

When Haml had concluded, the chiefs of the
tribes thanked him, and Hadifah having agreed to

take the compensation, they restrained him from
acts of violence and hostilities. The warriors returned
home, and every thing was calmed between
them. Cais sent to Hadifah two hundred she
camels, ten slaves, and ten female slaves, ten head
of horse; and after this all was restored to peace,
and the people remained quiet in their country.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Some days after, Antar rode out in company with
Harith and Prince Malik to the chase; and as they
wandered far over the desert in search of game,
they drove the wild beasts over the wastes, till the
heat overpowering them, they returned to the valley
of Ghadha, where was a party of Arabs established,
called the tribe of Ghorab. Antar and his
comrades drank at their wells, and whilst watering
their horses, they observed a Sheikh, who was very
infirm from the number of years he had lived; with
him also was a young girl, like the thirsty fawn, in
shape resembling the branch of the tamarisk. As
soon as Prince Malik beheld her, he was bewildered,
and a violent flame was roused in his bosom. He
instantly turned towards her father, and saluting
him, inquired after his health, saying, O Sheikh,
what is this damsel to thee? My daughter, he replied,
and of all my family and tribe she alone remains
to me. She assists me in milking in the
desert, and helps me as thou seest. Wilt thou consent,
said the prince, that I become her husband,
that I may make thee lord of all I possess in cattle
and sheep, and I will remove thy poverty and thy

distresses from thee? The Sheikh smiled, and said,
How can that be? My lord, I am but a poor man,
and thou art a great prince. Speak not so, added
Malik; think not, O Sheikh, it is wealth that adorns
the man; lineage and birth are far better than property
and worldly acquisitions. Whilst they were
thus conversing, up came Antar and Harith, and
asked Malik what was the matter? So he related
his adventure, and complained to Antar of the
agonies of love, saying, O Aboolfawaris, I used to
accuse thee of folly when thou didst complain of thy
passion, and I used to say love was only a phrensy
till I tasted it myself, and beheld those eyes; but
as soon as I felt it, I knew that in forbearance you
must be the most patient of men, and the firmest
against grief and affliction. Antar laughed, and
perceiving that love had worked a change in his
mind, O my lord, said he, if in less than an hour all
this has been effected in you, in what a state must
he be who for years has been seeking consolation,
and has found none? Rejoice, said Antar, to the
old man, at the departure of sorrow and poverty,
and in thy future happiness. Marry thy daughter
to this prince, that thou mayest become lord of the
tribe of Ghorab, and ruler over its elders and
youths. It all appears to me like a dream, said the
man; there is nothing to be done but to accept her
as a gift from me, without any fixed settlement, or
calculated dower—that indeed is quite beyond my
powers. When I am married to thy daughter, said
Malik, the Arabs shall see how I will requite thee.
So he took his hand for the nuptials, and he succeeded
in all his wishes.

Malik returned quite bird-hearted, and Antar
congratulated him, and wished him joy. But when
he came home he told his brother what had passed:
By thy life, O my brother, what is this? said Cais:
couldst thou not consent to connect thyself with the
daughters of our uncles, the swoln-bosomed damsels
of the earth? but must thou have recourse to the
daughters of the tribe of Ghorab? Reproach me
not, O brother, said Malik, for what could not be
resisted; it is the only God that has power over
love. Hearts communicate and meet of themselves,
and the only messenger is the glance of the eyes.
They were thus talking when Antar approached,
who overhearing Cais reproaching his brother, God
forbid, O king, said he, that you should rail at
lovers, and increase the flames of passion. Your
brother has not acted violently or oppressively, and
has done nothing but what all the world has done
before: you ought to partake in his sorrows, and
not blame him or reproach him. Let him have his
way in his passion, for he has not distressed you in
any point for which you should rebuke him. On
this the countenance of Cais brightened; he wished
him joy: As the business is as you describe it, said
he, and you yourself encourage it, let us also complete
your nuptials and his on the same day. That
affair, said Antar, entirely depends on my uncle

Malik; permit me to expect my happiness from the
king of all slaves.

On the next day Prince Malik sent to the Sheikh
he and she camels, and variegated robes, and cattle,
and precious jewels, and howdahs, brilliant with
magnificent velvet, and servants and slaves, and with
them horses and sheep, ordering them to be expeditious,
on account of the passion that was in his heart:
and he appointed a certain hour on the seventh day.
When all these presents reached the tribe of Ghorab,
the old and young rejoiced; they passed those days
in the greatest delight, and slaughtered the sheep
and the camels, and filled the goblets with wine,
and they were perfectly happy to the exclusion of
every sorrow. Soon after, Prince Malik clad himself
in the robes of noble-born kings, and his beauty
was more dazzling than the new moon. On this
expedition Antar accompanied him, fearful lest some
enemy should waylay him; and he took ten horsemen
and five of his brothers. They wandered through
the Arab dwellings till they reached the tribe of
Ghorab, and Prince Malik dismounted at the marriage
canopy, his brothers also alighting round the
tent. The feast immediately commenced; the damsels
waved the cymbals, and the horsemen flourished
their swords; exclamations of joy arose, and the
cups went round; and thus they continued till the
laughing day was spent, when the nymph was married
to Malik. All the chiefs and lords of the tribe
soon fell asleep, on account of the watchings and

fatigue; but by morning their joys were converted
into sorrows, and shots were precipitated at them
from arrows, for which there is no surgeon; for
fortune never gives, but it pillages; is never stationary,
but it revolves; is never merry, but it sorrows;
never bestows, but it takes back; never joys,
but it grieves; never sweetens, but it embitters.
Now the cause of the interruption of their happiness
was, that Hadifah, having accepted the composition
for the blood of his son from Cais, returned home.
What hast thou done, son of Beder? exclaimed his
wife; hast thou sold the blood of thy son for things
that have no value? hast thou received, as the price
of his blood, grazing flocks, and forgotten thy infamy
and disgrace amongst every passing Arab?
By God, no more shalt thou be my husband or my
friend; I will never acknowledge a coward for my
husband. Upon this she forbade him her presence
for three days. On the fourth day he entered, and
found her in great grief, the tears rushing down in
torrents, whilst she thus expressed her sorrows:

"Hadifah! thou wilt never be secure from the
foe; thou wilt never be protected from the malignity
of misfortunes. What! has Cais slain my
only one, and hast thou accepted camels and
grazing flocks? Thou hast put on, O Hadifah,
garments of shame and indelible disgrace, even to
thy dying day. Dost thou not dread that thy
foes will say, Hadifah's heart is the heart of a
girl? Away with what Haml, son of Beder, said,

every fated event must take place. Retaliate with
the barbs of the spears, and with the blades of the
thin scimitars; otherwise leave me, that I may
weep day and night in streaming tears. Haply
my death will speedily come, and the penetrating
arrows will overtake me. Shall I ever take to my
love a coward husband, whose life is the baseness of
life? Alas! alas! for my murdered boy—cruelly
murdered. Alas! he was stretched dead on the
desert! Behold the birds of the Erak, how they
mourn, like me, on the tops of the waving
branches! but does the turtle-dove feel an anguish
like my anguish, even when it is dashed down
with the arrows of dispersion? O day of the race!
I shall mourn thee for one who excelled in every
mental virtue. O that thy dawn had never seen
the night, and the face of the full moon had never
been shaded in obscurity! O horses of the race!
that ye had drank of poison, diluted in the purling
streams! that your backs had been weighed down
with the burthens of the firmly-rooted mountains!
for your race has cast a sorrow at me that can
never subside but in death."

At hearing these verses the tears gushed from the
eyes of Hadifah; his regrets increased. (The women
heard these verses, and the shepherds and the horsemen
used to repeat them, and they were called the
exciters of woe). Daughter of my uncle, said he,
I only accepted the compensation by Sinan's advice;
for when he saw the ancient Sheikhs issue forth

against us, and endeavour to make peace between
us, Thy son cannot be recalled, said he to me, and it
will be as well to listen to my advice: thus it is;
take from Cais the compensation, renounce violence
and hostility; then station over Cais and his brothers
some spies and emissaries, till you catch one
of them; kill him, and thus accomplish your designs:
fight them at your pleasure, but just now you cannot
possibly succeed. This conversation took place between
him and me, and ever since we made the
peace, I have had spies stationed over the Absians,
and I will afflict them in one who is the dearest of
the tribe. Thus he continued to soothe her, till
the account of Prince Malik's marriage in the tribe
of Ghorab reached him; and immediately he assembled
his brothers Awef and Handhala, to whom
he communicated Malik's situation; but not a word
would he say to his brother Haml, because he was
aware he would not obey him in such a project.
His brothers assented, and they set out with seventy
horsemen of the tribe as soon as it was dark (but in
his great exultation Hadifah forgot to ask his informant
whether Antar had accompanied Malik).
They travelled over the wilds till they reached the
tribe of Ghorab by morning, and they found them
all asleep. Hadifah observed the nuptial canopy
apart from the tents; he made towards it, and the
horsemen encompassed him, preceded by his brothers.
As the horses galloped forward the slaves
started up, and the earth far and wide was in commotion.
Shouts arose among the horsemen. Antar
sprang upon his stallion, and the tribe of Ghorab
mounted in all fifty horsemen, old and young.
Antar was the foremost in the contest; and when
he saw the men, he knew, beyond a doubt, they
were of the tribe of Fazarah: he soon recognized
Hadifah and his brothers; Hola! O Ebe Hijar, he
cried, this day will I bring down destruction upon
thee; it was for such a day as this that I have waited.
I must indeed appease the anguish of my bosom on
ye all, ye wretches! He shouted at the horsemen
and assailed them, playing away his spear through
their sides; Abjer, under him, hastened down, like
a torrent, rushing against the horses. But Hadifah,
beholding his exploits, was afraid lest he should fail
in his attempt; he determined, however, to avail
himself of the opportunity; he burst into the nuptial
canopy, there to slay Malik, and make his friends
mourn for him. Whilst he was forming this resolve,
lo! Malik rushed out upon him. He was scarcely
awaked from sleep, immersed as he had been in the
sweetest of enjoyments. He was also intoxicated,
and his garments were scented with musk and saffron.
As he beheld Hadifah, and the horsemen
prepared to attack him, he was inflamed with ardour,
and a foolish pride worked through him. Moreover,
being anxious to exhibit to his bride a proof of his
courage, he mounted his horse, he snatched up his
spear, and he assaulted in his arrogance, making at
Hadifah and his brothers, and crying out, I am
Malik, son of Zoheir! He shouted on his steed;
he was intoxicated, and his hand being unable to
direct the bridle, his horse precipitated him to the
ground. He attempted to arise in the excess of his
spirit, but Hadifah overtook him on his mare, and
smote him with his sword on his skull, and the instrument
descended half way down his body. Convinced
that he had killed him, he returned to his
comrades, crying out, O retaliation of grief! But
being afraid of Antar, and well aware were he to
find him he would make him drink of a violent
death, he fled in haste home, and his fury subsided.

He left Antar occupied with the remainder of the
Fazareans, and no one followed him, but those who
were more immediately about him. The party opposed
to Antar were soon diminished, and most of
them being slain, he returned to Malik, just to see him
in the agonies of death, where he was lying bathed
in blood in front of his horse. At this sight he
screamed and threw himself upon him: he smote
himself with his hands like a woman deprived of
her children. O full moon of perfection! he exclaimed,
never, never did I imagine such would be thy end.
And he let his head fall upon his knees; he kissed
his face till he nearly swooned upon his body; and
his tears streamed over Malik's cheeks, who at last
just opened his eyes. He attempted to speak and
move his lips, but he could not, so violent was the
fate that had fallen upon him; he could only point
with his fingers towards him; he bade him farewell,

and his spirit groaned in the excess of agony. Antar's
afflictions became more vehement; and whilst
they were in this state, behold! Malik's bride
rushed forth, her face uncovered, her hair dishevelled,
and surrounded by a number of women and
high-bosomed damsels beating their breasts and
throwing dust upon their heads. Malik's bride
smote her cheeks with her hands: and when she
reached the death-place of her husband, she thus
spoke:

"I will weep for thee, not in festivities or nuptials,
but in spears, and swords, and shields. I
will weep for him who is gone, and has abandoned
me after having become my husband. I will
weep for him who is gone and made me heir to
interminable grief, even to the end of time. I
will weep for the full moon, whose light is fled,
whose glory is eclipsed and destroyed. Alas!
my lord has vanished from me; he has left me a
solitary being; he is concealed from me in the
darkness of the grave. I am left forlorn in the
morning to mourn my beloved, whom I knew but
yesterday. I will weep for him: I will mourn
for him as long as the moon of heaven and the
sun shall shine. No joy shall ever again please
me; never again shall my soul be at ease. I will
weep for my lord; I will grieve for him who has
widowed me on my marriage morn. O that before
his dissolution I had drank of the cup of
death in my soul. I will make fortune and the

world weep in concert with me for my beloved,
or my senses must be annihilated. Never will I
cease to mourn him in sorrowing strains, as long
as the bird of the Erak shall pour its piteous
notes."

Malik's bride did not cease till Malik, with a
sigh, expired, and he was united to his God.
Antar wrapped him up in his clothes, and tying
him on the back of his horse, took him away; and
as he sought the land of Abs, he thus exclaimed:

"Alas! O raven hastening in thy flight, send me
thy wings, for I have lost my support. Is it true
that I have seen the day of Malik's death and
murder, or has it befallen me in a dream? The
light of day is darkened in grief for the youth,
the hero of Abs and of Ghiftan. O that Ghabra
had never been! that Dahis had never been!—
that the day had never been, when that wager
was made! O it was a day black in look, harsh
and stern, the night wanderers of evil might dread
its calamity. O by God! my eyes will ever be
ulcered on his account in ever streaming tears,
till the moment I see the bones of Hadifah dispersed,
and death close upon him. Alas! my
force is weakened; I am weighed down by misfortune,
and my heart is in continued palpitation
for him who was my strength whenever the foes
unsheathed their swords against me to cut off my
fingers. Now he is gone, who will be our defence
when the nocturnal invaders shall surprise

us? O woe is me! how fell he from his horse,
and my sword and my spear were not near him?
The fated arrow of the all-bounteous Archer cast
him down. O that when it cast him down, it
had cast me down too! O that my soul had bade
farewell, and that his hands had not beckoned to
me a double adieu! Alas! his kindnesses, were I
to comment on them, my tongue would fail ere I
could repeat them. I swear I will not sleep from
taking vengeance! I will not repose, but on the
back of my stallion. Never shall my sword cease
to cleave those Fazareans, till the desert be converted
into a sea of crimson blood. Sons of
Beder! your power will not be the strongest
when we join the plain in the day of spear-thrusts!
if I do not make blood flow on account of Malik,
and leave his foes in the mansions of disgrace,
may my heart never cease, night and day, to
repeat to me what has oppressed it, and cast me
down. Soon will I extirpate the sons of Beder
and all Fazarah; for I shall never have succeeded
in my hopes, unless I accomplish my project
in retaliating with the thrust of my spear and the
blow of my sword."

Antar returned to the tents, and there were only
fifty of his horsemen and Malik's two brothers that
had escaped, and they endured what no one ever
endured before, so that they were nearly dead with
grief. And as they approached the dwellings, Cais
met them with the whole tribe in tears and mourning;

his mother Temadhur smote her bosom, till
she came close to her son, who was tied on the
horse's back; and the land of the tribe of Abs was
in universal convulsion. Cais wished to bury
Malik, but his mother would not permit him. I
will not bury my son till to-morrow, said she; I will
go to our foe, and I will demand the blood of my
son of the family of Beder, or never will the flame
of my heart be quenched. We will never allow
thee to do such an act, my mother, said Cais; we
will not let thee go to our enemies, but we will go
with our sharp-edged swords, and our tall spears,
and our sturdy warriors. We will have vengeance
for our brother, perfidiously murdered, and all the
family of Beder will I put to death. Thus they
entered the dwellings, and continued their grief
and lamentation, insensible to all consolation for
Malik.

As to Hadifah, when he returned to the tribe of
Fazarah, he had but few of his companions remaining.
Sinan met him, for it was he who contrived
these projects, till this eventful disaster
befel the tribe of Abs. His brother Haml and
Rebia also met him. Well, said Sinan, hast thou
effected the deed that we planned? We have sought
the bird, and have chased it, said Hadifah, and
when we had chased it, we sacrificed it. Oh! Hadifah,
said Rebia, tell me the meaning of these
words, for my anxiety is extreme, and I know you
have nothing concealed from me. O Rebia, said

he, we must inform you; thus it is, we have slain
Malik, son of King Zoheir. On hearing this, the
light became darkened in the eyes of Rebia. Verily,
cried he, you have passed all bounds in your
perfidy. O son of Beder; of evil omen will be this
murder; frightful indeed will be the consummation
of this deed. Son of Zeead, said Hadifah, as his spirit
was roused against him, there is no evil but near
thee and the tribe of Abs. By the faith of a noble
Arab, were there not engagements and sacred
rights between us, I would make thy head fly off
with this sword; thou son of ordure, what means
this talk? Begone from us, whence thou camest
in an unlucky hour, and be again of the filth of thy
tribe; and turning his bridle, he sought his own
dwelling. As to Rebia, he went back to his brothers,
and his mind felt relieved. He told them
of the murder of Malik, and of Hadifah's actions,
adding, This is the reward of him who abandons
his relations, and takes refuge with strangers. He
then made his preparations for departure, he and
his brothers, and all that belonged to his family,
and only waited till the sunset, when they set out
for the land of the Absians. Approaching the tents,
they perceived the whole population in confusion,
with cries, and the Absians wandering over the
desert. They had deposited Malik in the tomb,
and the women were screaming in their tears. Rebia
dismounted, and threw away his turban off his head,
and tore all the garments he had on (his brothers
doing the same), and there was not one but whose
grief was excessive, and sobs incessant. Rebia
came up to the grave; he threw himself upon it,
and embraced it; and as his sorrow, and tears,
and sighs, and lamentations augmented, he thus
spoke:

"O unexpected misery! O mind-distracting calamity!
O misfortune! when I think of it, the
light and darkness are one to me. O my eyelids!
perhaps ye will aid me in my grief, for to me all
joy would be sacrilege. Aid me then, for I have
lost a youth, the age could not boast of such another.
O, I marvel how Malik could be encompassed
in a tomb, and thus be hid, for he was
a full moon! the crown of Abs! its glory! its
defence! its honour! its spear! and its sword!
Aid me then with eagerness, O my friends, sleep
not in vengeance for Malik. I swear by the
sacred wall, and the shrine of truth, and also by
Zemzem, and the Lord of the Temple, that I
will not permit the retaliation of Malik to pass
away, were I even, in its results, to drink of the
cup of death."

[5] When Rebia had finished, torrents of tears
gushed from his eyes; he and his brothers hastened

to King Cais and embraced him, excusing themselves
to him, and complaining of what they had
experienced in their absence. After condoling with
Cais, they repaired to Antar. Antar was seated by
Malik's tomb, his head hanging over his knees. As
Rebia drew near, he met him, and stood up, kissing
his hand, and clearing their hearts of sorrow, and
they all vowed to take retaliation for Malik. Rebia
gave orders to his slaves, and they brought him
twenty camels, which he distributed amongst the
poor and the orphans, having first slaughtered them
on the tomb of Malik. But King Cais's heart revolted
at Rebia, for he was full of deceit and
cunning, and he wished to put his friendship to the
test. Waiting till night came on, he summoned
one of his maidens, called Bedrah, and said to her,
Hie thee to the dwellings of Rebia, and conceal thyself
among the tents; quit him not till he is alone
with his wife and asleep; listen to their conversation,
for I fear again we shall be annoyed by Rebia's
stratagems, and all our tranquillity vanish and be
lost. The maiden set out, and stopping among the
tents, she concealed herself among the baggage-camels;
and when it was bed-time, Rebia came and
laid himself down to repose. And as he was lying
on his bed, his wife came unto him, and was about
to take off her clothes and sleep by his side; but he
cried out to her, Begone from me! the sorrows and
anguish I endure, suffice me; after the murder of
Malik, what has a man to do with woman? Then as
his regrets increased, he thus spoke:

"Sleep is forbidden; for how bitter is the past
through fear of some evil tidings at hand. O, it is
an event to delight the hearts of our foes; it is the
road of mortals that turns the hair grey. For him in
the evening, women are in tears, and in agonies of
grief they remain with those that watch. What!
after the murder of Malik, son of our Zoheir,
does woman desire the results of marriage? He
who joys in the assassination of Malik, let him
come to our tribe by the light of day; he will find
the women full of sorrow, grieving for him in the
morning, before the dawn is illumined. They would
conceal their faces, and cover themselves, but in
the day they return to be seen by spectators.
They scratch their faces for the youth—pure as
the fountain stream—our intrepid Knight—the
emblem of joy—the high-minded hero—the protector
of our women, and the remover of all
shame. When we adhered to him, we adhered
to a horseman, firm and resolute in the scene of
battles. I see nought for his murder among the
tribes, but the camels loaded with pack-saddles.
Knights, the rust of the sword is on them, as if
the steel were smeared with pitch; let every horse
of our steeds be led out, tractable, well-trained,
undaunted; that we may raise at Moreicab a dusty
war, and make them drink of cups of predition.

He who joys in the murder of Malik, let him drink
of it at the edge of the deadly scimitar. Soon ye
shall know, if we once meet with the sword and
the spear, fraught with peril, who can caper his
high-blooded steed over the heads, and who will
gnaw his nails in shame. Do ye think we will
abandon Malik? No! by the God of the Shrine,
and secrecy! till we have exterminated your chiefs
to revenge him. O Haml, and your knights! O
Ebe Hidjar! O Absian Antar, charge over their
lands—God forbid thou shouldst forget retaliation
for Malik. O Aboolfawaris! never let the invasion
cease with the sabre, till they haste away in
flight. Show them the spear-thrust and the sword-blow:
Oh, slay for Malik the whole tribe of those
wretches! O Aboolfawaris, let there not be one
in their land to stand forth, or establish himself in
a tent! Sons of Bedr—ye shall not drink of the
cup of shame, but of the burning water of liquid
fire. O Cais, destroy them all for Malik, and remove
the dishonour with the murder of Hadifah!
Kill Haml for him and Awef; let the flints of war
strike fire in retaliation, and I too will to-morrow
extirpate them, and will pierce them with the
mortal spear. I will abandon the carcasses as
carrion on the desert, as if they had drank of the
wine of calamity. If I do not execute my word,
then am I the offspring of illegitimacy, and a mine
of infamy."

The damsel instantly quitted the dwellings in the

obscurity, and joined King Cais, to inform him of
the beautiful rhymes she had heard; and he was
delighted at the purity of Rebia's intentions.

When it was day, King Cais went out to the tomb
of his brother; thither also came the chiefs of the
tribe, and Rebia, and his brothers, and all his dependants.
Cais welcomed him, and showed him
great honour. Here they remained three days, but
on the fourth day they assembled to consult, and
they resolved on marching; they sought for Antar,
but he was not to be found; no tidings of him whatever.
This was a grievous blow, and his anguish
was renewed; for he thought, he was enraged at
the arrival of Rebia. He remained in deep melancholy
till the forenoon, when behold, a dust from the
quarter of the tribe of Fazarah arose. The Absians
were confounded, till the dust clearing away, there
appeared from beneath it he and she camels marching
along, and howdahs, and an immense quantity
of cattle. Cais was amazed, and galloped towards
it to learn what it meant, followed by the horsemen;
and as they came near to it, lo! it was Antar.

Cais advanced, and inquired what was the matter:
O my lord, said Antar, as he wept for Malik, and
sobbed, truly, I have pursued the track of the villains,
and I have in some measure had retaliation
for thy brother. Soon will the tribe of Fazarah
come against thee; be prepared for the contest;
brace up thy resolution, and summon thy men.
This is thy brother's property, which he had sent as

the dower of his bride to the tribe of Ghorab; and
it is come into my possession by the will of God. I
have slain ten horsemen of Fazarah, and amongst
them Awef, Hadifah's brother. Last night, my lord,
I watched till midnight, when I fell asleep, and lo!
my lord, Malik stood before me; and, beckoning
with his fingers, said to me, O Aboolfawaris, dost
thou sleep, and I unrevenged? Hast thou forgotten
our former friendship? Before thee many have
been faithful to their friends; be thou faithful also
to him, who was slain but yesterday: and then he
vanished, whilst the tears trickled down his cheeks.
I instantly awoke from my sleep, and I felt like one
misfortune-struck. I mounted, and took Shiboob
before me, and sought the land of Fazarah, in the
darkness of the night. I heard the noise of camels
ahead of me; I approached them, and saw a hundred
warriors, surrounding them right and left. I
resolved to engage them, but ten of them turned
upon me, the foremost of whom was Awef, Hadifah's
brother, who cried out, I am Awef, son of
Bedr. Overjoyed, I met him with a spear-thrust
through the chest, and it passed through his back.
I pursued the hose to destroy their riders; and I
well know, I slew ten of their heroes, besides the
men I wounded.

The cause of this was, that Hadifah, after his
dispute with Rebia, consulted with his party, and
sent his brother Awef to the tribe of Ghorab, with
one hundred horsemen, saying, Drive hither the

property which Malik sent them, whilst the Absians
are engaged with their sorrows: endeavour to bring
me his bride, that I may rip open her belly, for I
am resolved to destroy them root and branch. Awef
did as he was directed, and effected his purpose.
As to the women, he did not succeed with them, for
they fled to the mountain-tops; but on his return
he encountered Antar, and every vestige of him was
erased; for speedily were ten of his heroes killed.
The fugitives repaired to Hadifah, and as they communicated
his brother's death, his life nearly quitted
his body. He determined instantly to march against
the Absians, but Sinan advised him to collect the
troops of the tribes and the lakes, till Numan's armies
should arrive. In this manner they continued
making preparations for war and battle; and such
was the treachery and stratagem they harboured in
their minds.

As to Antar, he passed his time in his tent, like
a spirit of the night, when lo! Khemisah, Ibla's
handmaiden, came to him and said, O Aboolfawaris,
my mistress sends her compliments to you, and tells
you, that as this is the time of total abandonment to
grief and sorrow, she wishes this night to go with a
party of her cousins to the lake, and she desires you
will go there also, to protect her from the night-wanderers
of the time.

At hearing this, Antar was much delighted and
overjoyed at the fidelity of his mistress's mind under
all circumstances. So he took up his weapons immediately,

whilst Khemisa returned to Ibla, and
informed her of his acquiescence and obedience.
Now it is very remarkable, that Amarah at that
period had stationed his spies over Ibla till that very
night on which she went out to the lake, requesting
her cousin to protect her. Informed by some of the
women of this, Amarah could almost have flown with
joy; but he waited till the darkness obscured the
land, when he quitted the tents, and put on women's
clothes that the hearts of the girls might not revolt
at him. He continued till he came to the lake:
staring about he saw the damsels, and Ibla among
them, like a brilliant moon. At this sight his senses
were in agitation; phrensy and distraction seized
him, and he pounced down upon Ibla like a voracious
eagle. She thought him a woman, but when
she experienced the force of his muscles, she was
aware that he who held her was a man. Fully sensible
of the dishonour and infamy, she cried out in
his face, Who art thou, thou black greasy pot! thou
foulest of hogs? The damsels were aghast and
amazed. I am Amarah, said he, whom you have
repulsed and discarded. Ibla's heart fluttered, in
hopes her cousin might be near her. She roared at
Amarah like a lioness; Thou son of the ordure of
cowards, dost thou not fear Antar?

