University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXIV.

Numan now exerted himself to liberate Prince Aswad,
and when they had released him, he kissed his
brother's hand, and apologised for his conduct. Numan
also made peace between him and the Absians,
and the tribe of Fazarah, and Antar, and also Rebia,
and Amarah, saying, O Aboolfawaris, peace
between cousins is the best of proceedings; and now
nothing remains but to settle your own private affairs.
O King, said he, I will not consent to marry
the daughter of my uncle till after your own nuptials,
no, not till your wishes are accomplished, and
your festival completed, and Chosroe be reconciled
to you without any ill will. But should not all these
events be satisfactorily terminated, I will make his
very balcony totter over his head. I will slay all
that dwell in Khorasan, and I will make you in his
stead king of the age and the time.

Numan expressed his thanks to Antar, and they
all remained together three days, but on the fourth
day they prepared for departure, when, said Numan
to Zoheir, Depart home, and make ready for your
daughter's marriage till my messenger arrives. Do
you too, said Prince Aswad to Hadifah, go home,
and prepare for your sister's marriage.

Khodawend then marched with the armies till they
reached Hirah, Antar riding by his side. Numan
alighted at his palace, and his family were delighted
at seeing him. He gave a magnificent entertainment
to Khodawend, who two days after
departed for Modayin, and his heart, after all his
fears, felt secure.

Now Antar and his companions remained with
King Numan fifteen days, but on the sixteenth day
came the presents, and valuable goods, and articles
beyond all calculation or description. For Khodawend,
when he came unto his father, found him in
the greatest anxiety for intelligence. Know, O my
father, said he, we have injuriously treated King
Numan, and we have listened to the suggestions of the
treacherous, and rebels, and of his enemies: for his
connexion with the Absians was a proceeding highly
judicious and commendable; and King Numan is
the only one that consults the good of our government,
for he has a most correct judgment; and
likewise Antar, son of Shedad, whose equal is not
to be found: and my desire is, O my father, that
you would send him a magnificent honorary robe, if
you wish for the stability of the imperial government.

Thus he informed him of all the circumstances of
the battles. Mubidan also seconded him in this
affair, for the loved King Numan. So Khodawend
did not cease importuning his father till the business
was settled; and being pacified, though at first he

was vehemently enraged, he sent the articles by Mubidan,
who repaired to Numan, who met him with
all his warriors, and prayed for the imperial government:
he detained him seven days at Hirah. The
greatest part of the presents were for Antar, and
also for Oorwah and Hidjar; and when all these
favours flowed upon Numan, he felt secure, great
as had been his former fears.

Antar soon after asked permission to return home.
O Aboolfawaris, said Numan, your departure from
me is like the separation of father and son: but I
cannot detain you from home on account of your
love for Ibla. So he granted him leave to go, after
he had conferred on him presents no words can describe.

Antar set out with his companions, seeking the
land of Hidjaz; and they continued their journey
till they reached the first country of Hidjaz, where
they halted for the night, at a water called Kywam.
And though Antar was desirous of taking the night-watch,
Oorwah would not let him. O Aboolfawaris,
said he, I will take that duty from you to-night in
this desert. Antar assented, and Oorwah having
selected five of his own horsemen, marched out
when it was quite dark