Antar was a witness of all that passed, for as soon
as Ibla had sent to him, he went out and concealed
himself behind the sand-hills, where he waited till
Ibla came with the girls; and they were amusing
themselves among the hillocks when Amarah started

out. The universe turned black in the eyes of
Antar: he burst forth like a furious leopard, till he
closed on the cuckold Amarah. He roared and
bellowed at him, and seized him by the small of the
belly, and raising him, he dashed him on the ground,
and almost pounded his bones. In the excess of his
terror Amarah was in a most unseemly plight; he
was dying in fear of Antar, who on seeing his ridiculous
situation, laughed in the violence of his rage.
Arise, thou greasy black pot, he cried; mayest thou
never drink of rain, or a drop of moisture, thou
bastard! Were it not out of respect for the women
and thy kindred, I would behead thee with this
sword.

But as to Ibla, when she saw Amarah in such a
filthy state, she spit at him, whilst the women surrounded
him, and laughed at him. Antar, indeed,
would have put him to death, had not this happened
to him, and Ibla also interceded for him. The girls
ran away, roaring with laughter, and he had nothing
for it but to retreat to the lake and take off his
clothes, and wash his legs and his thighs: and thus
he returned home without his clothes, well aware,
too, that this event could not be kept secret from
the tribe, but that the girls would tell it all over the
place; he went to his mother and his brothers,
blubbering most piteously, and told them what had
happened to him. Thou unlucky wight! said Rebia,
what need hadst thou to do this? Verily, thou
hast made us a tale of tales: never can we raise up
our heads to any one again. Never, never, said

Amarah, will I quit the tents again; never will I
let a creature see me—not a walker or a rider, if you
do not retaliate for me, and remove from me this
shame. Oh! that I had thought better of it, and
had left myself dead by the side of the lake! Oh,
that I had not seen myself in so foul a condition!
and Ibla too, she laughed at me, and cursed me, and
stopped her nose at me. Thou accursed fellow, thou
son of an accursed woman, cried Rebia—what retaliation
wouldst thou? The man has not struck thee,
or wounded thee, that we can retaliate for thee:
thou wouldst indeed play the bravo to thy mistress,
and thy plight proves thy courage. But by the past
and future, thank the glorious God that he did not
leave thee dead on the lake side. By God, he has
treated thee nobly; it will be well for thee to abandon
such practices, and talk no more to us of Antar.
The girls will soon lampoon thee in their songs, and
thou wilt be disgraced amongst slaves and chiefs.
Ah, woe! woe! grief of griefs! said Amarah, Antar
will enjoy those charms, those beauties; and I—
this disgraceful situation must ever bespeak my fears.
Rebia still abused him; Thy ill stars will not cease,
he cried, till thou hast worked our total ruin. Avaunt
from before me this instant; let the iniquity of thy
acts suffice us. May God curse the father of thy
mustachioes! Thus Amarah remained, emancipated
by the consequences of his terror, and quitted
his brother's presence.

This circumstance with Ibla soon spread abroad,
and all the women, and men, and girls, and boys,

and slaves, and slave-girls, joined in the laugh against
Amarah, singing these verses, whilst Amarah heard
them. The women and shepherdesses sang them
at their spindles; for there was a girl among the
Absians who could compose verses: she was very
eloquent, so she repeated these verses on Amarah
the cuckold, and they were recollected by all the
women and girls, and they were as follows:

"Amarah, leave alone the beautiful, full-hipped
damsels; let alone all disputes about the lovely
girls, for thou canst not plunge into the sea of
deaths, and thou art no horseman in the day of
battle. Aspire no more to Ibla; if thou dost but
look at her, thou wilt see horrors from the lion of
the forests. As to the thin quivering spear, touch
not its strength, nor the cleaving scimitar. Ibla
is a fawn chased by a lion, with eyes that afflict
with disorder the stoutest in health. Let alone
all contest about her, or the unflinching Antar
will make thee drink of death. Thou didst not
cease thy obstinacy, till thy foul condition gave
evidence against thee. All the girls laughed at
thee; thou wert the carrion of the plains and deserts;
thou wert the common talk of the merry,
and the laughing-stock for every passenger. Thou
camest to us in the robes of dyed silk, thou black
greasy kettle! As thou didst meet us, a lion
met thee, whom all the lion-heroes acknowledge
in the carnage: then fear trembled in thy heart;
intoxication quitted thee, and thou wert restored
to thy senses. Nothing but contempt remained

for thee, when thou didst retire like a dunghill.
Ibla beheld thee laid low, stretched out; and all
the beautiful high-hipped damsels with her. We
held our noses at thee, as we laughed at thee,
and quizzed thee. The Antar of Knights, the
lion of the cave came—he, who in generosity is a
sea of liberality; and thou art the vilest of all
those that ever crossed a horse—the noblest of
those who are tenacious of their lives. We are
like the sweetest flowerets; scented like the violets
and the camomile; and Ibla amongst us is like
the branch of the tamarisk: her beauty is the full
moon, and the sun of the desert. Thou wouldst
possess her by violence and outrage—thou, the
vilest of all the dogs that bark. Die in grief,
otherwise live in contempt; for never, never, will
there be an end of our lampoons upon thee."

These verses were soon made public amongst the
women and young girls, who used to sing them at
their spindles. Amarah and his brothers heard
them, and they melted from rage and shame.

About this time arrived a slave from Mootegeredah
to Cais, announcing fresh troubles and disasters, and
saying, Numan has sent against you his brother
Aswad, and with him an innumerable army, among
which are the tribe of Aamir, with the Brandisher
of Spears, and the tribe of Darem with Locait. Be
on your guard also against the tribe of Fazarah, for
they are assembling bodily against you, and are preparing
to fight you. The cause of this new misfortune
was the contemptible Sinan; for he despatched

the men he had with him to King Numan, directing
them to inform him of what had passed, and the
disgrace and indignities he had suffered from the
tribe of Abs and Adnan, and that Antar had said,
Were Chosroe Nushirvan, or the Emperor of the
Worshippers of the Cross to demand Harith, I would
not deliver up to any of them even a single hair of
his head, till after the contest of swords that blinds
the sight, and mangles bodies.

Numan's fury increased, and his two eyes were
like fire-balls. As long as this tribe exists in the
desert, he cried, I shall have no authority. I shall
enjoy no esteem, no consideration with any one.
He at the instant summoned Prince Aswad, and
told him what had happened, and was preparing,
adding, The tribe of Abs is harbouring against me
acts of iniquity and perverseness. Harith is now
with Antar, and he presumes to protect him against
me, and he fears me not, knowing as he does, that
Harith slew my child, and has set my heart on fire,
and that he also murdered Khalid in my private
apartments; it is incumbent on me to tear out
every vestige of him, and of the tribe of Abs, were
they even to fly from me to the rising of the sun.
Know, my brother, said Aswad, much troubled,
that as this tribe has committed acts of rapacity
against your government, your influence is diminished;
and there is no other expedient, but that
you unburthen your heart of your enemies, and
despatch an army with me to be employed in the
establishment of your sacred dignity. Draw forth

all the Arabs from every quarter against them, and
let us devastate their whole country.

Numan felt his pains relieved; he ordered out,
under his command, an army of twenty thousand
horse, and he sent messengers to every Arab tribe
to enforce their obedience, ordering them to march
in his service. Mootegeredah was much distressed,
and was alarmed for the tribe of Abs and her brother;
and as Numan had already cast her off, and
had renounced all affection for her from the time he
had heard of her delivering Harith from his grasp,
she sent one of her slaves to her brother to inform
him of what was preparing. Aswad is proceeding
against you, said she, with twenty thousand warriors,
armed with sharp swords and spears, besides
the hordes to which messengers are despatched.
Aswad exhibited all his active zeal; he felt strong-hearted
as to the tribe of Fazarah, and he depended
upon them above all. As to King Cais, as soon as
the messenger arrived, as we mentioned, and related
the march of Prince Aswad, he was greatly alarmed;
he summoned the noble Absian Chiefs, and the
dreadful Antar, and consulted with them about engaging
Prince Aswad. May it be easy on thee,
O King, said the Chiefs; we will march with thee,
and before thee, and we will not be sparing of our
lives for thee: we will meet Aswad, were all that
dwell on the waste and the wilds with him. O
King, said Harith, it is for those condemned to die
that I should weep and lament. I am the object of
this wrath. I am he who is the cause of these wars.

But I will instantly write to my tribe of Marah,
and I will show thee what I will do with this Aswad
and his armies. No, by the faith of an Arab, said
Antar, we require not thy aid in this affair. We
are sufficient for the whole universe, were I not
alarmed for our families at the treachery of the tribe
of Fazarah, that they would, during our absence,
invade our lands, and capture our families, and
plunder our property. But let us instantly proceed
against them, and let us scatter them over every
wild and plain, or else let us make Hadifah swear
he will not be either for us or against us. In such
circumstances and calamities, this is the wisest plan;
for if the sons of Beder are not fettered down by
us, they will occupy our hearts in the hour of
battle. When Antar had finished, he cried out,
To arms, my cousins! come on to the tribe of
Fazarah! retaliate on them! Thus saying, he
sprang on the back of Abjer. And when the Absians
heard what he said, and saw what he did, they
followed him, and amongst the foremost was King
Cais. They set out, resolved on fighting the tribe
of Fazarah, amounting to four thousand horsemen,
mailed and clothed in armour, undaunted at death,
and fearless of defeat.

Hadifah was confounded; he called out to his
tribe and his assembled host; they put on their
armour and their brilliant corslets, seeking the
battle and the combat, life and death being indifferent
to them; in number about ten thousand
horsemen, headed by Hadifah, an adept in perfidy

and treachery. He was mounted on Ghabra, and
in his hand he bore his tall spear; but his heart
and mind were on fire, as he thus encouraged his
troops:

"Sons of Beder, if ye do not exert your whole
souls in the field of battle with the cleaving scimitars,
the arrows of infamy will hurl ye down
on every side, and ye will become a common tale
to the ear. What! can our eyes know rest now
my brother Awef is gone? Shall our eyelids
swoon in sleep on the couch of ease? We were
content with the murder of Malik from the Absians,
and copious tears ulcerated their eyes: they
have grieved, but they have tortured my heart by
the murder of the warrior; and the death of A wef
is the severest of pains. O, may I lose the spirited
horsemen, and may my fingers be unable to
move the spear in the hot contest, if I do not
leave the land of Abs a desert, and their women
captives, deprived of their garments. I will wreak
my vengeance on all the tribe of Abs, and no intercessor
shall avail them."

The tribes soon came in sight of each other, and
they met on a sand-hill called Moreicab. When
their eyes encountered, the shouts arose, so that
both armies were startled. The Absians cried out,
Vengeance! retaliation for Malik! The Fazareans
cried out, Retaliation for the slaughtering knight!
In the excess of their rage and rancour, there was
not one but rushed on and shouted; the horses
crushed against each other and neighed—the men

launched forward, and then burst asunder—long
lasted the sword-blow—the combat was fierce—
misfortune and calamity were at their height—the
troops were mingled together—ambition was roused
—swords clashed—every drinker was glutted with
the wine of agitation—clouds of dust mounted east
and west—horrors and wonders were exhibited by
the Chief Antar. He succeeded in his wishes against
the foe—he overpowered them with the force of a
tyrant, never seen in later days—the dead fell singly
and in couples—blood gushed from the jugular
veins—reproach and pretences were in vain—the
universal bray and din grew more terrific among the
warriors—what a frightful day! The horses tossed
about the skulls of the dead, and the warriors were
disgusted with their corslets and mail—the mace
and battle-axe laboured among them—every fierce
hero roared, and the day was dreadful, as one, who
has described it, thus says:

"The millstones of war revolved in death, and
warriors were pounded by them. Heroes were
hurled dead on the field, where many knights lay
stretched out. Swords cleaved every joint, and
spears rent open the bowels. The blow of the
battle-axe dashed off the eyebrows, as the arrows
tore out the eyeballs. In the scene of carnage
were heard echoes from the blows of the
sword edge against the skulls of the combatants.
Breast-plates were shivered by the spears, and
the pierce of the lance rent through all opposition.
In every direction heroes lay dead, felled low in

every plain. Hands and legs were cut off on opposite
sides, and heads flew off from the branch-tops.
The steeds galloped over the plain, whose
brave riders were disgraced, hacked to pieces.
The eagles of the air hovered over them, pouncing
upon them to pluck out their eyes. The coward
fled openly, and ran away alarmed at his very
imagination. The courageous in war bellowed
like wild beasts, and resembled contending lions.
The messengers of death prowled about for lives,
and separated families from their children. The
cup-bearer of death circled every glass to the
chieftains that intoxicated them for ever. The
swords rang a tune, at which every warrior rejoiced
in his glory. Men were dotted about, and
rushed promiscuously to the fight. The chargers
of the combatants pranced in sport, and charged
incessantly over the back of the earth. The
dancers started up, and every tribe had recourse
to all its manœuvres. Antar, the knight of
knights, kindled the hell-fire on the day of the
combat of the armed warriors. He rushed upon
the foe, and extirpated the chieftains that remained
as pledges of his victory—he dispersed—
he drove them stupefied away, great and noble
as they were. He captured the first of their
tribes and princes clothed in iron. He protected
the chieftains of the race of Abs, who exhibited
their martial feats in the field. Every instant he
left a foe dead—he every moment defended those
he loved. The Chiefs of Adnan were enconraged;
they persevered in their exertions and their
achievements."

The battle continued to rage, and the eagles of
death to hover over their heads; every spot and
place was darkened—man and beast were exhausted
by the fall of the spear and the sabre. They persisted
in this horrid contest till evening came on,
when the two armies separated, the whole country
being crammed with the dead. The greatest number
were of the tribe of Fazarah, for Antar cut
through them, and he relieved his heart amongst
them on account of the murder of Prince Malik. He
retired towards evening, and the blood was coagulated
on his shoulders, like camel's livers. The
Absians descended to a retired spot, exulting in the
intrepidity of Antar, and what he had done that
dusty day, among the Fazareans; and as they counted
the dead, they amounted to thirty, all stern-faced
warriors. O Ebe-ool-Ebyez, said he to Oorwah, in
one day then, thirty of us have been slain by the
tribe of Fazarah. By the faith of an Arab, tomorrow
I will not permit any one to anticipate me
in the field, and the theatre of sword-blows and
spear-thrusts: I will myself challenge them. O
Aboolfawaris, said Oorwah, mayst thou be ever protected
from harm; if the Fazareans have slain thirty
of us, we have filled the tombs with their dead, who
cannot be less than a thousand horsemen and warriors;
and to-morrow, by the grace of the Almighty
Forgiver, we will entirely crush them. Thus they
went to rest, establishing guards round the plain,

till morning dawned, when the troops being drawn
up, Antar wished to start into the field of battle.
But an Absian, called the Sheikh Makzoom, advanced.
O Aboolfawaris, said he, I ask thee, in the
name of the two eyes of Ibla, daughter of Malik, to
permit me to open the door of the battle, and to
relieve my heart amongst the tribe of Fazarah, by
the force of my thrust and my blow. Antar was
ashamed at his adjuring him, so he said, On then,
do what you please, O Sheikh, and should your
antagonist refuse to fight, point him out to me, that
I may show you wonders: and the Sheikh stood
forth between the two lines; he galloped and charged.
Come on, O tribe of Fazarah, he cried. On to the
contest! ye shepherds, ye who are the slaves and
herdsmen of the tribe of Abs. The Sheikh Makhzoom
had not finished his speech, when Malik,
Hadifah's brother, stood before him. Eh! thou
son of a cuckold, said he, when were the Fazareans
thy shepherds? and instantly he attacked him. The
Sheikh Makhzoom met him, and charged with him
for an hour; but fatigue soon falling on his limbs,
Malik, son of Beder, shouted at him, and smote him
with his sword on the side of the neck, and gave
him a dreadful wound. So he wheeled round and
fled, his neck bathed in blood, and pursued with
hisses from the tribe of Fazarah. Eh! thou contemptible
Sheikh, cried Antar, thou foul dog! what
did such a coward as thyself mean by adjuring me
in the name of the eyes of Ibla, daughter of Malik?
By the faith of an Arab, were there not between
thee and me some kindred, I would make thee drink
of perdition. He quitted him for the battle, and
when he came nigh to the Fazarean ranks, Eh!
sons of Beder, he exclaimed, what honour is there
in sallying forth against an old Sheikh, whom age
has bent double? But there is honour in attacking
one like Antar, and in subduing him under the dust;
let me wreak my vengeance for my lord; I will
show you a scene of battle like sparks of fire, and
he thus recited:

"O sons of Beder, come on to the contest; unsheath
before us the sharp scimitar. Ye have
acted foully, and treachery shall root out every
vestige of ye, and shall orphan your children. Ye
have followed Hadifah, and ye think that he knows
how to guide ye on the desert course. He has
contradicted what his brother asserted, for he
thought peace and perfidy were alike. Ye have
slain Malik, and he was noble. Ye struck Dahis,
and he was of generous blood. Ye have outraged
us, and ye claimed the bet. Was that pretension
not an act of violence? Ye have acted foully in
every deed. All of ye have acted perfidiously—
deep are ye in depravity. Behold the sword that
destroyed the foul dealer Pharaoh, and before
him Themood, and Aad. Now, meet the reward
of your deeds, and taste of speedy death."

Not one of the tribe of Fazarah dared to answer;
so he assaulted the right like an eagle: he charged
them like an all-powerful lion. A gain he challenged,
but no one would sally forth against him. He

assaulted the left; he rolled round them, as a revolving
millstone, and slew multitudes. He again
returned into the open plain. Eh! O sons of Beder,
he shouted out, cannot ye ride? Cannot ye fight?
Cannot ye speak? And will ye not fly? What! think
ye after your treachery to the tribe of Abs, that ye
shall escape? Come on—on to the fight; if ye are
as ye pretend to be, warriors. It is I who slew
your brother Awef; I filled your hearts with terror
and dismay. At these words, Hadifah's heart was
still more infuriated, and he wished to stand forth;
when lo! a knight called Akhtal, son of Sohab,
anticipated him; and he was one of the grandees of
Fazarah. Eh! thou ordure-born, cried he at Antar,
we are come to enjoy the battle; but is there no
reason for our declining to contend with thee? Thou
canst not know who we are—we cannot combat with
a slave, and then presume to seat ourselves among
the noble horsemen. As Antar halted to listen to
his antagonist, he burst into a loud laugh, and going
up to Akhtal, Eh! thou son of a harlot, said he,
why art thou ashamed at a black outside, which the
Omniscient has created? And thus saying, he rushed
at him, and began the contest of thrusts and blows,
till, perceiving his adversary give way, he roared at
him, in a voice like the thunder in a cloud—it terrified
him, and paralysed all his efforts; he smote him
under the jaw, and severed his head from his shoulders.
The Absians gave a shout of exultation; but
the tribe of Fazarah was confounded and stupefied.
As Antar continued to gallop and charge, the brother
of the dead started forth, whilst the tears streamed
down his cheeks. Antar would not permit him even
to wheel once, but he thrust at him with the head of
his spear, and hurled him off his horse. It was then
Hadifah gave a shout, and throwing his helmet off
his head, he roared aloud and attacked, followed
by the tribe of Fazarah. Antar met them as the
parched land the first of the rain. Whatever he
smote he dissected—at whomever he thrust, he hurled
dead; and when the horse hemmed him in, his roar
drove them back on their haunches, and made them
hurl their riders off their backs. Seeing what the
Fazareans had done, and how foully they had acted
by Antar, King Cais shouted to the Absians, and
they attacked as he attacked, and they did as he did.
Men met men, and heroes heroes—blood flowed,
and streamed—limbs were hewn off. How many
brave men were precipitated from their horses! the
day was imperceptible—the heroes roared—the
warriors still advanced—the cowards fled—spears
were shivered—hearts were rent open—heads were
cut in twain—blood gushed out—warriors were slain
in troops—and it was a scene of calamities, that
staggered the imagination. How many necks were
severed! how many old and young were slaughtered!
The action continued, till night advancing with obscurity,
the two armies desisted from the blow of the
sword; and Hadifah alighted. Bewildered as to
what he should do, he sent for Sinan to consult.
My son, said he, I feared this event; I told you
not to fight the Absians till the armies of King
Numan should come. Their arrival is at hand.
The Absians will never be subdued as long as this
black slave of a cuckold is with them. The best
plan for us is, to fortify ourselves in the mountains.
If not, to-morrow you must start forth between the
two ranks, and challenge Cais and his brothers to the
combat, that I may show you what I can effect by
art and stratagem. Hadifah acquiesced in this
project, and early next day he mounted Ghabra,
the cause of all these troubles, and hastened over
the plain, galloping and charging, and challenging
to the contest, and shouting, O tribe of Abs, know,
a tribe should not forsake truth, and he is the best
of men who distinguishes justice and follows it.
This is an affair that has resulted from the race of
Dahis and Ghabra; and now, O Cais, here are you
and I; between us was the wager. We are the
persons who have excited this disturbance among the
warriors. Belonging to me and you have been slain
persons most dear to us. Let us not permit, O Cais,
the women to complain of us; but let us extinguish
the war with our lives; let us appease our hearts
with our swords and the barbs of our spears. King
Cais being alarmed, lest he should be blamed and
upbraided, left one of his brothers at his post, and
with the rest issued forth to the plain. But no
sooner saw Antar what the sons of Zoheir were
doing, than he advanced towards Cais. O my lord,
said he, why do you thus stand forth to the contest
whilst your slave Antar is able to answer your foes
in your presence? The man, replied Cais, has complained
to me in the name of justice; and were I
not to reply to his demand, the Arabs, far and near,
would be scandalized at me. Antar, at these words,
retired abashed; but the sons of Zoheir rushed
upon the sons of Beder. Men met men, and heroes
heroes; but the spear-thrust had not commenced
against them, when Sinan, accompanied with the
Sheiks of the tribe of Fazarah, all bare-headed, came
forth. Disgrace to the tribes of Fazarah and Dibyan,
they cried, woe to the tribes of Abs and Adnan!
May God be on ye! O people, may the descent of
our grandfathers and progenitors not be cut off!
renounce this outrage—this malice; ride not over
the paths of perverseness and dissension; haste not
to destroy your lives with the sharp swords; let not
your names live amongst posterity for iniquity and
sedition! Sheath then the swords of violence and
oppression, for they are still sharper than the
sharpest scimitar; and consider how many warriors
heretofore have been destroyed by perfidy. Upon
this, they each seized the bridle of a horseman;
they forced him to retire from the spear-thrust and
the sword-blow, and compelled them to peace and
abandonment of obstinacy. Cais was abashed at
their conduct, and acquiesced in their demands,
saying, As to your project, I will not thwart it—as
to your engagement, I assent to it; but on a
condition, that shall be stipulated on your part,
namely: Hadifah shall give us hostages from the
children of the grandees of the Fazarah tribe, to
remain with us till our dispute with Numan is
decided, and moreover, he must swear to us, that
he will be neither for us nor against us; for, as our
enemies are numerous, and as we have no allies or
confederates, we cannot leave in our vicinity persons
who may act against us. When Sinan heard this,
he felt aware that Cais was an experienced man;
but being sensible too, that if he did not agree to
this proposal, his life would be exposed to imminent
hazards, he repaired to Hadifah, and explained
Cais's proposal. My opinion, he continued, is, that
you accept the proposition, otherwise, what havoc
will they make among us! Wait till we find a proper
object for the sword, and till we see the means
and road to victory; for King Numan will assuredly
root out every vestige of this tribe, and will leave
you lords of the highest honours. Thus he brought
about a meeting between him and King Cais, and
they bound themselves by reciprocal oaths. King
Cais then returned home with his horsemen; as did
Sinan and Hadifah also, to the tribe of Fazarah.
But at early dawn, they collected the children of
the horsemen, about two hundred and fifty of the
sons of the chiefs, from the age of five to ten, and
sent them to King Cais, who, on their arrival, accommodated
them with a separate dwelling on one
side of the horde, and whatever they wanted was
supplied in abundance, and not sparingly, and the
whole tribe was greatly delighted at this arrangement.

CHAPTER XXXV.

In the course of a few days, after this was settled,
they received news of Prince Aswad's approach,
swearing he would not leave one of the whole tribe
of Abs alive. Confound his iniquity! cried King
Cais, in great dismay. Alas! Aswad will not leave
in our dwellings ten men to grind the wheat and
barley, or milk the sheep. He summoned Antar
and the chief warriors to his presence, and relating
to them what he had heard, he requested their advice.
O king, said Harith, may you be protected
from every peril! Know that this expedition is on
my account: I am the object, and these armies are
only advancing in quest of me. On me devolves
the duty of encountering them. It is I must patiently
endure their chastisements: but to-morrow
I will go and meet them; and by the faith of noble
Arabs, men of integrity, word, and honour, I will
not go against them but with ten men alone. I
will encounter this Aswad and his warriors, and I
will scatter them right and left. No, said Antar,
we will not go but in a body to engage Aswad, and
we will fight in thy presence with our well-tried
swords till not a breath remains. O great king,
added Antar, addressing Cais, what means this
waiting for further news? the foe is at hand. March

with us against him, that we may extirpate him,
root and branch, before the hoofs of their horses
trample down our lands. Upon this, Harith wrote
a letter to his brother Cosoorah, telling him to join
him with the warriors of the tribe of Marah; and
he despatched the letter with one of his own horsemen.
As to King Cais, he sent forward a thousand
men as the advance of his army, and also commissioned
some one to go to the tribe of Ghiftan to demand
their assistance in this crisis; and they came
with a thousand lion warriors, and Antar's nephew
Hatal, whom the king left to protect the women and
property.

As to Prince Aswad, he was marching with
armies over the desert, when a ferocious lion, of the
size of a bull and bigger, crouched among the rocks,
appeared before them, roaring and bellowing at the
troops: the men retreated from its presence, and
the warriors stood still. The troops continued at a
halt till Prince Aswad arrived with the rear of the
army, and inquired what was the matter? they told
him a lion was in front of them. Ye filth, he cried
in a violent passion, has all this consternation seized
you on account of a lion, the veriest dog of the
waste and wilds? How will you encounter men, or
contend with heroes in the field of battle? He had
not finished his harangue, when a youth, in whom
shone the tokens and evidences of intrepidity, started
forth against the lion. He was one of the sons of
Bekir, son of Wayil: he made towards the lion,
having first thrown away his armour and corslet,

till he remained in his plain clothes with short
sleeves; he tucked them up to his shoulder, and
twisting his skirts round his girdle, he unsheathed
his broad sword, and brandished it in his hand, and
stalked away towards the lion, his heart harder than
a rock of flint; and when he came nigh, he gave a
terrific shout, which the lion hearing, he opened his
mouth like a grappling iron, and clenched his fangs
like a vice, and then collecting himself, as if it were
into a third of his real size, he sprang at him like a
flash of lightning. As soon as the youth was aware
of his intent, he nerved his arm, he strengthened
his wrist, and smote the lion with his sword between
the eyes; the sword continued to work through till
it issued forth between his thighs, and the lion fell
cut in twain. The youth returned to his arms, and
put on his corslet, when lo! the satraps of Prince
Aswad encompassed him, and ordered him to appear
in his presence. Amazed at his courage, he
inquired his descent and parentage, and who were
his Arab connexions? O prince, said the youth, I
am called Jerrah, the Wayilite; and I came to
offer my services to you, hearing of your munificence,
and that you required the attendance of all
the warriors from every tribe: I am at your commands,
that I may show you what may gratify your
sight. Aswad smiled, and ordered him an honorary
robe: he also presented him some generous steeds, but
Jerrah refused the robe and horses, at which Aswad
being exceedingly moved, Eh! young man, said he,
I perceive you refuse my favours and my robe; if
you think the donation small, we will greatly enlarge
it. O noble prince, cried Jerrah, kissing the
ground, and praying for him, I shall have done nothing
in your presence to merit this bounty unless
I can hurl at your feet the head of Antar, son of
Shedad, in quest of whom these troops are marching.
But who is this camel-tender, that you should
on his account assemble these armies and warriors?
O youth, exclaimed Aswad, vastly gratified, and
smiling in joy, if you perform your engagement I
will make you a prince to rule over all your Arabs.
The youth kissed Aswad's hand and retired. O
prince, exclaimed Locait, son of Zararah, this youth
has engaged for himself to slay Antar; I engage to
kill King Cais and all his brothers. After him
came forward the Brandisher of Spears, the knight
of the tribe of Aamir, and promised to slay all the
families of Zeead and Carad. The joy and the
smiles of Prince Aswad were greatly heightened at
these words. O noble Arabs, said he, and I too engage
myself to you to give fifty dinars to every one
who shall bring me a head of those vile Absians.

Thus marched the warriors, promising and expressing
their obligations; and they continued travelling
over the country and mountains in their
way to the land of Abs, till they reached a place
called the land of Mesalik, an extensive waste, and
fraught with dangers; and when they came nigh to
the spot they beheld tents and dwellings, and spears
and swords, and horses and chargers. And these
were the heroes lying in wait for Prince Aswad;

for King Cais, when he quitted home, having sent
on forward the thousand horsemen, marched after
them, and he chanced to meet Cosoorah, Harith's
brother, on the road, who saluting him and kissing
his hand, thanked him for the protection he had
granted to his brother Harith. They continued
their march till they reached this place, where they
had remained three days, and on the fourth came
up Prince Aswad and his armies, and beheld the
Absians, who had anticipated him. He ordered his
troops to halt, saying, Let us send to the Absians
a messenger, that we may hear what King Cais has
to say for himself: if he delivers up Harith, it is
well; otherwise we will attack him with these armies,
which are like the tempestuous seas. Accordingly
he sent a letter to the Absians by a court messenger,
who repaired with it to the Absians, and the first
person he met was the Chief Antar, who conducting
him to King Cais, snatched the letter from him, and
gave it to the King, who opened it, and read it, and
it began thus: Know, O Cais, that my brother,
whose command is to be obeyed in every quarter,
and under whose subjection you have been exalted,
thus says, if you wish to accommodate this business,
and to be thanked for all your actions, deliver up
to him Harith, son of Zalim, and make the excuses
of a repentant sinner before your horsemen are
obliged to fly. Know also, that this army, with
which I am, is only the advance of the grand army,
which is following us like the gushing springs. So
agree to this proposal, and be not obstinate and refractory,
or perils will light upon you. Health to
him who obeys and is peaceable, but curses on him
who rebels and makes disturbances! Were this proposal
such as we could accept, said Cais to the messenger,
it would be well; but know, O Arab, we
are a tribe that having once given their words, follow
it up with their actions; and when we have
granted our protection to any one, we secure him
against the events of day and night. Now we have
engaged ourselves to this man, who retaliated for
us on Khalid, son of Giafer, and never can we withhold
our protection from him till our heads fly off
before him. But say to your prince, whose armies
are following him, that this is a point we fear not
and dread not. Return to him, and tell him to renounce
his rapacity, and not to expose himself to
destruction and death; and let him repent of what
he has done. When Antar heard the letter and
the answer, he repented of having let the messenger
escape in safety; but the man slunk away, his senses
in a state of bewilderment. He knew not what to
say till he stood before Aswad, where he shook
in terror, and kept looking behind, repeating to him
the words he had heard. What's behind thee? said
the prince, thou foul-mustachioed fellow! wherefore
dost thou turn about, right and left? O prince, said
he, behind me is violent death and every figured
evil, all comprised in that accursed slave Antar.
By the faith of an Arab, O prince, had not King
Cais kept him off, he would have destroyed me in
the most dreadful of deaths; and now indeed I
should say that he was close behind me listening to
my discourse. Upon this, Aswad smiled from his
heart of rage and passion. Verily, folly and rapacity
have entered these fellows' brains, he cried; remonstrance
has no effect on them, and never will
they feel the value of their lives till the chargers
play over their heads.

It was now evening; so they reposed that night
till day dawned, when the prince mounted at the
door of his pavilion; they elevated above his head
the banners and ensigns, and the armies and nations
rolled on like waves. Prince Aswad had resolved
on drawing up his troops in right and left wings,
but the rapacious Absians gave him not time, for
they had mounted before the rising of the sun, eager
for the battle and combat. Amongst the foremost
was the Chief Antar, and Harith, who was a
blazing flame, with the horsemen of Marah, and his
brother Cosoorah. March with me, said Harith to
his brother, that we may attack the left; and I, said
Antar, will assail the right. They attacked, and
their comrades cast their lives into perils and horrors.
Upon this, shouted the armies of Irak; and
the wilds and the wastes were agitated at their
clamour. The Absian army appeared contemptible
in their eyes, and their minds assured them of conquest;
so they flowed down like the tempestuous
seas, and at their head was Locait, like a hovering
eagle, with his shouts and his roars; also the Brandisher
of Spears attacked with the Aamirites. The
convulsion became more furious; the mountains

tottered; the scimitars laboured against backs and
kidnies; the doors of the sepulchres were opened,
and the decrees of the all-powerful Monarch descended
upon them; the clouds of dust mounted on
high from the trampling of hoofs; the winners were
distinguished from the losers; the portion of the
brave was the most abundant. Horsemen rushed
upon horsemen; the sword and spear were at work
amongst heads and bodies; hands were exhausted;
equals contended; heroes and warriors mangled
each other; the field was too confined; the intoxicated
were sobered; perseverance exerted itself;
artifice and fraud availed not. Fierce were the blows
of the crossing instruments; the brave were hurled
from their saddles. God prospered that memorable
day, defending those whose bodies were cased in
iron: God prospered Antar and the generous Absians
in their slaughter of hundreds and of thousands!
As to Harith, he cut through the people
and the nations, for he was a man of sorely-wounded
spirit; so he fought with the fiercest resolution; he
hacked through the armies in his highly roused
ardour. But though we have already mentioned
his intrepidity, and force, and superiority, nothing
could have carried him through those dreadful
scenes but his sword Zoolhyyat; and his brother
almost equalled him in courage and steadiness; and
had it not been for the numbers of the foe not one
could have stood firm against him, for how great
the difference between the wolf and the sheep, and
between foxes and the lions of the forests! Before
midday blood flowed and streamed; heroes complained
of calamities and sorrows, and what was
before in order was now all in confusion; the form
of death was conspicuous, and prowled about; cups
were poured out of the wine of death; the sword
continued to labour, and blood to gush forth, and
men to slay, and the fire of battle to blaze, till evening
came on; then had Antar massacred the right
with his assaults; he never flagged; and as he retired
with his uncles, his sword was drenched in the
blood of horsemen, and he had appeased his heart
among them in blows and thrusts. Thus also Oorwah,
with his firmness and superiority in arms, and
the other horsemen. Harith too, with his brother
Cosoorah, retired, making their way through the
left till they reached the tents. Darkness having
thrown its veil over the land, Prince Aswad too retired,
but he would not even look at any one, for
he had that day seen terrifying horrors; he had beheld
warriors who feared not death, and who scorned
to yield. When he alighted at his tent, he assembled
his people, and reproached them for their combat,
exclaiming, This is not the battle by which we
shall succeed in our objects; our disorders will not
thus be cured. The Absians are less than six thousand
men, and we amount to forty thousand strong-limbed
warriors; but they have routed our heroes,
and particularly that overpowering slave, whom fire
cannot effect; he alone discomfited the right, and
slew the standard-bearer, and had it not been for
the approach of night he would have assaulted me
beneath the banners; and also that Harith, whom
we are come to seek, he alone cut through the left;
and these are circumstances I did not expect. There
is that tribe of Fazarah too, on which I depended;
I have no news of them; I should say, they had
forfeited my relationship, as the Absians have forfeited
the relationship of my brother. Moreover,
if they thus resist us, they will mangle our reputation,
and will overthrow our glory; our heroes
will be slaughtered; our horsemen be scattered
over the wilds, and no one will have any respect for
us; and behold, they have not fulfilled their engagements;
those horsemen I mean, who made
such fine promises. O dread King, said Locait, be
not distressed; harass not your mind; to-morrow's
night the Absians shall not pass but as your captives.
Our projects against Antar and the dastardly
Absians must succeed, for the warriors who promised
the destruction of the tribe of Abs did not
take part in the engagement; they smote not, neither
did they thrust. Conceal your feelings till tomorrow,
and you shall see what will gratify your
heart; and when they display their courage in
your presence, they will merit your honorary robes
and your favours.

At hearing this, the heart of Aswad was consoled,
and his passion and fury relented: he dissolved
the assembly, and comforted himself. As to
the tribe of Abs and Adnan, when they returned
to the tents, they searched for the killed and
wounded; the former amounted to fifty-one, and

the latter to a hundred and seventy; but they
heard from some one, that of the armies of Irak
were slain three thousand and odd: they were delighted,
and King Cais feeling sure that he had
gained a victory: O my cousins, said he, my heart
prompts me, we shall defeat the foe were they even
as numerous as the sands of the desert, notwithstanding
the slaughter of our horsemen, whose
equals the age cannot produce. We form but a
small tribe, yet to me one of our horsemen is more
valuable than a whole tribe. O King, said Antar,
alm your mind and brighten your eye, to-morrow
I will exhibit death to them. I am aware they will
to-morrow challenge me to the fight. O Aboolfawaris,
said Harith, I will not permit you to do
any thing of the sort, till I and my brother have
drunk of the cup of death. This is a point, said
Antar, that can only be decided to-morrow, and
every one that is called out by name must start
forth to the contest. In this guise they reposed
till day dawned, when the armies being in battle
array, the first that sought the plain was Jerrah,
the Wayilite, for Prince Aswad had ordered his
officers to prevent the tribes from attacking in a
body. Jerrah charged and galloped over the field
of battle, manœuvring upon the back of his swift
horse, till the wits of the wisest were confounded;
and as he advanced towards the Absians; Tribe of
Abs, he cried out in a loud voice, by the faith of an
Arab, ye are the horsemen of destruction and instant
death; were it not so, ye would not oppose
the kings of the age, ye being so few in numbers.
Do ye intend to encounter these armies and warriors?
Foul play would proceed from a deficiency
in liberality and evil dispositions; but to attack
you is the triumph of every noble exertion for one
who aims at eminence and honour by the blow of
the sword and the thrust of the spear. Let your
black knight come forth against me, he, your illustrious
warrior, who has raised for you a strong
tower of glory. None will reproach his dark complexion,
but those who cannot cope with him, those
who hate or envy him. I think meanly of every
one, notwithstanding his forefathers and progenitors.
I acknowledge no honour, but in him who thrusts
with the long spear in the scene of action and battle.
So send forth against me Antar, that I may exhibit
through him a memorable contest; for I have promised
to slay him in the presence of Prince Aswad,
and to bring down sorrow and misery upon him;
and Jerrah thus recited:

"The parentage of the brave is his words and
his acts, his resolution in the day of encounter,
and his style of combat. Cowardice renders the
youth contemptible, although his maternal and
paternal uncles may be of the race of Hashem.
Patience in the day of spear-thrusts is the glory
that will endure, however circumstances may have
reduced him: not every one that wields a sword
in his hand, and labours for high honours, attains
them; but he who plunges into the sea of dust,
and braves the flame of the raging contest that

destroys his limbs. So soothe my heart with
the contest, and approach me, hero, whose
death is at hand; for ever will I destroy men in
the fight, and this day shall his limbs be mangled.
They have a slave indeed, whose deeds are famed,
whose acts are celebrated in every land. This
day I will erase his name with my sword, whose
terror scatters wide the crowded enemies."

Jerrah had not finished, when Antar stood before
him; he roared in his voice like thunder in a cloud,
and attacked him. Antar was about to reply to him
in some extempore lines, but his thoughts were confused,
so he rushed at him. The youth received
him as the parched earth the first of the rain.
These two fierce heroes turned upon each other
like voracious wild beasts, and a combat took place
between them that sickened the eyeballs and amazed
the stoutest hearts; whilst thick dust arose above
them, till it concealed them from the sight. When
the Brandisher of Spears saw Antar stand forth
against the youth, and occupied in the engagement,
he challenged another to the plain, and he was followed
by the other ten heroes, who had made high
promises in the presence of Aswad, thus taking advantage
of Antar's absence. When Harith saw the
Brandisher of Spears come forth, with the ten horsemen,
imagining they intended to outrage Antar,
and being afraid that some peril or accident might
befal him, he advanced also, followed by his brother
Cosoorah, like a blazing flame. He wielded Zoolhyyat
in his hand, and cried out to the Brandisher of

Spears, That is a deed of thine, son of Malik, which
will be repaid with death! How darest thou to
outrage a man engaged with his antagonist, after
he had called him out by his name? May God
curse the entrails that bore thee, and the cuckolds
of thy kindred, said the Brandisher of Spears, there
is no treachery but what proceeds from thy nature
and disposition, and wert thou not in need of the
tribe of Abs, thou wouldst have betrayed them
even yesterday, but they are not yet secure from
thy atrocities. And when thou art slain, thou wilt
ever be known to every one that moves and halts
by thy infamous deeds: for thou didst kill the
Chief of the tribe of Aamir when he was asleep;
thou didst murder Shirjibeel, King Numan's son,
quite an infant, and thy evil omen is over the high
and low; but we are come forward to execute our
promise, for which we have pledged ourselves.

And he repeated the names of the horsemen.
Harith only laughed; O Gheshm, said he, this engagement
proves thy little wit; for I do not see that
thou hast promised to slay me, knowing as thou
dost, that I am his greatest enemy; and it was in
the private apartments of his brother that I slew
Khalid, son of Giafer; and I slew also his son Shirjibeel;
but I do not know whether thou has omitted
to engage to kill me through fear of me, or out of
contempt for me. Know, O Harith, said the Brandisher
of Spears, thou didst not occur to the mind
of any one, for we did not suppose that thou wert
with the Absians; but we thought that thou wert

returned to thy desolation amongst the mountaintops.
Thou art right, replied Harith, and thou
hast not advanced but what is perfectly true. But
I intend this day to dye my sword in your blood,
and to destroy ye all, high and low, and to avert
your vexations from the tribe of Abs.

And he rushed upon the Brandisher of Spears,
and Cosoorah assailed the Aamirite horsemen. The
Semherian spears were extended; the dust sprang
up from the hoofs of the Arab steeds, and calamities
fell upon them. Antar bellowed at the horses to
drive them far from the contest; he made an assault
at the Brandisher of Spears, with the rush of an
illustrious warrior. He grasped the rings of his
corslet and breast-plate, and taking him prisoner,
threw him down to Shiboob, who bound down his
arms, and tied fast his shoulders.

The battle continued to rage, and blood to flow,
and the flame of war to burn, till evening came on,
when the armies quitted the contest. Antar had
made about two hundred prisoners that day, whom
Shiboob pinioned one after another, but those that
resisted him he slew.

When Prince Aswad alighted at his tent, behold,
a black, tall, lanky slave presented himself. He had
every appearance of having performed a long journey,
and travelled in haste; he kissed the earth, and did
obeisance. Who art thou, Arab born? asked Aswad.
My lord, said he, I am one of the slaves of
Hadifah, Chief of the tribe of Fazarah: he has sent
me to you to congratulate you on what he has done

to your enemy the tribe of Abs, and the miseries
and woes he has brought down upon them; for
after their expedition against you, he surprised
the dwellings, with the warriors of Fazarah. He
plundered their property, and slew their men, and
captured their women; and by to-morrow's dawn
he will join you. He has sent me to you with this message: disperse in separate divisions your
army now surrounding the Absians, that they may
not fly elsewhere; for he is afraid of the escape
of Antar and Harith, who hereafter may still occasion
us fresh trouble. Thus may success attend us!

The Prince jumped up, and stood erect in the
fulness of the joy he felt; but never was this incident
forgotten by him. He ordered his men to draw
off the horsemen from the tribe of Abs and Adnan
on all four sides, into the wilds and wastes, and in
less than an hour they were scattered over the desert,
and he himself mounted with those that remained
about him, and marched on till he came nigh
unto the tents of the Absians, where he concealed
himself. Return, O Arab born, to thy master, said
he to the slave-messenger, and tell him we have
obeyed his directions.

Now the slave who concerted that plan, and dispersed
the armies of Aswad over the barren waste,
was the lion Shiboob. For when the troops alighted
in the tents, O my cousins, said King Cais, my
opinion is we should surprise Aswad's army under
the night; perhaps we may disperse his army over
the desert and waste. Shiboob was present in attendance

on his brother Antar: O my brother, said
he, if you will hear what I have to say, I will most
certainly disperse the armies, mighty and extensive
as they are, and you shall catch Aswad himself in
his own pit, and defeat his troops and armies. May
God bless thee, O Shiboob! cried the Absian chiefs,
if thou canst effect such an enterprise.

At the moment, Shiboob sprang forth to his
portmanteau, and putting on some clothes suitable
to stratagem, he ran away, and in an hour returned
and told his brother and King Cais what he had
done. Now surprise Aswad, said he; he is now in
such a particular spot, and has only a small party
with him.

King Cais ordered them to prepare the warlike instruments,
and before midnight they were on horseback.
King Cais sent for Harith, and attached to
him one thousand men, and sent him to the left.
As to Oorwah, he stationed him with one thousand
men to the right: Do you, said he to Antar, assault
the centre, my cousin. The King himself mounted
with the remainder of the warriors, accompanied by
Antar's nephew, with whom he brought up the rear.
As to Aswad, he had concealed himself with his
men, and dispersed his troops, and every one dismounted
and slept near him. Suddenly screams
came upon them, and the blow of the murderous
scimitars, and the thrust of the calamitous spears
surprised them. The armies were aghast, and their
senses were disordered. Every one started from his
sleep and drew his sword; every one fell upon him

who was before him. Bewildered by sleep, and terrified
at the dreadful Antar and the noble Absians,
they attacked each other with the edge of the sword,
but they knew not whom to address, or whom to
strike. Base cowards! cried out Antar at the head
of the Absians, I am Antar, son of Shedad. No
sooner did they hear the voice of Antar, the dauntless
hero, than despair, and misery, and woe fell
upon them; brave warriors were slain in the very
spots where they fought, till every horseman thought
wherever he turned, there was the voice of the lion
Antar.

Aswad withdrew his troops; they not only withdrew,
but dispersed in confusion over the waste.
His only resource was to wheel about and fly, but
he had not proceeded far, when Oorwah and his
men encountered him, and surrounding him, were
about to kill him, but he cried out for quarter, discovering
himself to them, and demanding protection;
on which they made him dismount from the back of
his horse, and took him prisoner, dragging him along
abject and miserable.

The contest continued to rage, and blood to be
spilt, and the flame of war to blaze, till Shiboob,
seeing how easy the business had become, mounted
to the top of a sand-hill, and making himself as one
of Aswad's followers, cried out with a loud voice,
O Absians, grant us quarter and protection; withdraw
from us the blow of the sword: no one but
Aswad forced us against ye, and him ye have taken
prisoner. Let us retire; relieve us from this fear

and tribulation. On hearing these words, Aswad's
troops dispersed among the wastes; and there was
not one who looked at another whilst Antar and
Harith pursued them, till they had cleared the whole
country of them, when they returned to the scattered
horses and dispersed arms: and having collected
the tents and property, they halted, exulting
in their victory and conquest.

The next day they assembled the prisoners,
amongst whom were Locait, and the Brandisher of
Spears—in all, about fifty of the most celebrated
Arab leaders, and their most renowned knights, with
whom they set out on their return home, rejoicing
in the defeat of the enemy, and their dispersion over
the wilderness.

They travelled on till the following morning, and
about mid-day there appeared some of their own
friends, advancing from the direction of their country,
and hastening over the plain in the most miserable
plight, their ears cut off, their bodies besmeared
with blood, and shrieking out, O by Abs! O by
Adnan! haste to us, and retaliate! till they came
into the presence of King Cais. Know, O King,
said they, that Hadifah, after your departure, surprised
us one day with five thousand horse; he not
only slew our men, plundered our property, and
rescued the hostages that were with us, but he massacred
four hundred youths of our children, from
the age of five to ten, whom he dragged forward
one after the other, as he cried out to them, Now
call out for some one to rescue you from death! and

then made each in turn a mark for his arrow. He
captured our women and our families, and is now
gone to his own country. The cause of this was
Hadifah's wife, who, observing her husband slack
in the cause of retaliation, one day appeared before
him, when he was seated with the chiefs of Fazarah.
She was bare-headed, and her hair dishevelled. Son
of Bedr, she cried, restore me to my family and my
native land, for I want no coward husband; and she
thus recited:

"May the curse of God light on the coward!
May he never give thee to drink of the moisture
of rain; may the rain-clouds never extend their
bounty to the lands of his tribe! may they never
robe his deserts in verdure! Thou hast clothed
thyself, son of Bedr, in garments of infamy, that
can never change their ignominious effect; and
were it not for this disgrace, my eyelids would
be ulcered with tears. Cais has involved us in
woe for a youth; were they to weigh all Abs
against him, he would equal them. He has
moreover slain the Chieftains of Bedr, and has
made the Semherian spears drink of their blood.
Never, never, will my tears cease; my sorrows,
my afflictions, are endless. How many miserable
women like me, in the tribe, are mourning in woe!
Rise then, seek the land of thy enemy; fear not—
their defender is absent—leave not one alive among
them, and let not their screams keep thee away from
them. The Absians have indeed spilt your blood;
so drive away their camels, and capture their

wives; for your blood is noble, and generous,
and high-priced to those that purchase it. But
ye, sons of Bedr, my cousins, ye are brave, the
most illustrious of men; be therefore like the
progenitors that are gone, the forefathers that
are passed away, and let their glory live for
ever."

These verses were called the "Exciters of Sorrow."
When Hadifah heard his wife's address,
To arms! to arms! my cousins, he cried, and before
midday, he was surrounded by five thousand well-armed
horsemen. Hadifah mounted Ghabra, and
the horsemen followed him. The Sheikhs endeavoured
to prevent this treachery and perjury; but
said Sinan, What is this? How? The Absians are
absent, the women have no protector—no one to
defend them, and this tribe are in duty bound to
wreak their vengeance. What greater advantage
can accrue from such oaths? Thus Hadifah, and
the tribe of Fazarah, travelled on till they reached
the tribe of Abs and Adnan, whom they attacked
on all sides, and when the Ghiftanians saw what the
Fazareans were doing, they plunged themselves into
corslets and breastplates, consisting, as we mentioned,
of two thousand men, all harsh-featured lions: they
fought that day, and the next, even till the fourth
day, when the tribe of Ghiftan being routed, Hadifah,
with his Fazareans, gained possession of the
Absian tents, and their property, and their daughters,
and their children, and having rescued their
hostages, they massacred four hundred children of

the tribe of Abs, all boys, from five to ten years old,
making them marks for their arrows. As he returned
home, his wife met him, and she beat the
Absian women with a whip, and abused them, thus
relieving her own heart. Hadifah put all the property
apart, saying to his surrounding warriors, We
must not divide this property yet, till we see what
Aswad will do to the tribe of Abs. But Hadifah
had scarcely finished this sentence, when lo! a dust
obscured the land, and when it cleared, there came
forth the warriors of the tribe of Abs and Adnan,
and Antar at their head, like a furious lion. The
cause of their coming was the men whom they met,
as we mentioned, who told them what Hadifah had
done. The Absians screamed, in agony of woe and
distress, for the men and children that had been
massacred. King Cais assembled the prisoners, and
delivered them over to Harith, saying, These are
thy enemies: take them, and precede us to our
country, whilst we march against the tribe of Fazarah,
for thou canst not fight Hadifah, on account of
your relationship. So he sent with him a party of
Absians, and took the remainder with him, and
departed, a flame burning in his heart, and he thus
addressed them:

"Prepare, ye heroes, implements of war; this
point can only be settled with arms; your little
ones have been massacred—it is a disgrace upon ye;
but it is unavoidable. Hadifah! mayst thou never
drink a drop of liquid! may the rains of the desert
never moisten thee! thou hast indeed made a war

against us that would choke a Sheikh, as if with
poisoned water. But I am now mounted on a
steed, that surpasses the lightning and the winds
in speed, one hindfoot white, black-haired, broad-faced,
whose forehead resembles the first burst of
dawn. O my cousins, all my joys are crushed on
your account, whilst you groan in pain of wounds.
As to my life, I regard it not, when the thick tears
of grief stream down my cheeks. Behind me are
chiefs of the race of Abs, waving long spears in
their hands—warriors irresistible—generous—in
the exposure of their lives they flinch not. Come
on then! shed the blood of the sons of Beder, with
the cleaving scimitar."

As soon as Cais had finished, pride rushed like a
blast into their heads; they hastened on, till they
came nigh to the tribe of Fazarah, who no sooner
ascertained they were Absians, than they were confounded
and bewildered. Now then, my cousins,
cried Hadifah, come on, here is your hated foe.
Spring upon them in the contest, otherwise they will
exterminate ye—they will ravage your property, and
capture your wives. Men soon met men, and warriors
warriors—blood flowed and streamed—limbs
were hewn off—horrible were the scenes of peril;
the convulsions were tremendous—men were precipitated
on the plain of battle. King Cais attacked
in person, and made the carnage rage against his
kindred. Hands were extended to grasp the objects
of their wishes, but did not all succeed. Calamities
smote the tribes of Abs and Fazarah, whilst King

Cais exclaimed, Cousins, whomsoever the hand
touches, slay not; let us deliver them all to the
mothers of the children, whom Hadifah killed with
his arrows. At that time, above four hundred
of the Fazareans had been already slain on the field
of battle; but when they heard this harangue, the
Absians only exerted themselves to take prisoners.
Antar on that day performed achievements to be
recorded, on account of the murder of his friend
Malik. At last, the Absians forced the Fazareans
into their tents; there they slaughtered about a
thousand horsemen, and took five hundred more,
rescuing their own wives, and all their property, and
they returned, exulting in having retaliated. But
when they were settled, King Cais delivered to the
mothers of the children four hundred prisoners,
taking for himself one hundred to murder, in retaliation
for his own son; and he directed all the
women, each to repair to her prisoner, and to torture
him the whole night; and, in the morning, to drag
him forth between the hostile ranks, and murder
him, in retaliation for her child. Each took charge of
her respective prisoner, and she passed the night inflicting
the severest torments, till the crow cawed.
As to the tribe of Fazarah, they retired to their tents,
repenting of what they had done. Hadifah alighted,
gnawing his hands in contrition, as he said to his
brothers, I have no other anguish in my heart, but
in not having succeeded against the Absians. Tomorrow
will I start forth to the contest, and I will
appease my whole heart among them. I will succeed
in my hopes, or I will drink of the cup of
death and perdition. Then he wept, and his brothers
too wept; and as he wept, What mean these tears
and alarms? said Sinan; soon will come the armies
of King Numan, who will extirpate the tribe of Abs.
And know, O Hadifah, the Absians have only
fought with such fury, on account of your massacre
of their children, and your plunder of their property,
and the capture of their wives and families.
Fortune consists of two days. As to the prisoners,
redeem them with cattle, or by war and battle. O
Sinan, said Hadifah, as to the prisoners, not one
will be released, but after a contest that will turn
infants gray, and frighten the stoutest warriors;
if indeed they escape beheading to-morrow. But I
should now like to know what has happened between
the Absians and Prince Aswad. He immediately
sent for one of the prisoners he had that day
taken, and to his inquiries, the Absian told him how
Aswad and fifty chiefs had been captured, and
that they were sent home with Harith. Hadifah
shuddered, and was stupefied. Disgraced are the
Arab chiefs, by the violence of this black slave,
whose obstinacy and fury are incontrollable, exclaimed
Hadifah, and by the outrages of that
treacherous tribe of Abs. Now then, the destruction
of the tribe of Fazarah is at hand. And they remained
in this state till, as the day dawned, the two armies
mounted, and the armour and brilliant mail glittered.
King Cais mounted beneath the banners and standards,
and ordered the women to appear, who came,
each dragging her prisoner by the chin. He commanded
them to slay them, and thus to wreak their
vengeance. Immediately every woman led out her
captive in front of the two armies; she made him
lie down between the two ranks, and slaughtered him,
cutting him across the jugular vein, like the slaughter
of a sheep, whilst her husband assisted her in the
deed; and when all the four hundred warriors were
massacred, King Cais ordered his slaves to murder
the hundred warriors, in retaliation for his own son.
Hadifah and the chieftains of Fazarah were on horseback,
viewing the fate of their cousins. Their
affliction was intense, and there was not one but
dismounted from his horse, and taking off his rustic
clog from his feet, dashed it down on his head, till
he shook out all his double teeth. The news reached
the wives of the murdered, and they rushed out,
overwhelmed with anguish. Upon that, the tribe of
Fazarah brandished their spears and their swords.
The Absians received them on the barbs of their
long lances, and cut through them with their
polished scimitars. It was a day to frighten the
senses—lives were dearly sold—evening and morning
appeared the same—shouts were raised on high—
the morrow and the dawn were annihilated. Lives
were plundered from bodies, and the resolute warrior
cried out, Flinch not from the battle and the contest!
All was exertion—no jest. The Absians
made one universal shout, What a glorious morn!
The Fazareans stood firm with their bold countenances.
How many heroes fled from the fight and
sought the wilds and the waste! blood streamed and
flowed—the whole army was covered with wounds,
and between them lasted an action whose like had
never occurred at that period, and amongst the many
descriptions of it are the following lines:

"I have braved fortune, experienced and wise.
I have endured calamities all my life long, but
never saw I so hostile a day. I never felt from
any one a severer misfortune than that Absian
contest, when they assaulted the sons of Beder.
The tribes were exterminated on that terrific day,
that might be considered as a thousand months of
time. I saw the cloud of their dust, and the
gleaming flash of their swords and spears. How
many heroes I beheld prostrate, struggling with
their feet as the horses passed over them! How
many youths I heard beneath the black columns
of sand, uttering groans that bewildered my faculties!
But had it not been for the Absian slave, who
encountered the Fazarean troops in every direction,
who destroyed the heroes with the Redeinian
spear, as the horses of the sons of Beder rushed
upon him, and slaughtered the enemy with the
sabres, with a heart cut out of the solid rock!!—
God prospered the noble slave, who overthrew a
thousand freeborn in the combat, and when he
wielded his sword in the day of battle, the heroes
might be seen tumbling down before him."

At the close of the day, the two parties alighted
at their respective tents. King Cais then consulted
with Antar, about sending the property and families

to the land of Shurebah and Mount Saadi. Do as
you please, O king, said Antar. Accordingly, he
gave them an escort of one hundred horsemen, under
his brother Harith. Conduct your mother, said he,
and the rest of the women home, and remain with
Harith, son of Zalim, for I will not quit the tribe of
Fazarah till I extirpate every vestige of them, and
leave no record of them. Antar, indeed, had resolved
to take charge of them, but King Cais would
not permit him; so he remained behind, that he
might incur no blame or reproach; and Harith
departed with the property and families. As to the
Fazareans, they halted at their tents, and more than
a third of them had been slain. What say you?
said Sinan to Hadifah, shall I go to your brother-in-law,
Harith, son of Zalim, and throw myself on
his mercy? Perhaps he will now fight for us, or, at
any rate, make peace for us. No, that will not
do, said Hadifah. They continued in conversation
till, the darkness having disappeared, Hadifah descended
into the plain, and as he came night to the
standards of King Cais, O son of Zoheir, he cried,
the wager was between thee and me. The affair
indeed is gone too far, and we have put on the
garments of treachery and outrage, for thou hast
slain my son, and thy slave slew my brother; I slew
thy brother, and it was I who ordered the blow against
thy horse. The other day I slew the infants, and
you, in their stead, have slain as many men. It is
not liberal, that we should permit the women to complain
of us; but let us terminate this affair with our
lives, till one of us be dead: thus will all anxiety and
doubt be at an end; one of us will succeed, and let
the survivor reign over the whole land. Come on
then, I will attack thee, and never will I desist till
thou hast destroyed me, or I have destroyed thee;
and Hadifah thus recited:

"Fortune disregards all respect and engagement;
ofttimes she cajoles us and favours the coward.
In our fathers we are glorified, and from our forefathers
we are made heirs to glory and supremacy.
I have built a mansion of glory, sublime on high,
with spears that make no distinction between
sacred and profane; with swords with which we
encounter horrors and the calamities of the age.
At all times the cleaving sword is my protection;
the sword whose edge fractures bones. I have
granted wealth to the poor, and never withheld
it, and never have I heard reproach. I have pardoned
where I have been able; in my decisions
I have been impartial; I have never broken my
engagements. But I know fortune is a niggard;
its disposition is perfidious, and it owns no nobility.
If joy has its day, and should it even last awhile, the hand of misfortune will turn it into
sorrow for a year. So be impartial to me in the
combat; charge; behold my resolution when the
battle rages, for we have left the women wild with
grief, dashing their hands against their cheeks and
sleepless."

When King Cais and his brothers heard these
verses, they were afraid the Arabs would regard

them with the eye of inferiority; so King Cais
started forth, mounted on the back of his horse, and
thus spoke:

"If thou art in want of compassion, I will confess
on some occasions I travel in the paths of
weakness. I have a steed for mercy bitted with
mercy, and I have a horse for folly saddled with
folly. With him who challenges my resolution I
am straight; and for him who would make me
swerve aside I am crooked. Thou hast outraged
us, son of Beder; and the deed by which thou
hadst conquered is more odious than all that is
most vile; taste, then, the chastisement of violence
before thou drinkest of the cup of death that is
impregnated with poison. I have taken captive
him whose aid ye required. I have returned with
him, and the flame of war increases, and is kindled
anew. We are all lion horsemen, all brave heroes
crowned with glory."

King Cais rushed upon Hadifah, who met him
as the parched earth the first of the rain, both
expressing the deep resentment rankling in their
hearts. In less than an hour they both vanished
from the sight, and the dust thickened over them.
There was not one in the two armies but prepared
for the combat, fearful lest death should overtake
their leaders. Hadifah, before he attacked King
Cais, had already enjoined his brothers, saying,
When you see me drawing King Cais towards you,
rush at him and slay him, and let the Arabs abuse
us to eternity. He thus purposely kept retiring till

he came close to his brothers, who immediately attacked,
and attempted to put Cais to death. But
when Antar saw this treason on the part of the Fazareans,
he assailed them, shouting at them in a
voice like thunder in a cloud, and they instantly
retreated from the scene of action. Antar advanced,
and thus exclaimed:

"I am the son of Shedad, truly the knight of the
Arabs, and the reliever of grievances with the
sharp edge of my sword. The atmosphere is
dust-darkened; the whole region is obscured in
sand-clouds; the light of the sun is veiled; the
dust-wave is on high; warriors charge and approach
the scene where death will be quaffed; the
horses neigh, and the horsemen charge, and the
earth is convulsed at the excess of horrors; it is
a day to turn every hero old, and no one braves
it but the valiant. I have stood firm in it with a
heart that knows no tardiness; conscious of no
fear or alarm. I have plunged into it, and the
dust of death pours over my noble steed, ambling
as he goes. Every eye beholds me and is bewildered;
they approach me, and they are repaid with
death. There is no virtue in the act where death
is not at hand, nor is there any exaltation of soul
to be recorded in history. My parentage is
known amongst the noblest of the creation, for
my resolution, my vigilance, my virtues, and my
superiority."

Having finished, he rushed upon the tribe of Fazarah;
he put them to confusion; he cleft down

their horsemen, singly and in pairs, till he came up
to King Cais and Hadifah, whom he saw clinging
to each other like one individual; he rushed at
them, and dispersing those that surrounded them,
he thrust at Hadifah with his spear, and hurled
him from the back of his horse on the ground, and
brought forth King Cais from the battle, whilst
the Absians turned upon the Fazareans, and let
down infamy and ruin upon them. They took four
hundred prisoners, and two of Hadifah's brothers;
and they continued this cruel work till evening came
on, when they retired to their tents. As soon as
darkness had veiled the earth, behold, three horsemen
arrived out of the hundred whom King Cais
had sent with Harith, son of Zalim, to guard the
prisoners.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Eh! what has befallen you? said Cais; who
among men has cast you down? Know, O king,
they replied, we accompanied Harith till we reached
our own country. Harith guarded the prisoners,
and remained watching them three days, ever
menacing them till night-fall; but one morning
we looked for him and his prisoners, but we
could not find either him or them; so out of our
alarms for you, knowing well his perfidy, we are
come to apprise you. Cais shuddered at this intelligence;
And did this event, asked he, take place
before the families arrived, or afterwards? No women,
no families, no camels, no cattle, have we
seen, replied they. Then the light became dark in
the eyes of King Cais. Alas! then our advantages
have turned out to our prejudice, he exclaimed, and
these ordures of Fazareans will still exult over us.
O king, said Antar, when he saw the anguish of
Cais at this corroboration of the news, this fact
proves indeed the difference between appearances
and reality, as widely distinct are they as existence
from annihilation; an experienced man can see the
whole proceeding from beginning to end. I am
persuaded that Aswad and his companions have ultimately
engaged to procure King Numan's protection
for him, and that he has agreed to their plans,

and has consequently released them from bondage;
and as he was coming with them against us, he
must have met our women travelling along the road
(no better opportunity to open a door to the heart
of King Numan could they find), they must have
seized them, and they are now on their way to
Hirah. King Cais was convinced of the probability
of Antar's conjectures; O my cousin, said he, if it is
so, truly we are fallen between two perilous catastrophes,
and two deadly afflictions, and I do not
comprehend which we should undertake first; for
if we pursue Harith in a body the Fazareans will
turn upon us, and if we remain here every vestige
of us will be extirpated. O king, said Antar, it is
my opinion that I go alone after Harith and his
prisoners; I will rescue the property and families;
I will replace Aswad himself and his comrades into
chains and fetters; and I will show you what I will
do with that Prince Aswad and all his people. Do
you in the meanwhile stand firmly opposed to the
tribe of Fazarah. Ah, my cousin, said Cais, much
relieved, do as you please; but if it is so, and you
really must go, take with you some one to aid you
in the contest. O king, said Antar, if my heart
were easy about you, I would attack every human
being on the earth single-handed. But he took his
nephew Hatal, and altogether ten men, on whose
firmness he could rely in battle. Shiboob by his
side, he sought the barren waste, followed by his
warriors.

As to the tribe of Fazarah, after Hadifah and his

brothers were taken prisoners, they took to a precipitate
flight, and repaired to Sinan, who exhorted
them to resist till the morrow, as something would
probably happen to occupy the Absians' attention.
The next day there started forth from the Fazareans
a sturdy warrior and an intrepid hero; he was a
horseman of the dimensions of an elephant, or a
towering palm-tree; he galloped, and charged, and
challenging to the fight, thus exclaimed, O tribe of
Abs, come forth to the spear-thrust and the sword-blow.
By the faith of an Arab ye are the knights
of the age, the lions of Adnan, the conquerors of the
brave, and truly ye are just; on this account the
God of the holy shrine has aided you, and has humbled
your foes to you. We, moreover, have outraged
you, and we have oppressed you, and we had
no propriety in our transactions. Such indeed have
been our proceedings: but you have slain our
horsemen; you have hurled dead our brave heroes;
and all this has fallen upon us in consequence of our
massacre of your children, and our perfidious conduct
towards you; and, moreover, our warriors
were taken captives by you, and their outrage has
been visited upon them in the result of their infamous
conduct and disgraceful actions. We were
last night resolved on flight, though we are more
numerous than you, and our means more abundant,
but ye are more steady than us in the field of combats
and contests. Now, then, all we demand of
you is justice, and the abandonment of all violence
and outrage, so that when you accomplish your designs
upon us, and possess yourselves of our property
and women, our families and our wives may
not have a word or a syllable to say against you,
and no blame or reproach be attached to you. Come
forth, then, against me, ye that desire the combat,
for ye are the chiefs of Adnan, and the warriors of
Hijaz. Beware of treachery, ye heroes, or the calamities
nocturnal and diurnal will overwhelm ye.
After this harangue the knight thus continued:

"Whoso has tried fortune, him its marvels have
terrified; into him its misfortunes have fixed their
fangs. I truly know that the results of violence
are repentance, and that its consequences will requite
us. There is nothing remaining for us but
to drink of the cup of death under the dust-cloud
when the whole country is blackened. Cool then
my sickness with the spear-thrust; rush then
upon a brave man, to whom every thing is easy.
Shame has pitched her abode on him from every
direction, though once the revolutions of fortune
were his friends. Ye judges, be impartial towards
us, for we have a land whose female mourners
shriek in terror. Perhaps too the revolutions of
fortune will befriend us with its justice, and will
send down its evils upon you. Confide not in
fortune, for the age is fraught with evil; and
sorrow, as you see, may inflict its wondrous works
on you."

King Cais listened, and was exceedingly astonished
at the mild tone of the warrior: his heart
pitied the tribe of Fazarah, as he recollected the relationship

and kindred that existed between them.
By the faith of an Arab, said he to those around
him, were this knight anxious to make peace with
us I would be reconciled to them, and forgive the
blood of the children on account of the tenderness
of his expressions. But it is too late: so now come
on. And as to this knight who demands fair play,
let him have it; and if any one of ye is able to take
him prisoner, let him capture him. Upon that, the
Absian warriors rushed upon him from all quarters,
and although King Cais called out to them, they
would not return; for their ambitious feelings were
excited against that knight, who, when he saw the
Absian forces making towards him, smiled conceitedly;
and as he joyfully urged on his horse, Eh!
Absians, he exclaimed, ye have not failed in this instance
of impartiality; but this is what the strong
ever do against the weak, and as he spoke he bent
his head over the saddle-bow; he assaulted the Absians,
and met them with dreadful sword-blows and
powerful spear-thrusts. Wreaking his vengeance
upon them, he cut through them with his sword,
and in less than an hour he hurled down twenty of
their most puissant knights. The horsemen still
assailed him in every direction, and shouted at him;
but he was silent and returned no answer, neither
did he make any address, but he dealt his blows
right and left, cleaving down the horsemen on the
field of battle. The tribes stared at him and at the
plain, in order to distinguish the vanquished from
the vanquisher, but of that lion-hero they could only
discern the sword-blade as it glittered, and where it
fell it cleft in twain, till all the warriors fled from
him, and sought safety in the presence of King Cais,
who eagerly asked them what that knight had done
to them. On our lives, O king, they exclaimed, we
never saw a more valiant fellow than this hero; he
has cut down our horsemen with his scimitar, and
has brought death upon us. Well, said Cais, and
what is this hero's name? who is this lion? O king,
we know him not, they replied; there is not one of
us that can give any account of him, for never
did we behold his like amongst all the warriors, or
one that could equal him in the field of battle: he
has already slain twenty horsemen, all lion heroes.
The heart of Cais was sorely grieved; and as he
listened to the acclamations of the tribe of Fazarah,
his rage and anguish were more intolerable; for he
felt assured those shouts were the shouts of victory.
His grief and sorrow pressed heavier upon him, and
he ordered his brothers and the horsemen of his tribe
to make a united attack, saying, Come on to the
knight who softened us to pity by his speech, and
who destroys our horsemen with the edge of his
scimitar. Upon this, the Absian heroes rushed
upon him; they slackened their reins, and poised
their spears; but they had not approached the field
of contest before the enemy appeared, and the youth
started forth in their rear, roaring and bellowing
like thunder in a cloud, and blood was trickling
from his sword edge, and death was glaring in his
eyes.

The horsemen shuddered and shrunk back, whilst
the Knight continued to cleave skulls, and to crush
bones, till coming near the banners and standards of
the King, he roared O by Marah! O by Marah!
Hail, O Cais, to thy death and destruction! I am
Harith, son of Zalim, the slayer of lion-warriors.
And he rushed at the standard-bearer, and smote him
on the head with his sword, and divided him down to
the girdle of his back, and felled him cut in twain.
He assaulted King Cais, and dragging him off his
horse's back, took him prisoner, and delivering him
over to one of his attendants, he renewed his attack.

The Fazareans rushed on to his assistance, their
hearts encouraged by his intrepidity; men met men,
and heroes met heroes: blood flowed and streamed;
limbs were hewn asunder; warriors were stretched
low upon the field of contention; the well-proportioned
spears, and the cleaving blades, laboured
amongst them. Heads flew off; wrists were severed;
the eagles of death hovered over them. The warriors
crowded round King Cais and Harith, and
the market of war continued its traffic. This one
died, that one escaped; the scimitars flashed; the
spears stung; mails were split; lives were in agony;
the ground was drenched in blood; the glories of
the heroes were exalted; the flame of war increased,
and numberless were the sword-blows and the spear-thrusts;
the easy became arduous, and the whole
scene boiled like the bubbling of a caldron. Eagles
and vultures hovered over them; the coward was
overthrown, and the brave vanquished. Men engaged,

and the horrors became still more terrific, till
the day departed, and night came on in obscurity,
when the two armies separating, alighted in a neighbouring
spot.

The Fazareans carried off King Cais, intending
to ransom Hadifah with him, and to obtain through
him security after all their terrors. The cause of
this was, that after King Cais had delivered over the
prisoners to Harith, with an escort of one hundred
men, he conducted them to the land of the Absians,
where he beheld the carcasses of the dead, and the
streaming of blood. The Absians cannot stand out
long, said he to himself: so he pitched his tents on
the sand-hills and mounds, and remained guarding
the prisoners till the third day, when he went unto
them, and found them consulting about the deliverance
of their persons. O Harith, said Aswad,
how trifling is your compliance with the times; how
strange is your conduct among the horsemen! just
as if thou wert only created a rock, cast down on the
plain for every one to stumble against thee. What
can I do? he replied: I am the horseman of horsemen
and heroes. O Harith, said Locait, the cause
of these disasters was your murder of Numan's son,
and though you contrived to escape after all your
dangers, you have persisted in your obstinacy and
rebellion, and have reconciled yourself to a life with
an insignificant, worthless slave; but if you have
a mind to rescue Numan's brother and his companions,
and to make your apologies, and demand
their protection, haste then before it is too late, and

repent not of what is past, only when misfortunes
befal you—so that we may engage Numan's protection
for you, and your former deeds be cancelled by
your subsequent conduct, and every man alive will
thank you. But the Absians, said Harith, it does not
become me to afflict them—but then Antar! Ah! indeed,
against him my heart is sick with envy: no
man's frame is more disordered than mine; for he is
superior in feats of arms and horsemanship; were it
not so, the Arabs would be under my control; and
had I not been in want of him, I would have murdered
him, and would have captured his cousin Ibla.

Prince Aswad now began to indulge hopes of
success. What is it you wish? said he, that we may
grant it, and engage for its fulfilment? I wish you
would go with me, said Harith, to the tribe of Fazarah,
and assist me in the destruction of Antar,
and insure me Numan's protection. O Harith, exclaimed
Aswad, who only required his liberty and
return to Irak, I engage for Antar's death, were he
encompassed by multitudes.

Upon this, Harith released them from bondage,
and brought them arms and horses, and only waiting
for the darkness of night, they set out for the
land of Fazarah; and as they met the wives, and
property, and families of the Absians on the road,
My opinion, said Aswad, is, you should drive away
these baggage-camels, and depart for King Numan
before the dread Antar pursue us, and return us to
captivity and infamy.

So they surrounded the baggage-camels on all

sides, and ordered the people to turn them towards
the land of Irak. Who is it, said Harith, son of
Zoheir, who has sent you against us? Surrender!
exclaimed the Brandisher of Spears, or I will make
thee dwell in thy tomb. We are the horsemen of
Aamir, and with us is Harith, son of Zalim, and
Prince Aswad, brother of King Numan. Thus
saying, he attacked Harith, son of King Zoheir, and
took him prisoner: and as the remaining horsemen
saw death was in him, they wheeled round, and
sought flight; but lo! in front of them were sturdy
knights; so they surrendered themselves to captivity
and chains; and when morning dawned, the
hundred horsemen were pinioned.

Harith looked at Ibla, who was in tears, and casting
her eyes round right and left, and he would have
spoken to her. O Harith, said Aswad, knowing his
situation, we cannot let you do such an act as that;
it is impossible, till you see Antar dead. And
Harith soon repented of having rescued them, as
he communed with himself,—If I go to Numan,
and Mootegeredah should ever hear that I have released
her brother's foes, and have captured the Absian
women, never will she permit her husband to
give me any favourable answer: the best thing I
can do, will be to go with these ordures, that I may
watch my opportunity with them, and make them
all drink of the cup of death; and then seize Ibla,
and fly with her to some corner of the earth.

The Brandisher of Spears knew what he was
about. O Prince, said he, turning to Aswad, Harith

repents of having rescued us; it will be as well to
remove him from us before evening. You know, O
Chief of the tribe of Marah, said Aswad to Harith,
that we are now marching to the tribe of Fazarah.
But I am aware, that Cais and Antar must have
annihilated them. My advice is, that you join them
till I send you aid from my brother Numan; for I
cannot permit you to enter Irak, till Cais be led before
you in fetters and chains, and the head of Antar
be on the tallest of spears.

Harith knew they were afraid of him; however,
he had nothing for it but to turn away his horse's
head, and seek his tribe and his people. He continued
his road till he reached the tribe of Fazarah,
whom he informed of the release of the prisoners,
and that he had sent the Absian baggage-camels to
Irak; and I, he added, will consent to assist you.
Sinan burst into tears in a fit of joy, and felt convinced
that all was now right. Harith asked about
Antar; We know nothing of him, said they.

Harith concealed himself, till ascertaining that
Antar was absent, he discovered himself, and attacked
the troops, and dispersed the camp, and took
King Cais prisoner. But in compliance with Sinan's
advice, that he should release Cais, and ransom
Hadifah and his brothers, he summoned Cais, and
made a covenant with him, to which Cais gave his
consent, and swore he would release Hadifah and
his brothers from bondage.

They accordingly set him at liberty, and he returned
to the Absians, who were delighted at his

arrival, and inquired what had happened to him
with the Fazareans. He ordered Hadifah and his
brothers into his presence, and he gave them honorary
robes, and released them: returning them
their horses and their arms, he sent them home,
having first asked them to make peace; but Hadifah
refused. When they reached the tribe of Fazarah,
their troubles diminished, and their joys increased.
Sinan and Harith advanced, and saluting them, conducted
them to the tents; and on that day there was
no fighting.

As to the Absians, when King Cais had liberated
Hadifah and his brothers, he assembled his brothers,
and Rebia, and his tribe, and began to consult
with them how he should conduct the war against the
Fazareans. My advice, O King, said Rebia, is,
that we should protract the combat; perhaps our
cousin may come to us, he, the reliever of our sorrows—Antar,
son of Shedad, and repay them for
their outrages. We must, said Cais, make one
united attack, and perhaps we may punish the iniquity
of that Harith, son of Zalim. That's the
thing, said the Absians.

The next day the Fazareans mounted, and sought
the contest; the Absians also made an universal assault;
limbs were soon cut off; the polished blades
and lengthened spears laboured; heroes were laid
low on the scene of horrors. The affair continued
in this state till mid-day, the Fazareans being well
backed against the Absians by the presence of Harith.

But lo! a dust arose, and covered the land; and

in an hour there appeared five hundred horsemen in
armour, and at their head was a knight like a mass
of a mountain, or the declivity of a vast rock; and
he shouted out, O by Abs! O by Adnan! Retaliation
for Malik, son of Zoheir! I am Zayidah, son
of Museeb: then repeating his shout, he attacked
the Fazareans. His men followed him to the assault,
and in less than an hour they drove back the
Fazareans to the tents.

When Harith saw this, he uncovered his head,
and attacked till he retrieved the day by his vigorous
resistance. Thus the combat continued till evening,
when the two armies separated. The Fazareans
alighted at their tents, and thanked Harith for his
exploits: and thus also the Absians alighted at
their tents, and thanked Zayidah for his achievements.

King Cais having asked Zayidah about the cause
of his coming, O King, said he, I heard what had
happened to you with the filthy tribe of Fazarah,
and how they had massacred the children. I could
not endure such deeds: I thought indeed you would
have sent to require my assistance; but as no one
came to me from you, I mounted with these warriors,
and am here to aid you; and were it not for
Harith, I would easily defeat the Fazareans. Tomorrow,
however, I will challenge him; perhaps I
may kill him, and relieve the Arabs from his atrocities,
and his treacheries, and malice. On hearing this,
King Cais reposed quite happy. As to the tribe of
Fazarah, By the protection of an Arab, said Harith,

verily that Zayidah is a noble horseman, but tomorrow
I must kill him.

They reposed that night, revolving under the will
of the most merciful God, whom nothing human can
change, till the day dawned, when the two parties
having mounted to the scene of action, lo! Harith
started forth, eager for the contest; and as he galloped
and charged, he thus recited:

"I regard no man as a friend, and I make absence
an exchange for enjoyment. Whenever a
friend asks a favour of you, betray him, and requite
a good action with an evil one, as a foe, and
hurl down every one with the long spear. Ply
the sword amongst all your relations, and slay
every one with the polished sabre. Betray your
companions and family, till you see the dearest in
infamy. When you want a comrade, associate
with a spear, and be not separated from your
bright scimitar. Abandon your family, forsake
friends; laid low on the back of the earth, let
them lie dead. O Absians, I will singly attack
you this day with deeds that ages shall record.
My sword shall not rest in the darkness of its
sheath, and it will not be reconciled to any one
instead of me. My scimitar, and my arms, and
my spear, shall tear ye out, root and branch.
Think not I regard a friend that he can please
me. I love no friend; come forth then, and behold
the combat of a youth, a vanquisher, who
considers numbers as nought; see how he will
act among ye on the back of his colt that will

trample down heroes in the day of battle. My
heart this day is sick, ease therefore my sickening
heart with the contest. I am Harith, son of
Zalim; my name is famed for perfidy throughout
the tribes."

The Absians replied to Harith's verses with curses
and abuse. Zayidah longed to attack him, but one
of his cousins anticipated him; he was a stout horseman,
and a noble warrior; he rushed on Harith;
he stood up on his saddle; then stretched himself
out on his stirrups, and drove at Harith a fierce
thrust. But as Harith watched the spear aimed
at his chest, he unsheathed his sword, and at one
blow clipped off its point. Then he closed on him,
and pierced him with his lance through the chest,
and forced the barb out quivering through his back;
he hurled him down dead, weltering in his blood.
Again he rushed at the standards of King Cais,
shouting, O Absians, this is not your custom, thus
to let others fight for you; why stand ye still on the
backs of your horses? Sally forth, if ye are desirous
of glory. If you wish to withdraw, I will let you,
on condition that ye abandon for ever the land of
Shurebah and Mount Saadi. I will accommodate
you among my tribe of Marah, and I will intercede
for you with King Numan, provided you first send
me your slave Antar bound in chains, that I may
kill him, and retaliate on him, and deliver him to
King Numan. On hearing this harangue, King
Cais was anxious to order his army to attack, but
Zayidah would not permit him, for rushing upon

Harith, he thus exclaimed, Eh! how foul are thy
qualities! Art thou not ashamed barely to mention
such odious propositions? and thus he continued:

"If thine eye regards iniquity as virtue, by my
life, thy blindness has lasted too long. If perfidy
were to smite thee with the cleaving sword,
it would see its favourite disgraced. Thou hast
gained a name by the murder of Khalid, till thou
hast filled the unwatered deserts with the talk of
thy deeds. Thou didst go to him as he slept,
and thou didst force the polished sword against
him in the obscurity of night. But now hail to
thee! verily thou shalt taste of prolonged tortures
from the edge of my scimitar and the barb
of my spear."

These two intrepid heroes met like two ferocious
leopards, and a contest ensued that startled the
boldest, and amazed the stoutest. They continued
in this state till mid-day, when they were enveloped
under the dust. Harith despised his antagonist;
but perceiving his uncommon powers, he exerted
himself in the combat of blows and thrusts, fearful
that the tribe of Fazarah should regard him with
an eye of inferiority. So he assaulted Zayidah like
an enraged lion, and smote him on the head, splitting
his casque and his chains; the sword continued
to work through him till it issued between his
thighs, and he fell dead, cut in two. The Fazareans
sent forth shouts of exultation, when lo! a
knight advanced towards King Cais: he was close

vizored: Dost thou not know who I am? said he.
No, young man, said Cais. I am Cosoorah, Harith's
brother, said he, who has outraged you after
all your kindness. I am resolved to go out against
him myself, and, perhaps, I may relieve the Arabs
from his iniquities; for greatly has he dishonoured
our kindred by his acts. I wish therefore to try
myself in the combat with him, and whether I am
victorious over him, or he kill me, I shall be eased
of his perfidy. King Cais was exceedingly astonished.
These two are brothers by the same father
and mother, said he to his chiefs; but what a difference
is there between them in courtesy and generosity!
Thus started forth Cosoorah against his
brother. Eh! thou faithless villain! he exclaimed,
what means this depravity? this outrage against the
warriors? hast lost thy senses? or is it thy folly
that goads thee on? Thou bastard! cried Harith,
recognising him, and he was immediately inflamed
with intense wrath and indignation, I sent after
thee to come and assist me, but thou wert gone to
the Absians, and fearest not my power: now thou
art come even to fight me. And as he spoke, he
assailed his brother with the utmost fury; but Cosoorah
met him like a sparkling fire. (The Arabs,
in those days of ignorance, used to call Harith the
Violator, and Cosoorah the Intrepid). And they
continued the spear-thrust and sword-blow till every
eyeball was sickened. They continued in this state
till evening came on, when Harith desisted from
the engagement, saying, Return to thy comrades
for this night; had I wished thy death, I would
have slain thee at the very first. By the faith of a
noble Arab, said Cosoorah, thou hast no escape but
by flight; if thou retirest from before me, I will
pursue thee to the tribe of Fazarah, and will bring
defeat down upon thee; for I only came to fight
thee, because thou hast glutted the universe with
the scandal thou hast brought on the Arabs. On
hearing this, the light became dark in the eyes of
Harith. He rushed at him, and smote him with
Zoolhyyat on the head, and divided him down to the
belt of his back, and he hurled him over cut in
twain. Confounded at Harith's deed, the two
armies shuddered at the hardness of his heart against
his brother, the son of his father and mother. As
to King Cais, he vanished from existence at the
horror of this catastrophe. He remained that night
in the greatest distress at being thus abandoned by
Harith, for he could not imagine what would happen,
or how it would all end. As to Harith, when
he had slain his brother Cosoorah, he retired to the
tribe of Fazarah, where Hadifah and Sinan met
him, and thanked him for his achievements, and for
the murder of his brother.

At the dawn of day the two armies prepared to
engage, when lo! Harith started forth galloping and
charging, and challenging to the contest. Come forth,
ye Absians, he cried, against the grasper of lives! him
who converts joy into sorrow—him who regards no
engagement—him who acknowledges no brother—no

cousin. King Cais would have ordered the troops
to a general assault, but the Chief Shedad started
out against Harith, who encountered him, and commenced
the blow, and the draughts of instant death:
he had even wounded him; but just as he was about
to close upon him, lo! a dust arose, and as it cleared
away, there appeared the bridegroom of war and
battle—the destroyer of sturdy warriors—the serpent
of the bowels of the desert—the instructor of
heroes in battle—he, in whom the world glories—
the Chief Antar, son of the Chief Shedad, and his
companions were like devouring lions; and as the
Absians beheld Antar advance, they set up the
shout of joy, Oh what a glorious morn! King Cais
kissed him between the eyes, and told him what
Harith had done, how he had slain his brother,
and wounded Shedad. And to his inquiries of
Antar about what had happened with Aswad and
their wives and property, O King, said Antar, I
have rescued our prisoners and our heroes, and I
have returned Aswad to bondage and captivity, and
we have not lost a single article, not even the value
of a halter. The cause of this was, that Antar with
ten warriors and Shiboob followed Aswad's track;
and when their eyes met, Antar roared in a voice
that made the mountains and the whole country
resound, Ignoble dastards! I am Antar, son of
Shedad: let go those women and children. No
sooner did Aswad and his companions hear the
voice of Antar, the lion-knight, than they were
stupefied and confounded; their bodies were struck
with horror; their complexions changed. Come on,
cried Aswad to Locait and the Brandisher of Spears;
on to the sturdy slave, for he has only a small party
of cowards with him. Comfort your heart and
brighten your eye, cried they all; soon will we show
you a day of horrors. But our opinion is, you
should station a party of us over the prisoners, that
our hearts may not be occupied in the hour of
battle. This being done, the Brandisher of Spears
and Locait with their warriors returned to engage
Antar, who received them as the parched earth the
first of the rain: he yelled in their horses' faces,
and thus drove them on their haunches, and made
them hurl their riders off their backs. As soon as
the women heard the voice of Antar, their pain and
sorrow vanished; joy and gladness visited them.
Shiboob sought the post of the prisoners; he met
the heroes that were stationed over them sitting still,
and contemplating the battle. He rushed towards
Harith, son of Zoheir, in the rear of the guards,
who were leisurely enjoying the spectacle of the
combat: he released him from bondage, and, in less
than an hour, they had released one another: then
mounting the horses to which they had before been
bound, they made an assault to assist Antar, exclaiming
as in one voice, O by Abs! O by Adnan!
At this shout his powers expanded; but Aswad
seeing the prisoners rescued, was alarmed. He
would have fled, but Shiboob perceived him. Follow
me, O Prince, he cried out to Harith, son of
Zoheir. But the warriors of Aamir and Darem,
when they saw Aswad fly, gave their bridles to their
steeds. Antar pursued them with the Absians,
till they drove them out of that country, having
first taken ten prisoners, and slain twenty heroes;
the remainder bent their fugitive course towards the
wastes and the wilds.

Antar and his comrades were returning, when
lo! Shiboob and Harith, son of Zoheir, advanced
with Prince Aswad their prisoner, whom they dragged
along as they would a camel. Eh! O Ebe
riah, said Antar, how didst capture Adwad? Know,
my brother, replied Shiboob, when he beheld you,
and how you slaughtered his men, he fled; but I
pursued him till I overtook him; I smote his horse,
and wounded him in the pasterns. Aswad fell off;
I jumped on his breast; he resisted; I drew forth
my dagger, and he cried, Quarter, O Shiboob! and
surrendered himself to me. I pinioned him well,
arms and shoulders. Antar congratulated them on
their safety, and wishing the women joy on their
security, he stationed a guard over Aswad and his
comrades. O Antar, said Aswad, what advantage
is there in keeping me in captivity? Let me go
this once, and accept me as your friend and companion
in every strait and difficulty. Eh! and why
should I let thee go? said Antar; just to assemble
against me all thy host and tribes, and come and
engage me a second time? Who, said Aswad, can
ever dare to fight thee again, or ever come near
thee in the combat? Never will I approach the
spot where thou art. Know too, O Aboolfawaris,

that Harith is gone to fight on the side of the Fazareans.
Upon this the heart of Antar was alarmed
for the Absians, till day dawning, he mounted with
his brave companions, and they travelled over the
wastes and the sandhills till they reached home,
where they reposed in the tents one night, and
having placed Ibla and the other women in security,
Antar again mounted; and as he passed over the
deserts and the wastes, he recollected all the wars
he had been engaged in, and thus recited:

"I bade adieu to her whose absence has deposited
in me a flame whose smallest work is its blazing.
I have quitted her, but my heart is with her, and
I have preserved my covenants and stipulations
with her. O Ibla, were absence a substance, thou
wouldst see what burthens I have borne. As to
the calamities of fortune, were they scimitars, their
flash should not terrify me. O Ibla, how oft the
raven of the desert croaks in love, and truly its
croaking gives me ease. I was born for the tumultuous
war of vengeance, when the bright foreheads
of the high mettled steeds rush impetuously to
the contest, and the brilliancy of the atmosphere
is blackened with their dust, and the lustre of the
sun's rays vanish, and the thursts clash with the
barbs of the spears, whose lacerating gores wrench
out the folds of the entrails. Never have I been
present in the battle, on the day of horrors, but
that I have made the whole country flow in blood.
The horsemen look at me, in the day of the battle,
with eyes, whose balls are fixed on high. They

avoid me, and their fears tell them that the sheath
of my sword is their necks. They abuse my
complexion for its swarthiness, day and night;
their hypocrisy is the least evil they speak. I have
a sword, were it brandished in Hajir, even Irak
would sparkle with its lightning."

As Antar repeated his verses, his companions
were much delighted at his expressions, and his
compliance with the times. They hastened forward
till they came up to the Absians. King Cais
had not finished speaking of Harith, son of Zalim,
when Shedad, Antar's father, returned from
his engagement with Harith; he was wounded, and
his shoulder was raw with blood. Antar, as he
viewed his father, wounded, and in that plight, had
not the command of his senses. He rushed against
Harith, who, observing the confusion, was still wavering
between truth and doubt, uncertain what to
think, till Antar himself stood before him, in the
plain of battle; and as he looked at him, his limbs
shook as with an ague: he was stupefied—he was
aghast. Eh! thou ordure-born, cried Antar, how
speedily thou hast forgotten favours! how quickly
hast thou betrayed thy friends! verily, thou hast
no honour, no word to be believed. By the faith
of an Arab, I must slay thee, and thus Antar recited:

"Congratulate thyself, O Harith, that thou hast
fallen on a hero, accustomed to plunge into darkness,
ever amongst warrior princes. Thou shalt
see in me this day a lion-hero, that deals the blow

of tombs; the battle is veiled—the contest is
darkened, but retreat not, that my soul's anguish
may be extinguished. How many lion-heroes
have I slain with my sword, and how many gores
have I driven with my spear! Never has the
flourish of the spear-barb glittered in the morn,
but I was the first among the troops. I launch
into the hottest of the fight, and the dust is its
pavilion far extended over the plains. Death, in
the day of contention, serves my arm, and my
sword hews away the joints. Fiends dread my
power and my assault. Man, too, has felt my
virtue. I am fate amongst the foe—I am the
calamity—I am the establisher of woe amongst
the tribes. My star is above the minutest stars in
the constellation of the Great Bear; and as to my
ambition, kings talk of it in their assemblies. My
chest is broad, and my spear is a tearer, and my
vehemence is acknowledged in every army."

Now Harith hung down his head towards the
ground in fear of Antar. He meditated a while,
and was confounded; again he had recourse to his
artifices and stratagems. Welcome, welcome, O
Aboolfawaris, he cried, thou ornament of assemblies!
thou lion of the land! thou sublime in glory! thou
pardoner of sinners! thou defender of children and
women! O Aboolfawaris, verily I have sinned
against thee, and what thou hast said of me was
justifiable, for thou hast reduced me to that state,
that I can no more raise up my head among the
warriors. Indeed, I repent of my conduct towards

thee, in the deepest manner; but thou art acquainted
with my story, and what has happened to
me. I perceived my chance of success with Numan
was weakened, and my apprehensions were realized.
So I set at liberty Aswad and his horsemen,
thinking that thy matters would be easily arranged
with Numan. But the reverse is the event; for
they still demand me, and had I not fled, they
would have put me to death. But now that is all
over; and I have no apology thou canst accept; I
must exert myself in the contest with thee; but
afterwards I will dismount from my horse, and cast
myself under the hoofs of thy horse, Abjer, and will
humbly ask thy forgiveness. Canst thou then pardon
me this once? And if I ever again betray thee, may
the mother of Harith be no more a free-born woman.
May God curse thee, Harith, said Antar, above all
mankind, and all that put their trust in thee or
believe thee! But if I could suppose that forgiveness
could purify thee, I would pardon thee.
O champion of the Absians, cried Harith, thou
knowest my sword Zoolhyyat is my greatest joy, and
dearer to me than the life that animates my body
—take it and forgive me, and he actually sheathed
his sword and delivered it to Antar. Antar was
amazed at his words, and astonished at his actions;
for the surrender of arms prohibited all contest, and
he dared not raise his hand against him. O Harith,
said he, restoring his sword, I cannot from my heart
confide in thee, and from me towards thee there
can be no security or protection, but through King
Cais. And I know there is too much resentment in
his heart against thee, for me to be responsible for
him, and to engage his protection for thee. Yet
march on before me, that I may intercede with him.
So Harith went on before him, and whilst the two
parties were amazed at seeing him (for they knew
not what had happened), Hadifah began to quiz
Harith. Eh! Harith, he cried, hast thou then
returned to fight for this bastard slave? Woe! woe!
O Aboolfawaris, cried Harith, turning round (for
his back was towards Antar), scandal to the Arabs
that they should thus speak of thee, and call thee
bastard, and the least of thy acts towards me is this
thy act, and this thy beneficence. Never will I return
to the presence of King Cais till I have whitewashed
my face with him, either by the death of
Hadifah or his captivity. And he drew forth his
sword, quicker than the lightning's flash, and struck
Antar a full blow on the head, and he attempted to
kill him in the presence of the assembled nations.
On Antar's head was one of the Chosrowean helmets,
on which he always depended; but Harith's sword
split it, cut the lining and wadding, and fell
upon his head, making a gash on his forehead, and
causing the blood to flow over his beard. Afraid,
lest he should repeat the blow and destroy him,
Antar exhibited the utmost steadiness. He shouted
out to Harith with the roar of a lion, and directing
his spear against him, resolved to pierce him; but
Harith fled from before him, and sought the tribe
of Fazarah. The day now disappearing, Antar
retired. The Absians met him on horseback, and
stanching the blood, bound up his wound. King
Cais and his brother also hastened up and inquired
how he was. Antar told them the whole circumstance,
and repaired to his father's tents, bellowing
in the excess of his fury and rancour. He reposed
that night, but was all anxiety for the dawn of day,
that he might sally forth to the battle, and relieve
his heart in the blows of the scimitar. As to the
tribe of Fazarah, they reposed in a state of most
perfect happiness. Hadifah went to meet Harith,
and thanked him for what he had done, saying,
Truly thou hast eased my sorrows, and hast done
a deed shall be recorded from generation to generation;
and hadst thou but slain that dæmon, thou
wouldst have been the paragon of the age! O Ebe
Hijar, said Harith, this hero cannot be numbered
amongst the warriors thou hast ever known. Speak
not much to me on this subject, for I am well aware
of Antar's style of fighting, and I only dealt him
the blow of one already terrified. I had deceived
him, but my heart did not feel secure in him, so I
resolved to exert my power over him, before he
should exert his power over me, and I have wounded
him. He has courted the combat, and in every respect
he is a true hero. They continued thus till
the laughing morn approached, when the warriors
drew their swords, and extended their spears. The
first who started forth to the field was the knight of
the precipitate attack—the serpent of the bowels of the desert—the raiser of the lofty column—the noble
Prince Antar, son of Shedad. He sought the contest,
calling out for Harith, his heart full of resentment;
and when the Fazareans saw him, and heard
his harangue, they were bewildered and amazed,
Hadifah inquired for Harith, but they could not
find him, and it was said that he had fled, taking
with him ten of the most intrepid horsemen. Now
Harith, in fact, was aware that Antar would not care
for his wound, but would come forth in the morning
to challenge him, when he would be under the
necessity of fighting him; therefore, only waiting
till the darkness thickened, and the eyes of mortals
were asleep, he took with him ten horsemen, and
carried off a good string of camels, belonging to the
tribe of Fazarah, and sought the land of Mecca.
Hadifah was greatly troubled. May God curse
Harith, son of Zalim, and afford him no security on
the road, said he; for he has not regarded the rights
of his friend. Antar's rancour was at its height.
He assailed the Fazareans, and rushed upon them—
he laid low the horsemen—he destroyed the brave
—and he cut his way through the heroes; and when
the Absians saw his attack, they prepared to assist
him; but Cais prevented them, saying, Let us
abstain from the combat, that we may ascertain what
is become of Harith; perhaps he may be concealed.
So he sent word to Antar, and told him of the state
of things. Antar bore the battle alone till evening,
when he retired. The tribe of Fazarah was in the
greatest consternation; all their fortitude was staggered—their
heads hung down, and they passed
that night in fears, forming various conjectures.
The next day, they again mounted for the combat,
and long lasted the thrust with the tall spears, and
the blow with the polished scimitars. Antar and
the horsemen set fire to the hearts of the tribe of
Fazarah—they drove them to their tents. The
parties continued in this state for three days; on the
fourth, the horsemen allied to Hadifah separated,
and sought their own country, frightened at Antar
and his assaults. Thus the tribe of Fazarah being
disgraced, depended on the heights of the mountains.
The Absians seized their dwellings, and took up
their abode there, surrounding the Fazareans on all
quarters, and cutting off every communication; for
Antar vowed, that he would not leave of the tribe
of Fazarah one to speak or one to hear. This state
of things continued ten days; they were in the
greatest difficulties, and every friend and comrade
had abandoned them. They lighted fires by night
on the mountain tops, and fortified themselves
amongst the sandhills. By day, Hadifah descended
on foot with his brothers, possessing themselves of
the ways and defiles, and defending their families
with their scimitars and glittering swords, but feeling
certain of overwhelming calamities. On the eleventh
day, Hadifah assembled them. O my cousins, said
he, know that Antar will not quit us, and will not
leave a remnant of us alive; so fight the foe—expose
your lives—pierce them with the spears, and dearly
sell your existence. Thus he continued to encourage
them with harangues, till they disregarded life.
Armour felt light; they mounted their generous
steeds, and snatching up their tall spears, they precipitated
themselves from the mountain-tops. But
the women began to weep and lament, and a crowd
of noble slaves followed them. The Absians were
eager for the contest, and Antar hastened to the
scene of spear-thrusts and sword-blows; but Cais,
observing the desperate fury of the Fazareans, said
to Antar and the Absians, O my cousins, by the
God of heaven, attend to me, retire to some distance
from them; thus urged on by their own virulence,
they will soon be mixed with us in the desert, then
let us turn upon them and plunder their lives. And
he wheeled away his horse, and Antar followed him.
The others, seeing the banners move away, also
turned their horses heads and retired. The Fazareans
were greatly delighted; their eagerness was
excited—they raised their shouts, and galloped for
ward to capture the Absians. The dust arose—the
sun was veiled; and Hadifah cried out, O my
cousins, ply the sword on the foe; let not one survive!
King Cais and Antar exulted, and wheeled all at
once, followed by the noble horsemen; and the
spear-thrust commenced after this short suspension.
The heroes clashed against each other—exertion was
universal—artifice availed not—conversation was at
an end—horses trampled over the plain—hands,
right and left, were palsied—vallies were not distinguished
from mountains. The dust arose like
night, and war was in all its terrors. The brave
exulted on their saddles, and persisted—the coward
felt assured of death and despair—blood flowed and
streamed—the hearts of the bravest failed—the
battle continued to rage till the Almighty permitted
the day to depart; the warriors were laid low upon
the sands, and gray were the locks of infants on
that day. But God prospered the Absians, and
nothing appeared sweeter to them than death, and
the approach of fate. This was their condition,
when lo! a dust drew nigh, and it moved along like
a cloud that equalized the hills and the vallies. The
arms of both parties instantly relinquished the blow
and thrust, for they thought it was the dust of Harith
returning, and with him a party of villains. In
an hour, the dust cleared away, and there appeared
a tribe of Hijaz, and some horsemen of Mecca, in
Yemen cloaks, and turbans of Kufian silk, all girded
with straight spears, and scimitars of India; and
their countenances were like the sparkling constellations:
round them were slaves with Yemen javelins,
all like lions, and clothed in panther skins; and
when they advanced out of the dust, they moved
gently between the two ranks and exclaimed, O by
the Arabs! sheathe your swords, from striking
bodies and skulls. Ye have agitated the chiefs of
the sacred shrine: this is the Lord of the Holy
Wall and Zemzem, the obeyed monarch, Abdulmotalleb,
of the tribe of Hashem. Withdraw from
the contest; hear what he says, and presume not to
oppose his word. At hearing this, the two parties
separated.

King Cais came forward, and saluting him, kissed

his hand. He attended him, and followed him till
they reached the land of Shurebah, where the horsemen
alighted at their tents, and the people were
united to their wives. King Cais ordered sheep to
be slaughtered, and a feast to be prepared, whilst
Abdulmotalleb began to describe to them the peculiarities
of Mecca, and the holy shrine, the virtue of
Zenzem and the temple, and the appearance of our
Lord Mohammed, the lamp of darkness. (May the
peace of God be on him and his noble associates as
long as the ringdove moans and the pigeon sings!)
He informed him of his existence and appearance,
and excited their wishes to live long, that they might
perhaps comprehend him, and be guided by his
light; and there was not one but anxiously longed
to survive till his time that he might behold him,
and might fight for him.

When the feasts of the tribes of Fazarah and Abs
were over, Hadifah requested Aswad's liberty of
King Cais, who assenting, asked the opinion of Abdulmotalleb
on that point. It would be right, said
he, to loosen his bonds. Summon him here, that I
may make peace between you, and I will invite him
to repair to King Numan, for he is the king of the
age over every prince, and he commands all the
Arabs; and by the truth of the God of old, no one
is made a monarch or sultan but that there is imparted
to him some secret knowledge to which a
common man is not admitted; and were it not a
favour from the God of heaven and earth, the post
of honour of one would not be raised above another,

for we are all of the race of Adam and Eve. King
Cais conformed with the orders of Abdulmotalleb,
and sent some of his chief attendants to Aswad to
release him from bondage. He invested him with
a magnificent robe, and paid him every honour and
respect, and begged his pardon for all that had
passed. Abdulmotalleb took him by his side, and
presented him some victuals. He ate till he was satisfied,
and conversed; and in Abdulmotalleb's last
words to Aswad he concluded by saying, Know, O
prince, that God did not create men useless and
helpless, and it is incumbent on his slaves to defend
themselves against violence and oppression. Your
brother is now King of the Arabs and Irak. Every
thing is easy to him, because he has the language
and the sword of a king; but it is his duty to settle
the disputes of his people, and the Arabs, and the
tribes, and not to act like a foolish man, for God
will make him responsible for his tyranny. Thou
hast seen how he has sent thee with armies and
troops, but they have all been dispersed. All this
is by the command of God, far and near. It is now
deemed meet that thou shouldst return to thy brother
Numan, and prohibit him from acts of outrage
and hostility; advise him not to cut asunder the
connexion between him and the tribe of Abs, and
let him not act in a manner to incur the reproaches
of kings and of the Arabs. It is ever particularly
praiseworthy to respect kindred and relationship.
O chief, said Prince Aswad, all these events were
owing to Harith; but now that business is terminated,
and Harith has departed out of this land,
I will request my brother to withdraw his aggressions
from this tribe, and I will fill his ears with
reproof and reproach.

Thus ended the day in feasts and merriment.
The next day Abdulmotalleb took his departure,
saying to King Cais, Every one must be aware that
the horses of death are pursuing him, and that he is
a captive in the grasp of fate and destiny; let him
therefore content himself with a little in this world.
Thus saying, he departed, accompanied with the
chiefs of Abs and Fazarah, in order to bid him farewell.
Aswad rode out also till mid-day, when he
departed on his return to Irak. Abdulmotalleb
halted in that country, and having made peace between
the Absians and Fazareans, taking their
bonds and covenants for the preservation of tranquillity,
to which the Sheikhs of the two tribes were
witnesses, he travelled over the wilds and the wastes.
King Cais and Hadifah, with their companions, returned
to their respective lands; but heart burnings
and deep recollections still remained.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

As to Harith, when he fled from the tribe of Fazarah,
he could find no asylum but at Mecca, for
there every wanderer was secure. There he remained,
and connected himself with his grandfather,
who was called Marah, son of Luvee. Now one
day when Antar was sitting alone in his tent, there
came to him a man from Mecca, one of the hermits
of the tribe of Abs that seldom quitted the sacred
shrine. Antar inquired of Harith. I saw him, said
he, in the sacred place established, eating and drinking,
enjoying the property he had plundered; but
in his heart there is a flame blazing against you. I
beheld in him what I never beheld in any human
being. What hast thou seen in him? said Antar.
My cousin, said he, Harith was one day walking
round the sacred shrine, his sword slung over his
shoulders, when a man called Amroo, son of Atnabah,
the Yathrabite, stared at him. He inquired who
he was? they told him it was Harith, son of Zalim.
How! this must be the man, said the Yathrabite,
who slew Khalid, son of Giafer, when he was asleep;
and is his murderer now alive? O Arab, cried Harith,
overhearing him, how art thou called among
horsemen? I am called Amroo, son of Atnabah.
Yathrab is my place of abode and birth, said he.

What mean you by your question? You have
abused me, said Harith, for murdering Khalid in
his sleep; perhaps I may meet you when you are
awake. Again the Yathrabite began to satirize
Harith in the following manner:

"O my friends, soothe me with pleasures, and
make me drink of the wine of enjoyment. Let
me hear the damsels strike the cymbals at the
time of joy and relaxation, when every new moon
sparkles before me, and every true lover passes
the evening with his mistress. I belong to a noble
tribe, but that is not my boast; their parentage
is known by the purity of their faith. My kindred
is a branch of the race of Adnan, brilliant and
resplendent with virtues. I am a knight, whom
the sword and lance obey when the spears are interwoven.
My companion and my aid in calamities
is my sword, whose edge I adore. Tell
Harith, son of Zalim, that I have spoken of him
the words of a true reporter, and that no one but
a coward kills a man asleep, and no one but a
hero can kill a man when awake."

When Amroo, son of Atnabah, had finished his
verses, he set out on his return to Medina Yathrab,
his heart boiling against Harith, for he dared not
lay his hand upon him in the sacred shrine. Harith,
learning from his spies and emissaries that
Amroo had quitted Mecca on his way to Medina,
followed him till Amroo entered his own dwelling.
Waiting till night, he repaired to his house, and
knocked at his door. Who art thou? said Amroo.

A suppliant for protection, said Harith. I will
protect thee, said Amroo, by the faith of an Arab,
were even Harith, son of Zalim, thy foe. If thou
wilt aid me, added Harith, come not forth but
merged in armour. Upon that, Amroo put on his
arms, and plunged himself into his coat of mail; but
his wife hung about him, saying, I smell blood in
the voice of this caller; but he tore himself away
from her, and paid no attention to her words. He
went forth to the suppliant, and followed him; and
when they had passed the palm-trees of Yathrab, O
Amroo, cried Harith, turning round upon him, I
am Harith, of whom you said he could only murder
the sleeping. Thou art prepared, awake, clad in
thy armour, and mounted on thy horse; now be on
thy guard. Amroo was astonished, but resolved to
fight him; he brandished his spear, and roared
and bellowed. Son of Zalim, verily thou hast acted
fairly, he cried, as he rushed at him. Harith met
him, and the two engaged under the veil of obscurity,
and continued to combat till the greatest part of the
night was passed. Being now tired and exhausted,
each stood apart from his antagonist; but Harith
had again recourse to his artifices and perfidy:
What say you, said he to Amroo, to cancelling the
contract and abandoning the contest? Sheath thy
sword, that I may also sheath mine. I heard your
verses concerning me at Mecca, where you abused
me for my conduct; they surprised me. I am desirous
therefore to reply to them. Amroo sheathed
his sword, and leaned against his spear, saying,
Well then, O Harith, let me hear what you have on
your mind. And Harith thus recited:

"Supply me, dearest friends, with pleasures, before
my situation becomes too severe. Let not
the railers glut themselves upon me, or see me a
prey to sorrow. I care not when I wake on
Tuesday whether they call me upright or a profligate.
Ever let me replenish the ewers with
excellent wine morning and evening. Moreover,
never have I betrayed my engagement to God in
my life; but a story from my enemies has reached
me that would make the heart forget the cruellest
disease, that no one but a coward slays a man
asleep, and no one slays one awake but a hero.
So I have traversed the deserts on my black steed,
resembling the obscurity of night, anxious to engage
in combat with the youth of Yathrab, that
virtue may not appear like vice. I visited him
when darkness had spread out its foot: he was
like a full moon in the cup of the Pleiades. I
challenged, and swift as a lion he welcomed me as
soon as he saw me. I challenged him, and I beheld
a hero mighty in the contest; a knight, at
whom knights might quake with horror when he
shakes swords or Semherian spears."

Amroo dismounted from his horse, and hastened
in the fullest security of mind to embrace him, and
to adjure him to enter Medina Yathrab with him.
But Harith, as he saw Amroo approaching him, extended
his arm, and opened wide his elbow, and
stretching forth his spear more rapid than lightning,

he pierced Amroo through the chest, and drove it
sparkling through his back, and hurled him down
dead. He ran at him; he carried away his horse,
and spoiling him of his arms, abandoned him cast
down on the desert.

When Antar heard this account of Harith, the
fire was kindled in his heart, and he placed spies and
scouts over him. But Harith, after he had slain
Amroo, and left him on the waste, returned to
Mecca, and sold Amroo's arms and horse in his
fears, saying to himself, There is nothing now to be
done but to go to Aswad, and request of him to
make peace between me and his brother King Numan,
and to secure his protection for me. He set
out in the night, and travelled on till he reached
Hirah, where he saw multitudes and armies like the
rolling ocean.

Now Prince Aswad, on being released by Abdulmotalleb,
repaired to his brother, to whom he related
what had happened to him with the Absians
and Antar, and the arrival of Abdulmotalleb, who
had adjusted the disputes between the tribes of Abs
and Fazarah. O my brother, he added, he is a wise
man, between whom and the Absians there is no altercation,
as long as Antar the violent death is
among them, for he fears not whole hosts, and no
power alarms him. As soon as he encountered us,
he only made one dash at us; he defeated us; he
made his way right through us; and there was not
one of us left in his senses. If matters are as you,
my brother, represent them, said Numan, consider

what must be done. By the faith of an Arab, added
he, I am aware of, and I have proved Antar's superior
intrepidity, and so has every army you have
sent against him and the Absians; for there was no
warrior that engaged him, the lord of battles, but
he discomfited him were he even attacked ten times
over. Verily, I have beheld in Antar what I never
saw in any mortal man before. If matters stand
thus, continued Numan, where shall we meet a warrior
that can cope with Antar in the field, and make
him drink of the cup of death? O my brother, replied
Aswad, if you are desirous of Antar's death,
there is no one but Harith, son of Zalim; for he
nears him in courage and resolution, and general
excellence, and in fraud and deceit he is the most
subtle of men. As to Harith, said Numan, who
knows where he is that we may send for him, and
offer him wealth and property? I will bring him to
you, said Aswad. Equip an army for him against
the Absians, and see what he will do; and every
one he may slay of them it will be so much gained
for you. Do whatever you please, my brother, said
Numan.

Aswad returned home, and found Harith in his
house, who sprang up towards him, and kissed his
hands. The prince, much pleased, and feeling assured
that Antar would at any rate be slain this
time, received him with every attention and kindness,
and told him what had passed with his brother.
Early next day Numan's messenger entered to
order Prince Aswad into his presence. Return, said

he, to my brother, and tell him I have a guest, and
he is afraid of him.

The messenger returned and told him, and Numan
gave him a mantle of security, with which the
messenger went back to the prince, saying, Your
brother sends his compliments, and says, Bring me
your guest; and if it be even Harith, son of Zalim,
this is a mantle of security. Upon this, Harith
started up together with the prince, and proceeded
to the presence of Numan, where they saw a numerous
assemblage of chiefs, and horsemen, and
warriors; and when Harith's eyes fell on Numan,
he kissed the ground in fear and terror: he kissed
his hand, piteously stating his apprehensions
and dread, and the grievances and evils he had
endured; and whilst they were eating, and the cups
of wine were circling among them, the conversation
fell upon the horsemen and warriors of the age;
they also mentioned Harith, and how he had by
stratagem contrived to wound Antar. O cousins,
said Numan, a man's subtlety and stratagem for
conquest are the perfection of the art of war; and
were not a knight to be subtle as well as expert in
arms, he would not be called brave, and he would
not be talked of by the heroes for his battles and
his contests. And as the turn came to Harith, Numan
continued, saying, Tell us something of your
treacheries and artifices. On condition, said he, that
you will permit me to relate what happened to me
the other day. Well, let us hear it, said Numan.

O king of the age, began Harith, know that the

knights of the age, men of faith, are seven, viz. Direed,
son of Samah; Amroo, son of Wad, the Aamirite;
Amroo, son of Maadi Kereb, the Zebeedian;
Zoolkhimar, the Himyarite; Aamir, son of Tofeil;
the Brandisher of Spears; and the Chief Antar, son
of Shedad. The impostors are also seven, viz. Cadmoos,
son of Majid; Marah, son of Abdulazee;
Jareer, son of Mubadir; the Knight Awis; Amroo,
the Kelbian; Saleek, son of Selikah; and he was
silent. And you are the seventh? said Numan. Yes,
said he.

And now, continued Numan, tell us some of your
perfidious acts, and what stratagem you lately practised.
O King, said Harith, my story is extraordinary,
and it ought to be recorded after my death.
It is thus: after my adventure with Antar, I left
the Fazareans, taking with me ten of the noble
Arab horsemen; and when we had travelled half
way, we stopped in a country called Mancabit ool
Mesalik; we became very hungry, so much so, that
we were reduced to infinite distress and perplexity,
when lo! we saw a hovel built of straw, and a small
tent pitched, at the entrance of which was a well-proportioned
spear, and a sword suspended, and a
horse saddled, and a youth of the dimensions of a
lion, cooking his victuals on the desert. We galloped
up to him; Young man, said we, is there any
Arab horde near you? The youth raised up his
head, and smiling at us, said, Why ask ye for villages
and hordes? These victuals are enough.
Know, O Arabs, victuals were only formed to be

eaten, and property was only created to be spent.
Liberal men are only esteemed by the wise; and the
niggard is only fit to be killed: and ye are now entitled
to honour and every attention.

When, O King, we heard this, we were surprised
at the elegance of his mind: he immediately entered
the tent, and returned bringing with him a large dish
full of camel's milk, and mixed with the honey of
bees cooled in the wind; and we drank of something
sweeter than the purest water. We then let our
horses loose to graze, and sat down.

As we were examining the young man's tent, and
his arms, and his armour, and were wondering at his
solitary life in the barren waste, I happened to turn
round; my eyes fell on a damsel more lovely than
the refulgent sun. Look, said I to my comrades,
at that damsel, who is linked to the seat of my reason
and my heart. She must be mine, were even
this youth to give me to eat all the bread and salt
in the universe. We therefore laid our plans to
violate his faith, and to destroy his life; and whilst
he was cooking victuals for us till all was ready, we
were meditating villany and perfidy.

At last the youth entered the tent, and brought
out a great quantity of Indian corn, which he put
into a dish, and mixing it up with some meat and
wine, he took up the dish by the handles, and placed
it before us, saying, Advance, noble Arabs, come
on; here are some victuals. So we ate till we were
satisfied, and the youth stood waiting on us. And
when he was about to take away the dish, I said,

What is this damsel to you? What mean you by
that question? replied he. Know, O youth, I added,
that your property is sacred to us, but we are a gang
of Arab depredators, who admit of no faith; we
acknowledge no sect; and every one that receives
us kindly, we outrage. But as to you, we will spare
you on account of your hospitality, as we have eaten
your victuals. Take whatever horse you please of
ours, escape, and leave the damsel, and your horse,
and your tent, and say no more about it.

At hearing this, the light became dark in the eyes
of the youth. This damsel, said he, who is in the
tent, is my sister; and out of my great anxiety about
her, I have secluded myself in this barren waste;
but between you and me, there is a sacred respect
and engagement, as you have eaten and drunk with
me; and I wish you would leave us in peace. Know
then, youth, said I, I must carry away this damsel
and horse, were they even surrounded by a thousand
of the noblest heroes: make no more noise about it,
or I shall leave some food for the beasts and birds
of prey. If it be so, said the youth, and you will
not quit this desert, wait a little for me, that I may
bid my sister farewell, and give her my last exhortation.
That you may do, said I. And he repaired
to his sister, and found her in tears, as she thus
spoke:

"Never be the day that the troops mounted on
roan steeds should see us prisoners. They desire thy
death, my brother, maliciously; before this never
knew I of sorrow or guilt. Fight then for thy

sister, who depends on thee; thou art her brother,
thou art her father. Let not these wretches possess
themselves of my person, or seize me by force,
whilst I am with thee; for shame would fall on
thee, son of my father, and the horsemen and
west would reproach thee. Fear not death, sped
by the hand of man: no one dreads it but a heartless
coward."

When the youth heard his sister speak thus, O
King, he repeated these verses:

"Take thy farewell of me, O maiden, before I die;
aid me with thy prayers against the foe. Perhaps
the Creator of heaven and earth may preserve
thy brother from death. A perfidious party
has fallen upon us; in them there is no warmth
of heart to pity thy sorrows. They have broken
the sacred rights of hospitality; they have betrayed
us, and they consider as lawful my blood,
and the dishonour of thy protector. Follow me,
and behold my exploits, when the steeds charge,
assaulting thy dwelling; weep for me with the
sorrowing matrons, should I, after my combat, be
left dead. And when the dove mourns on the
Erak, O dove of the Erak, then aid me with thy
plaints. O daughter of Aamir, if they give me
fair play in the contest, I will destroy them for
love of thee; but if the party outrage me,
and play me foul in the fight, my life will be
thy ransom. Alas! alas! should I die in my
transport, and the foe, when thy protector is no
more, take thee captive, O send my adieu to my

he was grieved and distressed. O Khalid, said he,
what thou hast done is wrong; had I been with
thee, by the faith of an Arab, I would not have left
a head or tail of them; for when a man undertakes
an affair, he should finish it, and should not leave
any thing to be done.

Cousin, said Khalid, I was afraid the same misfortune
would befal me as King Zoheir. But now,
he added, I wish you would execute an act that
will make you renowned indeed. Take with you
one thousand horsemen, and proceed to the defiles
between us and Yemen: conceal yourself there till
Antar returns, and do with him as I have already
done with Zoheir, for I have heard that Antar is in
the land of Yemen, and with him a party of horse
that despise the calamities of the times. If you can
slay them, we shall succeed in all our attempts, and
by killing them, we shall destroy the strong defence
of the Absians.

When Gheshm heard Khalid's advice, his pride
and vanity were shocked, and he was greatly annoyed,
for he was a puissant horseman, and a stout
hardy warrior. Hast thou not found for me any
greater honour, said he to Khalid, than to detach
me against a baseborn slave? Let me protect our
property and families. I will assemble for them
the troops and the heroes; go thou thyself on this
expedition thou hast planned, and relieve me from
the life of Antar. He then despatched horsemen
in every direction, and ordered every one to assemble

who had blood or vengeance against the
Absians. In three days Khalid had equipped one
thousand brave horsemen, amongst whom were
Jandah and Rebia, son of Ocail, with whom he set
out towards the defiles, saying to his cousins, We
are engaged in an affair whose knot cannot be well
tied, till we have completed it, and have executed
the most difficult part of it. We have indeed cut
off the serpent's head, but the tail remains.

The defiles where Khalid was going were on the
road by which every traveller must pass, and the
Arabs called them the defiles of Mesarih. Khalid
had taken to himself King Zoheir's horse Caasa,
and made it his own charger, and also his sword
Zeenoor. They continued their march till they
reached the defiles, where he halted with his party
in the meadows and ravines. Now, as to Aboolfawaris
Antar, he set out with Asyed and his son
Nazih, as we before mentioned, and entered the
land of Yemen, in order to rescue Selma, Asyed's
wife, and to assist his son, Nazih with respect to
Dhymia, the daughter of Obad. They continued
traversing the wastes till they came night unto the
land of the tribe of Cayan. But Nazih perceiving
on a sudden birds flying about and scimitars flashing,
shouts and battles, and armies and camps,
Alas! said he to his comrades, we have fallen on
what we did not expect. Compose your heart and
brighten your eye, said Antar; proceed on forward
with your party, and ascertain what is the matter,

that we may take measures accordingly. Nazih
slackened his bridle, and galloped up to the tents of
the tribe of Cayan, where were the women in the
greatest affliction, and the young damsels in tears.
He beheld his chief Obad, and he was one mass
of wounds. Dhymia was weeping among the women,
and still exciting the horsemen to the combat,
and rallying the troops to face the contest. At the
sight of his mother Selma, he was quite distracted,
as she was crying out: O my son Nazih, from what
quarter can I call thee? and in what land shall I
meet thee? Congratulate yourself, exclaimed Nazih,
advancing towards Obad, victory and conquest are at
hand; but what's this misfortune? O my son, he
replied, are we involved in this calamity, and you
among the living still? Where have you been, and
what has happened to you and to your comrades?
O my lord, said Nazih, mine is too long a tale to
relate now; but inform me what has happened to
you, and congratulate yourself on the fulfilment of
every hope. For with me are horsemen, were they
to assault the ocean, they would disperse its waves;
were they to strike the mountains, they would rend
open their sides. But who are these foes? O my
son, said Obad, after your departure from hence,
Nacmah, son of Ashter, King of the land of Sawdah
and the mountain of Ghemam, sent and demanded
my daughter Dhymia in marriage, but I refused her,
and rejected his suit, sending back his messenger
in despair. He repeated his offer, but I still denied
him, till his rage and indignation became excessive,
and he ordered against me his armies, with his son
Kelboon, and a contest took place between us.

Nazih listened, and the light became dark in his
eyes; he hastened back to Antar, and told him
what had happened. But Antar soothed his heart,
and dividing his troops into three bodies, ordered
them to make a general assault. Oorwah and his
men he stationed on the right, and Nazih and a
hundred men to the left, and he himself stood with
a hundred horsemen in the centre. Asyed also
stopped on a rising ground with ten horsemen, resolved
also to fight; but Antar would not permit him:
This is not right, said he, think not of exposing
yourself among this tribe of dogs; stand firm at
your post with this standard, that our foes may
know we have also a knight-chief. Antar shouted
out to the Absians, and leading the attack, thus
expressed himself:

"When the dawn shines from the east, and the
birds sing and mourn on the entangled trees, my
sword flutters in my scabbard, and cries out that
it longs for the contest. My spear quivers when it
sees the experienced warriors brandish their lances.
My horse aids me on the day of the spear-thrust;
when it moves, the winds even are dead. Behold
a true-hearted warrior, when the horsemen see him
they fling away their arms. O cup-bearer of death,
prepare the glass for us, for I am resolved on departure.
Give us to drink nought but the drops

of blood, when the people drink of water and
wine! Let the skulls be our apples, and spears
in the battle our fragrant flowers! Sing to my
distracted heart of my love for the beauteous Ibla,
adorned with jewels. Be patient under the dark
shadows of the battle and the harsh din of the
combat, if thou art enamoured of lovely woman.
I am Antar, like the lion of the tomb, I destroy
enemies with the blow of my scimitar!"

As soon as Antar had finished his verses, he received
the whole tribe of Arcat as the parched earth
receives the first of the rain, with blows that would
cleave a rock, and blind the vision, and stupefy the
senses. The tribe of Arcat was the most potent of
all the tribes of the land of Yemen, so also was
their king pre-eminent above all the kings of those
regions, the most arrogant and most powerful of all
their ignorant and blasphemous race; addicted to
debauchery among the maidens and the matrons
of Arabia, for whom beldams in his employment
searched amongst the tribes, and whenever they
happened to find a beautiful maiden or lovely
damsel, they came to him and informed him; then
would he send to her father to demand her in marriage,
and if her father assented, it was all well; but
if he refused, Nacmah would mount against him
with his armies and his bravoes, and would subdue
him with the sword-blow and the spear-thrusts, and
seizing her by force, he would keep her as his slave,
till he should hear of some other, when he would

make her over to his servants, and take another,
with whom he would act as with the first. About
this time he heard of the beauty of Dhymia, the
daughter of Obad, and he sent to make his proposals,
as we mentioned. But Obad sent his messenger
disappointed away, saying, I will not marry
my daughter to an ignorant tyrant.

As soon as Nacmah heard this reply, he was in a
violent rage. He forgot it for a short time, and repeated
his message, but still Obad rejected him.
Now, said Nacmah, I must reduce him to disgrace,
and subdue him by force, and he instantly sent for
his son, whose name was Kelboon, a brave man,
and a sturdy warrior; him he ordered to mount,
and proceed against the tribe of Cayan, and bring
with him his beloved Dhymia. His son Kelboon
obeyed his orders and mounted, speeding to the
tribe of Cayan; when he arrived, he attacked them
without any excuse, or previous notice, or explanation:
for the tribe of Arcat acknowledged no law
or compact; they worshipped the moon, and prostrated
themselves before it when new, and when at
the full, at its renewal, and its completion; and on
the fourteenth night they demanded of it all their
wants and exigencies, renouncing him who spread
out the earth and raised up the skies. In every
month they had a festival, and they rejoiced at the
rise of the new moon. Kelboon plied among the
tribe of Cayan the blow of the deadly sword without
any cause assigned, or previous warning. The

earnage lasted three days; but on the fourth day
arrived Antar, and Nazih, and Asyed, and found
the tribe of Cayan reduced to great straits and
difficulties, all huddled together in their tents, and
disasters were falling heavy on them.

Antar divided his troops into three corps: they
rushed upon the encampment, and trampled down
the foe from every quarter; for Antar's rage and
fury were at their height. He shouted at the horsemen
of Arcat—he dispersed them—he drowned
them in their own blood—he mangled the foe as he
cut through them—he gored their breasts with his
spear—he crushed their ribs—he dragged forth
their lives—he spoiled them of their existence—he
dyed their carcasses in blood, and painted them
with gore—he dashed down their skulls, and tossed
them about—he vociferated at the foe, and the Absians
answered to his shout. The enemy were only
anxious to escape by flight, for the tribe of Arcat
saw death was come upon them, and they fled.
Antar's yell was heard again, and the whole country
was in convulsions. Then retreated the tribe of
Arcat from the tents, as they still saw horsemen
gathering upon them, and warriors assailing them:
back they turned, but death was ever before their
eyes. They dispersed like wild beasts, every one
felt the certainty of his fate; to every one this truth
was unquestionably manifested.

Their Chief Kelboon was stationed beyond the
field of battle and carnage, and with him a body of

warriors. He was expecting the prisoners to be
brought to him, for he had seen the party of Absians
when they attacked and plunged into the fight,
but he despised them on account of their inferior
numbers. He knew not they were the horsemen of
fate, and of instant death. But when he perceived
his comrades scattered right and left, he shuddered,
crying out at them, What means this abandonment
of the contest? He himself then attacked the Absians,
and he found in them warriors who regarded
not wealth, who wished not for life, who never
thought of flight, who feared not the storm of fire,
but whose assault was like the assault of hungry
lions, and whose spear-thrusts pierced the breasts
and the ribs. Then was the calamity frightful, and
awful the catastrophe. The arrows of destruction
were sped, and the warriors shrunk away terrified
at death, and at the circling cups of perdition, and
the furious steeds of annihilation. Some rushed
upon their fate, some sought safety in flight. They
demanded succour of Kelboon. We advise you,
cried they, to fly, before this knight comes down
upon you, and tears off your head from your shoulders.
He was highly indignant at such a suggestion,
and sparks of fire shot from his eyes. He
drew his sword, and smote his companions; five of
them he slew. Eh! he cried, what is there more
intolerable than this? How? what? can a thousand
horsemen of Arcat fly from one hundred only, many
of whom are slain too? By the truth of the rays of
the new moon and the full, and by the night when
it is dark and obscure, I will show you what I will
do with this horseman; and he darted from beneath
the standards, and with him five hundred men,
brave warriors, in whom he could confide, and every
one almost his equal in skill at arms.

When Antar had eased his fury, and routed all
that came before him, he turned towards his heroic
Absians, and saw them fiercely engaged with two
thousand horsemen: he was alarmed for his comrades,
on account of those fellows who rolled on like
the salt sea. He was also much afraid for Nazih,
and these circumstances creating great disquietude
in his mind, he sent them out of his hundred men
thirty horsemen, and then galloped forward with the
remaining seventy, to seek the King's son's standard,
whom he observed hastening towards him, attended
by his five hundred; and as he approached
Antar, Advance, he cried to his people, towards
this demon, and ask him of what Arab tribe he is
So they charged upon him; but one anticipated the
rest, and he was a spear-armed warrior. What Arab
art thou? cried he; whence comest thou, frantic as
thou seemest? But Antar, though he heard this
speech, condescended not to reply. He attacked
him, and made at him; he pierced him through the
chest, and hurled him over. He also slew the one
who came up next, and again sent to join them a
third brother, goring the remainder with thrusts in

their sides, till they retired on their rear, and hurried
towards Kelboon to demand his assistance.

When Kelboon saw this dreadful event, he rushed
upon Antar. He galloped, charged, and assaulted;
soon laboured amongst them the blow, and the
thrust from the sword and the spear. At this moment
the thousand opposed to Nazih were routed,
for Antar's reinforcement reached him in good time,
and strengthened his courage and resolution. We
have already mentioned all he felt in his heart for
his dear Dhymia. So he scattered heads like balls,
and hands like leaves of trees, and by mid-day he
had dispersed them over the barren waste. Next
were repulsed the troops that were opposed to Oorwah;
they too were dispersed over the land, death
and destruction came upon them.

Now then, cried Obad to his tribe, now congratulate
yourselves on victory, in the arrival of your
Knight Nazih, accompanied by this Absian party.
Now turn again upon the foe with firm purpose, and
protect your women from every foreign invader.

All the horsemen gave an universal shout, and
the freeborn and the slaves attacked, and made
great havoc and slaughter. The sword ceased not
to act, nor blood to flow, nor men to fight, nor the
flame of battle to rage, till the tribe of Arcat was
completely cut up, when Nazih and his comrades
sought the tents with Oorwah, where they were all
crowded together; and thus they continued their

work of death. But Antar and Kelboon were occupied
in the thrust, and the assault, and the skull-cleaving
blow.

Antar, being anxious speedily to conclude this
difficult affair, pretended being exhausted. This
increased Kelboon's fury, and he thrust at him with
his spear, in the hope of annihilating him. Antar
waited patiently till the spear came close to his
chest, when he shivered it with his sword, and
rushing upon Kelboon, struck him on the side of
the neck, and his sword issued quivering through
the joints. Upon this the tribe of Arcat assailed
Antar from all sides, shouting, Alas! alas! Kelboon!
But Antar also cried out to his men, and
he encountered them, piercing their chests and their
eyes, and making their blood stream down with his
spear. Asyed perceived him; the pride of glory
was roused in him; his joy and delight were complete,
and seeing that the business was now rendered
easy, he attacked with the remaining horsemen, and
plunged among the foe with his sword and spear.
Now fled the tribe of Arcat, and Antar in pursuit
like an overwhelming destruction, the blood trickling
from his scimitar and lance.

Shiboob caught up the head of Kelboon, and
stuck it on a tall spear, and ran on till he came
near the tribe of Arcat. For whom would ye now
remain to fight? he exclaimed; Behold the head
of your Chief Kelboon! With that he mounted the
head on high towards them, and when they recognised

it they dispersed over the wastes and the wilds.
And God made security succeed to fears with the
tribe of Cayan. They all dismounted before Antar,
and walked towards him. Nazih also dismounted,
and pressed Obad to mount, but he refused, saying,
O my son, who are these noble people? My Lord,
said Nazih, these are of the tribe of Abs, whom the
Arabs call the Knights of death and instant destruction,
and the cause of my acquaintance with them
is an extraordinary event; for their Prince is my
father, and their parentage is mine.

Thus he related to him all that had happened
to him on his expedition. Obad was exceedingly
surprised: By the faith of an Arab, said he, this is
indeed a story unequalled in the world; and truly I
hated the Absians on account of what my father
told me of them, but now, my son, it is incumbent
on us that our men become their slaves, and our
women their handmaidens; but which of them is
your father? Nazih pointed to Asyed—he who
has the standard over his head, he replied; the lord
of the embroidered robe. Obad ran eagerly up to
Asyed, and kissed his foot in the stirrup: Had I
known this youth, who is among us, I would have
made him lord over the tribe of Cayan; but He who
is unseen is wonderful, and is the Author of all
things. You alone deserve well of me and my companions,
replied Asyed, kissing his head, and we
must partake in all your disgraces and your honours;
and had we done for you two-fold of what we have

effected, we could not have requited you for your
acts in educating my son among the Arabs; but we
request of you to marry him to your daughter
Dhymia, that we may be allied and connected, for
you are an eminent chieftain, and we are the princes
of the Arabs; and all of us are men of high renown
and degree. One like me, returned Obad, expressing
his obedience, must be honoured with such good
fortune. Asyed thanked him.

Now when they came nigh to the dwellings, the
women and slaves met them. Nazih's mother had
heard of her son's return, and observed him engaged
with the enemy. She could scarcely believe he was
come back. She kissed him, and inquired how he
was. He acquainted her with his having discovered
his father. The Almighty God has restored him
to us; a tribe of Absians is come with me, and it is
by them that this affliction has been removed. Then
was her joy increased, and all sorrow and grief
were dead within her heart. She looked upon her
husband Asyed, and immediately recognising him,
she walked up to him, and tendered her services;
and when he saw her, he dismounted and embraced
her. Every one of them was now united to his
friends; they wept and talked over the horrors they
had endured, and wept again.

Before evening the tribe of Abs had pitched their
tents, and wine and meat were served up to them.
The tribe of Cayan treated them very hospitably,
and in the morning some slaves came from Obad to

Asyed with generous steeds, and horses, and spears,
and scimitars; he also sent to Nazih's mother fifty
party-coloured robes, and also fifty maidens, bearing
valuable jewels in their hands; and before the day
was passed and the night came on in obscurity, Nazih's
mother had absolute command over the tribe
of Cayan, after all the afflictions and ignominy she
had suffered among them. Soon after Asyed prepared
a magnificent entertainment, and assembled
all the tribe and families. The tribes of Abs and
Cayan made obeisance to Antar, and thanked him
for what he had done present or absent. The
feast lasted three days, and then Asyed requested
Obad to marry his daughter to his son; he assented.
My daughter will indeed execute her part, said he,
but my heart is under severe apprehensions on account
of this tyrant whose son you have slain; for
I am well aware the flame will not be quenohed in
him, and he will not submit; and as soon as the
fugitives arrive, and notify his son's death, he will
march against us with incalculable numbers, for his
armies are like the seas, and his country is the most
savage of countries; and if he comes he will leave
our habitations a desert wild. O Obad, said Antar,
we will not quit this country till we have bound this
tyrant by the neck for you, and I will make every
one in the whole country subject to you. So enjoy
your present happiness, and let it not be tainted
with sorrow, whilst I go with one hundred men and
annihilate Nacmah, son of Ashter, for not one will
I leave alive of his tribe. O Aboolfawaris, exclaimed
Obad, in amazement at Antar's expressions,
these are not like the people you have hitherto engaged;
their country is most extensive, and they
are as numerous as the sands. I had better write
to my confederates. Let us all march together to
the mountain of the Volcano; there let us exert
our endeavours to extirpate this monster; for if he
demands the ransom of his son, he must prevail.
What say you, Obad? said Antar: by the truth of
Him who created mankind, and infused life into our
bodies, I will not march but with two hundred
horsemen of the tribe of Carad, and no one shall
accompany me but Oorwah and my father Shedad,
let them be as numerous as Themood and Aad.
Heaven protect us! ejaculated Asyed and Obad.
At such imprecations they were stupefied, and no
one could venture a reply. At last, said Asyed, O
knight of the age, verily thou hast sworn by an oath
that was not required; and if indeed we are able to
accomplish this, we will not acquiesce in thy proposal.
But, O my cousin, if it must be so, let it
be; do as thou wilt; march to-morrow, and we will
join thee in two or three days, for we cannot permit
thee to enter a country of which thou art ignorant
with this small body. It is for thee to command,
said Antar, but I had much rather execute this
business without them; and I trust you will not
join me till I have performed my engagement. This
passed in the evening, and the people retired to their
tents. As soon as the darkness had passed away,
Antar sent Shiboob for his father Shedad, and
Oorwah, and selecting from the Absians two hundred
horsemen, he bade adieu to Asyed and Nazih, traversing
the plains and the deserts; and when Antar
was alone, he thought of Ibla. It was now a long
time that he had not seen her in his sleep, at which
he was nearly dead through grief; he was exceedingly
distressed, and in his passion he thus spoke:

"My virtues are enemies to the world, and my
actions are faults and disgraces. My lot is eternal
separation from my love, but the lot of others is
to approach her. Every day the world renews its
reproaches on account of my fondness, and I have
no physician for my body. The world is enamoured
of my mistress, as if I were its rival. If my imagination,
O Ibla, has deceived me, let my heart
die insulted, for death is sweeter to me than life,
when it is my beloved that oppresses me. How
can I go or pass the deserts, when the west and the
south winds contend to check me? O breeze of
Hidjaz, if thou dost not quench the fire of my
heart, my frame must melt with the heat. Truly
the dove mourns on the bough, and its plaints
and murmurs distress me; it remains wailing its
separation from its mate, and laments itself as a
lonely stranger. But I pour forth sighs from my
burthened heart, that even the most wretched cries
at it, `Heaven protect me!' O dove of the bough,
if thou wert like me, thou wouldst not rest under

the green branches. Leave their love and passion
for the real lover, whose heart is ever in torment,
whom fortune punishes every day, when any one
addresses him. O anguish interminable! O calamity
that will never cease! Ask the herald concerning
me. O Ibla, ask the brave man, grown
gray in battle. He will tell thee, that on the edge
of my sword sits the king of death, ever present
and never absent. My spear, on the day of thrusts,
knows me. Ask it then, what will joy thy heart,
how many warriors approached me, each crying
out, O by my tribe, I am a noble hero! but he
never returned, but he bit the ground, and his
garments were rent from him. My sword laughs
in my hand, but in another's grasp it would weep.
In the dark shadow of my spear is my parentage;
and my black complexion, when it is questioned,
gives the reply. It protects me in the day of spear-thrusts,
as one noble-born defends his fellow. They
forbid me from drinking cups of wine, with damsels
scented with musk and perfumes; they compel
me to hold up the skirt of glory, what even the
contemptible coward would renounce."

As soon as Antar had finished his verses, his
father's heart pitied him, and compassionated his
situation, and so also did Oorwah and his people.
They urged on their march, till they reached the
land of the tribe of Arcat. As to Nacmah, after he
had despatched his son, Kelboon, he remained expecting
news of him, and hoping that he would soon

return with Dhymia, Obad's daughter, but he was
not aware that fortune had belied her former habits
with him, and had, instead of her, sent Antar.
Thus it continued with him, till the fugitives arrived
and announced his son's death. Accursed! ye
wretches! he roared out, ye went with seven thousand
horsemen, and has this calamity befallen you
at the hands of the tribe of Cayan? And have ye
left my son dead on the desert? My lord, one
named Masrook ventured to say, by your life, this
did not come upon us from the tribe of Cayan. We
had nearly effected their destruction, and had driven
them to their tents, but three hundred horsemen of
Hidjaz rushed upon us, on whose spears sat death,
and with them was a black knight like a thundercloud;
he understood no address; he made no reply;
but he thrust his spear through chests and ribs; he
wrenched out eyes, tore out entrails, and repelled
affliction from the tribe of Cayan, and he gored us
in our rear, till he drove us far away, and I should
say that he was even now at our heels. Nacmah
permitted him not to finish his tale, before he smote
him with his sword, and off flew his head. Bring
before me these fugitives, he cried to his attendants,
and they accordingly seized them, and dragged them
before him, and he struck off their heads till the
strength of both his arms was exhausted. Now he
had a brother whose name was Niamet, and when he
saw his brother's outrageous conduct, he advanced
towards him; he took the sword out of his hand,
and calmed his rage and fury. This Niamet was
the reverse of his brother, he was a kind-hearted
man, and one to whom people referred in their
troubles; hating oppression and violence. He was
ever checking his brother, and requesting him to
abstain from his hateful acts towards his people, and
to be just to his subjects, warning him of the consequences.
But Nacmah would never listen to his
discourse, and would not even deign an answer; and
on this day, when he prevented him from slaying
his companion, and took the sword out of his hand,
saying, How oft have I checked you, and you still
indulge in this fury? And now fortune has struck
you with affliction, with respect to your son Kelboon"—Nacmah
was confounded with horror, and
his eyeballs started into the crown of his head;
every one that saw him shuddered. Well, how oft
wilt thou reprove me for my actions, cried he to his
brother, and oppose the accomplishment of my desires?
I am the king of the universe, and I will indulge
the lust of my heart; if thou darest again to
come into my sight, I will despoil thee of thy life,
and I will strike off thy head. Upon this, Niamet
mounted his horse and went home, and his heart was
full of grief at what had happened with his brother.
In that quarter, he had with him three thousand
heroes, the best of the tribe, all obeying his orders,
and detesting his brother Nacmah, on account of his
insolent pride. As soon as Niamet returned to them,
he told them what his brother had done to him, and
how he had struck off the heads of the fugitives.
Never return to him, cried they all, highly incensed;
raise not up your head to him again, consider him
no longer as a human being. I must, said Niamet,
destroy this monster. I will depart into the interior,
and will collect all the Arabs whose daughters he has
seized, and will excite the horsemen against him,
and I will not desist till I have destroyed him, and
I am relieved from this infamy and contempt. First
of all, I will try these Absians who slew his son
Kelboon; for I have heard they have a knight as
good as a thousand, and that the warriors of the
earth cannot stand before him, and I will ask their
aid against this dæmon. It is expedient that you
let us march this very night, said one, and let it not
be morning before we have traversed the wastes
and the wilds. He instantly ordered his slaves to
move off; he struck his tents, and so did his cousins,
and it was not night before they were all on horseback,
and were traversing the deserts under the
shades of darkness.

CHAPTER XXVII.

But as to Nacmah, son of Ashtar, I will positively
exterminate the whole tribe of Cayan, cried
he to his people, I will sacrifice their women and
their children; then will I march into the land of
Hidjaz, and put to the sword the tribe of Abs, who
have slain my son. He reposed till day dawned,
when he sent to the tribes of Riyah, and Sabah,
Washah, and Atbool, and Barik, and Shamrack,
and ordered them to march with all expedition; for
these tribes were subject to him, and feared his
cruelty. Their residences were round the mountain
of volcano, and all had adopted the worship of the
Moon. This mountain was one of the phenomena
of the All-merciful Lord, for there incessantly issued
from it something like a black cloud, and whenever
the new moon rose, from this mountain burst forth
groans, and sparks of fire flew forth. It was a black
mountain, and no one was able to ascend it, and
iron could not have any effect on its stony sides.
An historian has noticed it, saying, The Lord God
has been angry with this mountain, ever since he
created the world at first, and at the consummation

it will be the stone-work of hell. In one
of my excursions I ascended it, and I saw within
it terrific wonders; its summit is divided in two,
and in the centre is a sea of fire, that never subsides,
but day and night it rolls in waves of flame, and
on it are angels of wrath, and stern enormous
monsters, that are never weary, but are continually
stationed for its punishment by the will of the
omnipotent God. But let us return to our story,
and to Nacmah. As soon as the tribes came to
him, he was also informed that his brother had
marched away with his property, in order to assemble
the Arabs against him; And he will, they
said, conduct against you the tribes from the surrounding
regions, and will requite you for your
contemptuous conduct towards him. Ah! I am
foiled, cried Nacmah, for I should have cut off his
head, and thus I should have been at ease; but I
will pursue him, and put to the sword all his companions.
He instantly ordered his slaves to proclaim
the march, and early in the forenoon all the tribes
had mounted, as well his allies as his attendants, and
he ordered them to pursue his brother and his companions,
directing them to take a vast supply of
horses, and arms, and armour, and coats of mail,
and before mid-day they had quitted the land, and
they continued traversing the wastes and wilds in
their march, till next day at sunrise, when they
distinctly saw ahead of them a black dust. Behold
how fortune favours us, cried they all. Niamet was
in company with his associates on the march, and
when they were distant from home, and nigh unto
the plains of Khidret, and the fountains of Hywan,
he considered himself as secure. It was thus, when,
on a sudden, arose the shouts in his rear, and the
whole country was in agitation. He gazed attentively,
and perceived the camp, and the troops and
horsemen galloping over the desert, and various
corps that cut off all communication, and every road.
Niamet was certain his brother had overtaken him.
O my cousins, said he, here is my brother, who has
overtaken us, and our hostility has been discovered.
I request of you to make some proper arrangement,
and let no one call me `Chief.' Comfort your heart,
and brighten your eyes, said they, for there is not
one of us that will shrink from the fight; every one
of us will engage with the scimitar, and defend his
wife and family. Then shaking their spears, they
advanced to the battle and the contest, and at that
moment approached Antar, son of Shedad. He
beheld armies that filled the desert; he was exceedingly
astonished. Gain some intelligence for
us about these bold armies, cried he to Shiboob, for
I perceive troops are preparing for battle.

Shiboob set his feet forward, and coming up
with the companions of Niamet, O Arabs, he exclaimed,
tell me what is your kindred, and what is
your business?—What want you of us, young man?

asked Niamet himself; we are a tribe flying from
a tyrant, and he is in our rear, seeking to destroy
us, and capture our women. He is Nacmah, son
of Ashtar; but you, who are ye? Explain to me,
perhaps by your means this trouble may be removed
from us.—Congratulate yourself, O Arab, replied
Shiboob, on the annihilation of Nacmah, and the
arrival of relief, for we are come purposely against
him. We are those who slew his son Kelboon, and
we are come to send him to bear his son company,
and pull down his dwellings over his head; but as
to your question about our parentage, we are a
tribe from the land of Hidjaz.

On hearing this, joy infused itself into the heart
of Niamet, and he felt assured all his troubles would
be satisfactorily settled. O my brother, said he to
Shiboob, were it not for these troops that have
overtaken us, I would go with you to pay my
respects to your companions; but the time presses
upon us. Return to your party, and relate what
you have heard, and assure them of wealth and
success in their enterprise; and when he is slain,
we will return home. Shiboob returned to Antar,
and informed him of the news; much delighted,
he said to his father Shedad, I am afraid there may
be some plot against us; and when we are among
the two parties, said he, it is possible they may
turn upon us the troops on both sides.—We, said
Shedad, shall not meet them, but with the firm

resolution to fight. My opinion is, you should
attack their right, and we their left; probably
we may thus terminate our labours, and return
home.

Antar alone assaulted their right, Shiboob going
ahead; and the troops of Niamet closed upon them,
transfixing them with their spears. The armies were
thronged together, and the flame of war blazed.
Necks were cleft by the sword—armour was clotted
with gore—hope itself became despair; chests were
pierced with the spear, and souls fled from bodies;
while skulls flew about on all sides, or were rolled
along the plain. As soon as the black lion attacked,
the renowned hero, the invincible warrior,
the knight of the battle and contest, the serpent of
the centre of the valley, the Chief Antar, son of
Shedad—he alone burst through the right, though
more than a thousand horsemen opposed him, and
with his cleaving falchion he struck horror into their
hearts. On that day Shiboob assisted him with his
arrows: the troops again attempted an attack; he
turned upon them, and dispersed them; and he did
not desist from his assault till he scattered them
over the desert, and filled the whole country with
the dead. Thus also did Oorwah and his father
Shedad, and the Absians; they completely destroyed
the left by their terrible attacks. Niamet
and his men observed their battle and their actions,
and were astounded at their deeds, observing in

them what they could not comprehend. The battle
continued to rage in every quarter till the armies of
night came on, when the two hostile forces separated
and dismounted.

Nacmah's troops retreated, for they were totally
routed, and there was not one but talked of the
tribe of Abs and their deeds. Eh! cried Nacmah,
assembling his companions about him, with such
hearts would ye wish to go with me into the land
of Hidjaz, and encounter its heroes in the combat?
Here one knight with three hundred men has overthrown
you, and these stern fellows have annihilated
you.—O Chief, said they, do not reproach us, for
this day we saw, with your brother, horsemen, whom
had we seen in a dream we should have been horror-struck:
we know not whence they come. Perhaps
you beheld the knight who attacked on the left,
how he crushed it; how he roared out to the right,
and dispersed it. If you blame us for this, you are
no wise man. On hearing this, his rage became
dreadful. I had resolved to attack them in person,
he bellowed out, and with my single power to remove
this evil from you; but I was afraid of shame
and reproaches, for truly men of high dignity may
scorn me on this account. But I must clear my
honour now that this catastrophe has befallen us,
and I will not endure the insults of living man.
To-morrow I will disguise myself, and I will
sally forth into the plain, and I will engage myself

in fight, in the scene of the spear-thrusts;
and for every one of that tribe I will slay another
of you also, so that not one of you must retreat
or quit the battle unless he be covered with
wounds.

When his comrades heard this, they were alarmed
for the fate that awaited them, and they remained
expecting the daylight. But as to the Absians
and Niamet's troop, the women and young damsels
were in agonies of fear, alarmed for their husbands
and chiefs, as soon as the tribe of Arcat approached
them, and surrounded them on all sides. They
continued weeping and lamenting, in dread of captivity
and separation, till the moment they saw the
Absians, and the deeds they performed, and how
they environed the troops right and left. At
this their hearts were composed, and they thanked
the omniscient Creator. Niamet ordered his slaves
to slaughter deer and sheep, and the women prepared
the repast; and before evening the horsemen
being returned to the tents, they took their
food.

Antar, having mangled the right and left, went
to his father Shedad, and Oorwah, and his men,
and found them all safe from peril, for they only
lost seven men: he congratulated the rest on their
safety. Niamet advanced towards him, and saluting
them all, received them with honour: he walked
before them till they came to the tents, where he

made them dismount at their dwellings, among
their wives and daughters. But Antar declined,
and alighted with his party without their tents; so
they supplied them with victuals, and Niamet stood
amongst the slaves, to attend on them: but Antar
perceiving him arose, and taking him by the hand,
made him sit down by his side, saying, Do not so,
young man; eat with us, and feel assured of success.
Know that we entered this country for our
own concerns only, and we did not come without
reasonable grounds. And he gave him a full account
of Nazih's adventure, at which Niamet was
exceedingly surprised, remarking the wondrous
changes of fortune. The tribe of Abs rose still
higher in his estimation, and he said within himself,
Doubtless these horsemen are the wonders of
the Genii, for they have marched against my brother
with these two hundred horsemen. Now, O Arab,
said he to Antar, if you slay my brother, and complete
my wishes, I will submit myself as a slave to
the tribe of Cayan, and I will for ever live their
servant. I consent that the country be yours, and
all the wealth therein.—By the faith of an Arab,
said Antar, I never in all my life took a bribe for
an honourable action; and now we will only consider
you as independent, and our friend, for our
possessions are great, and our property abundant.
But, by him who ordered us to make a pilgrimage
to the sacred shrine, I must make thy brother drink
of the cup of death. By to-morrow's dawn I will
assail him, and I will strike off his head from between
his shoulders: I will make thee lord over
all his property and possessions, and I will put to
death his adherents and friends.

When they had finished their dinner, they hasted
to repose; and as soon as the day arose in smiles,
they hurried to the battle and the combat. Do you
and your comrades, said Antar to Niamet, betake
yourselves to the left, and leave us the right;
and if you find yourselves unable to sustain the
combat, retire from before them for a few steps
only, so that the troops may pursue you, and
rush with avidity among you: but when I look
towards you, and you are engaged with them,
I will sally out against them, and will plunder
their souls. Niamet highly approved the plan:
he separated towards the left, and quitted the Absians.

When the tribe of Arcat saw this manœuvre,
they were alarmed for Nacmah. O my cousins,
cried Antar to his friends, know that this affair is
a mere trifle; be assured of victory and conquest.
Attack with me, that we may attempt the lord of
the great standard, on which is the form of the
moon, for King Nacmah is beneath it, and if we
do not slay him we shall not succeed in our expectations.

Antar had scarcely finished when the foe attacked.

Then too the Knight of the swarthy Abs went to
work, and fell among the enemy like inevitable
fate. The battle commenced; the heroes stood firm
against the spear-thrust and the sword-blow—the
warriors turned upon each other—the men assaulted
—all headed by Antar, the ravenous lion. The
spear-barbs laboured on the backs of the tribe of
Arcat like sparks of fire. Certain of death and
destruction, they dispersed over the wastes. Nacmah
sought out his brother in the battle, but
the party met him like the waves of the ocean;
fear and horror seized him, and he attempted to
fly, when lo! Antar rushed against the standard-bearer,
and piercing him through the heart, hurled
him off his horse, and then made at Nacmah, to
overwhelm him also in death. He fled, for he felt
his death certain: still Antar drove at him, and
smote him on the head with his sword; he cleft it
even to the girdle of his garment. He poured
destruction upon the tribe of Arcat, and let loose
an overwhelming calamity upon them. In fine,
every one that knew of the death of Nacmah immediately
returned under allegiance to his brother
Niamet, and sought his protection; and those who
ran away at first fled home.

Before mid-day Niamet possessed a valiant army,
and over his head waved the standards and ensigns.
The whole camp came towards him, and marched
before him till they reached the tribe of Abs.

Niamet was about to dismount, but Antar checked
him, and kissed him between the eyes. Niamet
kissed Antar's two hands, and extolling him, requested
his protection; and peace was concluded
between him and the Chief Obad, and terms were
arranged.

And when they were about to proceed each to
his country, Niamet turned towards Antar, saying,
Aboolfawaris, I request you will do me a
favour.—Speak your wishes, said Antar, and say
what you want.—I swear, said Niamet, by the faith
of an Arab, not an article of my property, great or
small, that came with me, shall return with me:
but do not reprove your slave for its inadequacy.—
No, by the duty of an Arab, exclaimed Antar, not
even a halter shall follow me of yours. But if you
have any other enemy, tell me, that I may go
against him, and extinguish his life, and may ease
you of his iniquity.—Besides my brother, said
Niamet, I have not a foe; and if I had, you ought
to return home. So take some of my camels, that
are unequalled in all lands; very patient they are
in traversing the deserts, and they are not to be
had in the land of Hidjaz. Upon this, two thousand
she camels were put aside, all with large overlapping
humps: they were given over to a hundred men
and as many women slaves, who were ordered to
drive them before Antar, son of Shedad, the Knight
of the dust and the fight.

This done, Niamet and his subjects returned
home, and Antar, with his comrades, set out for
the land of the tribe of Cayan. That day they
remained in the desert, and the next till mid-day;
when lo! there arose a dust ahead of them, and
they discovered the tribe of Cayan, commanded by
the Chief Nazih, and his father Asyed, and the
Chief Obad. They advanced, and the heroes saluted
each other. Obad came forward; he kissed
Antar's hand, and inquired what had passed. Antar
recounted the whole; at which the Arab chieftains
were in amazement, and they returned to the dwellings
of the tribe of Cayan.

About this time rose the moon of Redjib, which
the Arabs held sacred, hostilities were checked:
men and women were secure during that season.
Arrived, they married Dhymia to Nazih, and they
passed that month in feasts and entertainments.
Asyed also took away his wife, and soon they set
out on their way to their own country. Obad
bade them adieu, and returned home with his
troops, whilst Antar continued his march over the
desert; and as his love and passion for Ibla seized
him, he thus expressed himself:

"I march, and in my heart is a flame and a fire,
and I point towards home in my eager love—I
languish for thee; so understand that I am weak,
and thoughts only are alive. I march over the
desert adoring her, and in my heart, are hell-flames

and fiery tortures. O Ibla, I have encountered
warriors, from the thrust of whose
spears gushes out blood; but I have dispersed
them with the spear-thrust, till I have left them
to be dried up on the earth in the deserts. I have
killed Kelboon before Nacmah, and I have abandoned
them as dried flesh on the ground. I die,
and revive every day and night; for captive lovers
there is no rescue. Fortune and time have favoured
Nazih, a youth skilled in the spear-thrust,
and tried in war. O mountain of volcano, ever
be in hell-flames—ever be thy food the infernal
fire! and thou, O Mount Saadi, mayst thou ever
be my home, and mayst thou ever be moistened
with rain; there is my home; in every hour I
languish for it; there is my beloved, from whom
no captive can break loose. But I have endured
in patience this lengthened absence. May God
now unite us! He alone is omnipotent!"

At hearing Antar's verses, there was not one but
thanked him and praised him, and they travelled
night and day till they came nigh unto the defiles
of the passage where Khalid was concealed, and of
which he had taken possession, in order to succeed
in his attempts upon Antar, having stationed scouts
and advanced posts. Antar arrived about nightfall,
and halted by a lake on the Yemen side; as
soon as the outposts saw his dust, they came to
Khalid, and informed him. He was overjoyed;

but waiting till the night was quite darkened over,
he sent out a slave to obtain intelligence. He departed,
and returned about midnight, saying, It is
the Absians, and with them is Antar: so prepare
your companions for the battle and the combat. As
to Antar, as soon as the men had rested, and the
horses and camels had eaten their provender, he said
to Shiboob, Order the slaves to load the baggage,
and let us move.

Shiboob quitted him, and made the proclamation
in conformity with his brother's orders, and in an
hour the men were mounted, and the slaves had
loaded the camels, and they set out over the country
till they reached the defile. About an hour before
daylight they stopped at the head of the pass, when
the slaves were ordered to drive the cattle before
them: so the he and she camels, and the howdahs,
and the baggage, were driven forward, and
entered the defile. As soon as Khalid saw this,
and perceived the baggage-camels, and behind one
hundred horsemen with Shiboob to protect them,
letting them pass till Antar appeared with Shedad,
and Asyed, and Nazih, he shouted to his comrades,
and they assaulted in every direction, brandishing
their barbed spears and their scimitars, and rushing
upon them in the obscurity of darkness. The first
that engaged Antar was Rebia, son of Ocail: he
made a murderous thrust at Antar, but he grasped
his cleaving Dhami, and striking the spear, clipped

it off; then aiming at him with his sword, he cut
through his helm, and smote him on the crown of
his head, depriving him of his senses, and before he
could recover himself, Shiboob sprang upon him
and bound him fast by the shoulders, and pinioned
his arms and sides.

Jandah attacked Nazih, followed by his horsemen:
they were all so crowded in the defile, and so
thick rose the dust, that it was impossible to distinguish
friend from foe. Rebia being secured, Antar
vigilantly looked after himself, as he continued to
pierce the chests of the heroes. But Shiboob, when
he had bound fast Rebia, returned to seek for Jandah:
he had almost overpowered Nazih, when
Shiboob met him, and struck his horse with an
arrow: he threw him off, and Jandah being hurled
over from his height, Nazih was about to dismount,
but Shiboob anticipated him, saying, Do not trouble
yourself, O Chief; do not dismount, for the game
belongs to him who first struck it down, and besides
I understand such business much better than
you. So saying, he ran up to him and tied down
his arms.

The Absians then came on, issuing from the
defile. They extended their spears, and the battle
and the contest grew fiercer: their bodies were covered
with wounds, and blood streamed over the
sands. Antar slew of the tribe of Aamir those
whose death was at hand, and whose departure
was ordained.

Khalid observed the defeat, and repented of what
he had done; but they continued the engagement
till the day dawned, when the tribe of Aamir being
completely discomfited, took to flight; and Khalid,
feeling aware of his death and destruction, had no resource
but deceit and stratagem. So he cast away
his spear out of his hand, and returning his sword
to its scabbard, urged the speed of his horse Caasa,
that had belonged to King Zoheir, till he came up
to Antar, exclaiming, Hold, in the name of God!
O Arab, I see my mistake, truly rapacity has excited
our men, and the horrors of war have visited
them; they attacked your property in the dark,
but vengeance has overtaken them—they arose to
engage you before they made inquiries of you, but
their treachery has swiftly laid them low, and the
great and mean have been slain: but, O Arab, I
am their Chief, and on me ought to fall the blame
and the reproach; but, O hero, I demand of you
in the name of Him who raised the heavens, that
you tell me to what Arabs you belong, and that
you order your companions to withhold the sword-blow
till the morning brightens, when perhaps
our dissension may terminate in peace. Know
too, that the daylight will demonstrate this fact,
and the Cahtanian will be distinguished from the
Adnanian.

Antar, on hearing this, acquiesced, and seeing
that he had thrown away his spear, instantly despatched
Shiboob, ordering him to withdraw the

Absians from the tribe of Aamir, and to tell the
tribe what Khalid, the chief of the fugitives, had
said, and to prohibit them from thrusting and
striking. O Arab, exclaimed Antar to Khalid, as
to your demand about our parentage, we are of the
noble tribe of Abs, and I am Antar, son of Shedad;
our leader is the Chief Asyed, son of Jazeemah,
and wherefore have you exposed us to this disgraceful
transaction? I have been absent in the
land of Yemen on an affair that interested our chiefs.
I went and I slew their foes, and with my sword I
have overturned their power. I exerted myself,
that my promise might be fulfilled. Having finished
all my business, I am now on my way to my family
and tribe. But what is it you mean by your questions?
Woe! woe, O Aboolfawaris, said Khalid,
how is it you have concealed all this from us, so
that evil at your hands is come upon us? How has
misfortune fallen on us from a tribe most dear to
us! Truly my love for you would have increased,
and in my heart would have been your glory and
honour, had not this cruel affair cut asunder the
connexion between us. What relationship is there
between us and you? said Antar in the greatest
astonishment, and what parentage? Hear, O champion
of the tribe of Abs, said Khalid, for I will
relate to you what has occurred during your absence,
when you were in the lands of Yemen: but
be not too much distressed at what you have done
to my people, and that you have brought destruction
upon them, for we commenced the insult, and we
were the origin of the violence, and truly I will forgive
you the blood of those who have been slain
out of regard to your Chief Zoheir, whom may Lat
and Uzza keep in holy remembrance! for his
liberality was universally aknowledged by us all,
and in him we have found a strong tower and a
defender. The reason of this is, that I met him at
Mecca at the holy shrine, and between him and me
was formed mutual faith and engagement, and
when we returned from the pilgrimage, I bound
myself to him, and took him with me to the tribe
of Aamir (for I am their Chief Khalid, son of
Gíafer); I made him and his sons alight with me
in the middle of the tents, and I offered them
all that was in my power, in the way of hospitality,
for the space of ten days, and they did not quit me
till between them and us relationship was confirmed:
for Zoheir, whom may Lat and Uzza ever guard in
holy remembrance I demanded my daughter Bederool-Hoolel
for his son Shas, and gave us things incalculable,
such as no human being possesses: he
also did not depart till he had given me his charger
Caasa, and it is this I have under me; and he girt
me on this his sword, which is now slung over my
shoulders, and its name is Zeenoor: he left us
praising him and full of obligations, and when he
departed, I took with me a thousand horsemen of
my tribe, and I am now on my way to the land of
Yemen, that I may procure jewels, and robes, and
articles no King of Yemen possesses. We halted
in this spot but yesterday evening, and in the
morning we resolved on marching, when you arrived
with your baggage-camels, and your slaves
were driving them. As soon as my party saw
them, they considered them as some plunder of the
inhabitants of Yemen. Their avidity excited them
to seize on them, and thus it all happened.

When Antar heard Khalid's narrative, and saw
King Zoheir's charger under him, and his sword
over his shoulder, he was confounded for a reply,
and hung his head to the ground in excess of
shame, and he knew not what to do.

Khalid, on seeing this, felt certain that by his
artifice and deceit, the stratagem and manœuvre
had had its effect, so he did not cease his villany
till he dismounted and did homage to Antar, saying,
May God be ever with thee; grieve not, O
champion of Abs; repent not, for unwittingly you
have acted thus; the fault was ours, and on us has
fallen the loss. And Khalid wished to kiss his feet;
but Antar dismounted: My lord, said he, death
would be more tolerable to me than this act; but a
liberal man pardons a slave when he perceives the
apology is sincere.

The Absians came up and heard all Khalid said,
and they did as Antar had done; and Antar cried
out to the slaves to release the prisoners they had
in charge, amongst whom were Jandah, son of
Beca, and Rebia, son of Ocail, and others of the

Aamir horsemen. The whole came up to Antar
and made their excuses. Peace was concluded,
and Khalid rescued his friends by this deceit and
stratagem, and as they took leave of each other,
said Khalid, Make my compliments to my brother,
King Zoheir; and he went off with the Aamirites,
hardly crediting their escape. As to the Absians,
they continued traversing the desert on their way
home. Antar went ahead, and when his love and
pensiveness overcame him, he began thus:

"O tamarisk of the mountains, is there one to
report of me—to tell the state of a lover—one
distracted and melancholy? Mention then, in the
name of God, ye northern breezes, the honours
and glories I have attained; tell Ibla that, for
her sake, I have encountered horrors of the most
eminent hazard; that I have endured dreadful
scenes, and have returned triumphant, and the
foe, in terror of me, dared not to appear before
me. O Ibla, by thy life, couldst thou but see
Antar amongst the armies and contending multitudes,
and the horse tearing down towards me
at the head of the defile, like the tempestuous
rain, in the battle, destroyer of joys. They come
on the backs of swift high-mettled steeds, some
black, like the winds when they rush forth, some
red, some white, and some piebald. I shout at
them with an Absian shout, like thunder, that
thrills through the whole army. I charge towards
them, and I gallop at them, and I storm them with

the chest of Abjer. I make them taste of sword-blows,
and terrible spear-thrusts, with my cutlass
and the barb of my lance. I make them like the
harvest, as if they were the roots of date trees,
deeply interwoven in the rocks. I have dyed the
face of the land with their blood, and it has become
like the crimson cornelian. The gore, like a rolling sea of Judas flowers, resembles a bursting
river. O Ibla, couldst thou but behold my
achievements against the foe on the day of battle,
in my force and my impetuosity, and my arms,
like the Judas tree, and my Abjer dyed with the
blood of every lion-hero. It is then I cry out from
beneath the forest of spears, whilst the dust and
black volumes of sand encompass me. O, by Abs,
I am the stubborn one among men, I will annihilate
horsemen with my cleaving scimitar. It is then
I dart from beneath the dust, and my coat of mail
is like the piony, and as if painted with saffron.
I have slain Jabir, and Hosein, and also the
voracious lion Ebeleshbal. I have left Masood
and Amroo in the desert, on the ground, and
Nabih, son of Ashter; also Kelboon and his father,
called Nacmah the tyrant, the oppressor; and
Soheib, him have I made to drink of the cup of
death on the lofty towering mountains. Them
all I have destroyed with the hewing blows of my
polished, my irresistible Dhami. Their property
I have seized, their plunder I have taken, and the
deserts are filled with the incalculable booty. As
to the troops of horsemen in the valley, there does
not survive of them one to tell the tale. The
heroes can witness for me in the contest, that I
am the lion—the devouring warrior: not a knight
like me has arrived at the highest glory, durable
for ages. My mother is Zebeeba, I disavow not
her name, and I am Antar; but I am not vainglorious:
her dark complexion sparkles like a
sabre in the shades of night, and her shape is
like the well-formed spear. I am the son of Shedad,
and my lineage is Absian, known above the brilliant
canopy of heaven. I have attained honour,
glory, and fame, by my resolution, so that I am in
the vicinity of Jupiter. Were death to see me,
ay to see me, he would turn aside from me, in
fear of my tempestuous might and power. I am
sublime above all knights in the field of fight, by
my intrepidity, by my modesty and forbearance."

When Antar had finished his verses, they all
cried, May God never abandon thy mouth, may
there never be one to harm thee, O hero of the age,
thou champion of the tribe of Abs and Adnan!
They continued their march till they came near to
the land of Shoorebah and Mount Saadi, and when
they turned their eyes toward their homes, and saw
the desert in tumult with the glitter of armour, and
the concourse of people, and wailing lamentations,
Antar was startled, and so were his companions.
Doubtless some evil has befallen our families in our
absence, he cried, for the whole tribe is in the utmost
affliction. Now when Cais had returned home, after
the death of his father, the whole land was convulsed

with weeping and clamorous sorrow. Their grief
for Zoheir continued long. The tents and the
dwellings of the tribe of Abs were thrown down,
and re-echoed to the groans and sobs of the mourners.
The people met them, and seated themselves, with
Cais, on the carpet of affliction. The tribes of Fazarah,
and Ghiftan, and Marah, and Dibyan, all
attended, with their friends and allies; they let
their turbans hang loose over their necks, and rent
all the garments they had on. But when they had
condoled with Cais for his father, they congratulated
him on the kingdom that had fallen to him.
Congratulate me not on my kingdom, said he; there
is no joy till you see that I have had my revenge.
Comfort your heart, and brighten your eye, said the
warriors, for we will not separate from you till we
have avenged you. And they despatched their
slaves to bring them their horses and their arms, and
they remained preparing for the contest, whilst Cais
every day rode out, gaining the hearts of the people,
and showing every kindness to the warriors, giving
them arms, and weapons, and corslets. His father,
in his lifetime, had banished many of the Absians.
Cais recalled them; he conciliated them, and made
them return to their native land. But as to Rebia,
son of Zeead, he had great influence with King Cais,
for Cais had married his daughter, and he placed
great confidence in him, in all his plans, and when
Cais was making his preparations for his expedition
to attack the tribe of Aamir, and had assembled his
forces, said Hadifah, son of Beder, to him, Wait for
me ten days, till I write to my allies, the tribe of
Marah; for their knight Harith, son of Zalim, is
my relation by birth, and he is now the knight of
the Arabs. My cousin, said King Cais, I have indeed
heard marvels of this knight, and they raise
him above Antar, son of Shedad. Who is Antar,
said Rebia, O Cais, when Harith is present? Now
then will he exhibit in his actions things that shall
be recorded of him to eternity. So Hadifah wrote
to Harith, requesting his assistance against the tribe
of Aamir, having first stated all about King Zoheir,
and the disgrace and infamy they had brought down
upon him, and he despatched the letter by a horseman
of Fazarah. This Harith was a confirmed
impostor; he regarded no hospitality, neither did
he respect any engagement. He never kept his
word; he was a great depredator, and iniquitous in
all his actions. If he associated with a friend, he
would betray him; and if he could overreach an
ally, he would put him to death. All the Arabs
were on their guard against him, and his villany
had been felt by every man alive, and moreover he
could not be quiet with Antar; he stationed spies
and scouts over him, and his very favours were
malice and perfidy.

Khalid had also written to Harith to require his
aid in his hostile preparations against the tribe of
Abs, saying, O Harith, I have slain King Zoheir
and his son Shas, and I am resolved not to leave
them a tent standing. You know what their slave
Antar did to your father Zalim, and how he cut his

hair off. If you are really what I have heard you
to be, that you are active and zealous, haste then,
that I may accomplish your every wish, and marry
you to my daughter Sitularab. Harith acquiesed
in the requisitions of Khalid's letter, and having assembled
five hundred of the tribe of Marah, he
resolved on the expedition. About that time also
arrived Hadifah's messenger, and gave him the
letter; to whom he said in his malignity and deceit,
There was no occasion for your chief to write me a
letter; I am now marching to his assistance, and
shall probably have slain Khalid ere he arrives. He
sent the messenger back that very day, and he himself
set out for the tribe of Aamir. When they had
proceeded some distance, O Harith, said his people,
we wish you would tell us what is your real intention,
and whom you will assist? My cousins, said he,
march with me, and be sure of wealth, for these
tribes are populous, and they must engage each
other; and whichever we see will conquer, to that
we will turn. But we wish, said they, you would
inform us which you will join first? The tribe of
Khalid, said he. And thus he continued his march
with his comrades, and such was his resolution.

In the meantime Hadifah's messenger returned,
and informed him that Harith had preceded him
against the tribe of Aamir with five hundred horsemen.
Away went Hadifah to King Cais: O King,
said he, know that the man is wise and faithful; he
is now gone to execute what we requested of him,

and he is already on his march to fight the Aamirites
before us: it is my opinion we should join him,
or he will sustain their attack alone. Do, my uncle,
what you please, said Cais, and tell the Arabs to
make ready their warlike weapons for the expedition
on this very day. The Absians accordingly came
forth with their arms; they slung on their spears,
and were preparing to march, and at that very moment
arrived Antar and Asyed with the horsemen;
they stopped near the tents. The Absian warriors
mounted to go and meet them; and amongst them
were Malik, King Zoheir's son, Antar's friend, and
his brother Harith by his side; and as soon as they
saw their uncle Asyed and Antar they scattered dust
over their heads, and let down the turbans over their
necks.

But Antar, marking the conduct of King Zoheir's
sons, shuddered, and was stupefied, for he thought
they were occupied on Shas' happiness, as Khalid
had informed him. He dismounted, and in great
dismay, My lord, he said to Malik, what is the
matter? O Aboolfawaris, said he, a calamity never
to be forgotten, a misfortune that overwhelms both
men and women. And he announced the death of
his father King Zoheir, and his brother Shas. The
colour of the swarthy Antar became wan and livid;
he was nearly fainting. My lord, said he, dead? or
killed? Killed, my cousin, said Prince Malik, and
their enemies have triumphed over them; and then
he told Antar how his father and brother were

slain, and what Khalid had done. Upon this, Antar
also related his victory over the tribe of Aamir
in the defile, and that he had taken more than two
hundred prisoners, among whom were Rebia, son
of Ocail, and Jandah, son of Beka, and that all
were set free; and how Khalid had duped him by
his stratagem and deceit. On hearing this, all King
Zoheir's sons set up an universal shout of grief. O
Aboolfawaris, said Prince Malik, it was that Jandah
who slew my father. At this Antar's agony and
transports were most intense. Woe, woe unto thee,
O Khalid! he cried; by the faith of an Arab I will
not leave thee but as a proverb for every one that
stands and sits. His tears flowed in streams; his
sobs and lamentations augmented; and thus he gave
vent to his sorrows:

"O my eyes, shed showers of tears for the anguish
and calamities that have befallen me. Dry
not on my cheeks, but flow in gushing torrents
like the rain-charged clouds. O my woes, quit
not my frame. O my agonies, leave not my body.
O mourners of the tribe, weep and lament; multiply
your afflictions with sobs of sorrow and
distress, for he is lost on whom I most relied for
aid. Fear not the rebukes of the railers: he was
my stay in every evil, and my sword when calamities
flowed upon me. He was the refuge for
the weak, and the asylum of the poor, who
mourned in emaciating penury. He was a king
to whom princes bowed down, and to whose

power the Arab chiefs submitted. O Zoheir,
verily my spirit is broken. It was thou that didst
repulse the foe, and every enemy from me. Alas!
O race of Abs, thou hast lost thy glory; thy
noble, thy merciful, and bountiful prince! Past
away is thy benefactor! Thy days are darkened;
now their light is gone, thy flame is extinguished
in the obscurity of death. He was a full moon
shining in its sublimity, and he was to me the
most eminent of virtues. How indeed has the
tribe of Aamir triumphed! Khalid exults and is
proud of his conquest. Verily they have slain
Shas, and he was a knight who was my succour
in every adversity. Oh! I will weep for them as
long as the birds shall sing, or the drops of the
pouring clouds shall fall. I will take vengeance
on the tribe of Aamir, who have revolted, and
have vanquished these warriors. Khalid! Oh!
I will make him drink with my sword the draught
of the black gore in the midst of the heroes. I
will exterminate the tribes with penetrating spear-thrusts,
and tear out their hearts with sharpedged
scimitars. If I do not keep my word, may
I never succeed in my wishes for a friend! Soon
will I realize my project against them with my
sabre; soon will I pull down their glories and
their honours. I will leave among their dwellings
nought but lamentations and shrieks of woe
for the loss of friends! I am Antar, well known
in war and battle, when I make the heroes fly
terrified at death. But, alas! fortune has cast
me into affliction, and for the loss of Zoheir my
heart is melted!"

When the horsemen heard these verses they
burst out into a loud expression of grief and affliction,
and the creeping thrill of sorrow crawled over
their bodies. They entered the tents, their heads
exposed, and their clothes all torn. Rebia, old in
villany, met them, saying, Cousins, men should assuage
their grief, and soon resign their sorrows.
Let not one of ye prolong his discourse, for this day
is fixed for departure. It was Rebia's intention
thus to add new anguish to the heart of Antar. He
made him no reply, but he swelled with fury; his
eyeballs glared red, till they became like two liquid
globes of crimson blood; he roared and bellowed;
his patience was spent; he struck Rebia on the
chest, and hurled him on his back, and his helmet
flew off from his head, and he was unable to utter
a word. Antar repaired unto King Cais. At the
entrance of the tent Antar stopped and wept; he
sobbed and shrieked in excess of grief, as also Asyed;
but Antar thus exclaimed:

"Set is the full moon, though once it was in its
zenith; hidden is its light, and all is dark.
Eclipsed is the sun, and the morn no more returns
in smiles. Fallen are the constellations;
they have disappeared; the atmosphere is obscured;
the dust of darkness is over it; all the
seas are hollow, and are sunk deep; we have lost

its dews and its clouds. At the moment that Zoheir
fell dead infamy shrouded us, and sat upon
us. Fortune has made him drink of the cup of
death, but likewise fortune will be quick in its
vengeance. He was my stay, my armour in adversity;
he was my breastplate, my spear, my
scimitar. O my eyes, when ye shed not tears,
may sleep be denied ye! I swear by Him who
slays and brings to life, by Him who rules the
light and the darkness, never will I raise my
sword in battle till I behold all my enemies in
dismay and in shame. O tribe of Aamir, O clan
of Kelab, dread the light and shade of my sword;
soon shall thy wives scream in terrors of captivity;
soon shall they weep for their orphaned little ones.
I am Antar, son of Shedad, and my star is high
raised above the sublimity of the seven heavens!"

When Antar had finished his verses, his tears
gushed out in incessant streams, and he wept bitterly,
till he could no more, and he fainted; but
when he recovered from his swoon, he cast his eyes
towards King Zoheir's seat, and thus expressed
himself:

"Weep abundantly, my eyes, in torrents of tears;
aid me, relieve my woes with weeping! For oh!
I have lost a prince that was my support—that
was my full moon; but it is now set below the
earth! I have lost the sea and the rain by my
enemies, and him whose benevolence resembled
the deluging clouds. I have lost a lion, but in no

lion was there his power. I have lost the knight
of war, the invincible hero: my heart is on fire.
I have lost all resignation for a prince who taught
the Arabs on the day of combat with his spear.
O Cais, depend on me; for in my heart is a flame
of fire that consumes it, and my forbearance I can
no longer persist in. Rise with me; let us seek
vengeance speedily, for death is sweeter to my
heart than honey. Reproach me not for my wars
—I love them: I will hear neither word nor rebuke.
Night is my complexion, and the lions of
war know me. The coat of mail is my strong
tower, and my heart is hewn out of a rock. Warriors
are reduced to contempt by me in the day of
combat, as the Arabs can witness for me. Woe,
woe to my heart, for what it has lost. Death,
now Zoheir is no more, is my noblest aim. O
race of Abs, haste ye to vengeance against the
tribe of Aamir, and fear not death. Exert yourselves
with me, for you have a slave that has felled
into disgrace every knight of the plains and the
mountains. How many tribes are there in whose
blood I have dyed my sword in the day of battle!
How many the heroes I have laid low! How
many valleys has it tinged! How many lions have
bowed to me! How many multitudes have I extirpated!
death can bear me witness. Khalid!
soon will I leave him stretched on the face of the
earth, and his women as childless mothers shall
mourn him. To-morrow will I annihilate ye, tribe
of Aamir, quick with the point of the spear, and
the edge of my polished sabre. I will capture
your women; I will leave no vestige of them; I
will plunder your cattle, your property, and your
camels. I am Antar, whose qualities are well
known; the destruction of warriors, undaunted at
death."

When Antar had finished his verses, he went to
his own dwelling, where all his regrets were renewed.
But Cais was resolved on immediate departure;
and he set out with the tribes of Abs and
Fazarah, and the Arabs of that land and country.
Antar also wished to go and aid him; but Malik,
the brother of Cais, came to him: O Aboolfawaris,
said he, stay at home, and do not follow my brother
this time, for he would ill-use you, and perhaps even
reject you, and make you ashamed on account of
that miserable Amarah, and his despicable brother.
How so? said Antar. Malik upon this related to
him about Harith, and told him all the news;
how Hadifah had written to him requesting his assistance,
and last night Rebia hinted that the expedition
would not be offered to you, and it is he who
has concerted this plan. Then he described to him
Harith's intrepidity and prowess, and how the Arabs
boasted of him, even above you, said Malik.

Antar was exceedingly annoyed at hearing this:
Go you, however, and join your brother, and tell
him that Antar thanks him, and begs his pardon for
all he has done. May the praise of God be on the

man who assists him, and can serve him instead of
me in this expedition; and if he can take his revenge
on Khalid, son of Giafer, praise be to the only and
Omnipotent God! but, if he does not subdue his foe,
then will I go against him alone, and will do nto
him and his, what shall be for ages recorded. Thus
Malik taking leave of him, astonished at his magnanimity,
said, O Aboolfawaris, were I not afraid of
being a scandal among the Arabs, and of their reproaches,
for refusing to seek vengeance for my
father, I would not follow him on this occasion. At
last he departed, and his tears streamed copiously.

The camps, and horsemen, and troops, all followed
Cais: his army amounted in all to twenty-five
thousand men, all bold horsemen. Every one
of them thought that Antar only staid at home to
have his fill of Ibla, whilst Amarah headed all the
warriors, brandishing his spear in his left hand, quite
delighted at the absence of Antar on this expedition.
But Antar, as soon as Prince Malik quitted him,
returned home; he took off his warlike weapons,
and entering the tents, his tears burst from his eyes,
and he was absorbed in an ocean of reflection; when
lo! the wives of his uncles came to him, and congratulated
him on his safety. He paid them great
respect, and received them with honour and attention;
and they thus addressed him:

"Had we known of your arrival in the night,
we would have hasted to you on the crowns of
our heads. We would have given you the most

honourable reception. O you illustrious one! the
life of our existence!"

Ibla and her mother were among the women; so
Antar was much pleased, and his heart was filled
with joy at seeing his beloved. He inquired about
her health, &c.—to which she replied, Nothing has
happened but what you have heard respecting King
Zoheir and his son Shas—every one is acquainted
with that. But we have been expecting your arrival,
and that you would take vengeance on them; but
we see all the men are gone, and you remain at
home. Daughter of my uncle, said Antar, the party
have obtained one who will seek their retaliation
without me: they rejected me; I wished to accompany
them, but they refused me. He told her what
Prince Malik had imparted to him, at which the
women were greatly surprised, saying Ay! that is
the foul plan of the rogue Amarah and his iniquitous
brother, for King Cais never did any thing but by
the advice of Rebia. Well, cousin, said Ibla to
Antar, pray where is my share of all this spoil? or
am I no longer an object of value or consideration
with you? By the faith of an Arab, said Antar,
my share has been five hundred he and she camels,
of the camels of Sewda, and the mountain of Volcano,
and they are all blue-eyed, with black hair and
bodies. So tell your black slaves to drive them out
to-morrow morning, and mix them with the Asafeer
camels, and excuse the trifle, for I was on Asyed's
business. Then he told her all that had occurred

n the excursion, and the horrors he had endured,
hus expressing himself:

"O Ibla, I have a heart steady in its love for
thee; and ever anxious in its passion. O Ibla,
pity me for my love. I am thy captive-victim,
and my tears are like the stormy ocean. O Ibla,
thou hast vanquished my heart with a form, whose
beauties even flash before the brilliant sun. O
Ibla, thy face resembles in its lustre the dawn,
and thy tresses the darkness of night, the complexion
of thy adorer. O Ibla, not in all the
songstresses together are thy charms: no, by
God, thy beauty is far superior. O Ibla, I am
indeed overwhelmed with love; all the world must
pity—compassionate me. O Ibla, thy cheek resembles
the crimson rose, and the pionies of the
gardens are like it. O Ibla, in thy bosom are the
pomegranates I desire, were even the swords armed
with lightning to flash from it. O Ibla, among
the Houris there is not a face like thine; and
amongst mankind there is no lover like me. O
Ibla, grant but a meeting to me, whose whole
soul pants for thee. O Ibla, were even death to
visit me, nought shall daunt me, for I am true
and firm; for all I demand of God is a sight of
thee at the dawn and mid-day, and whenever
shines the sun!"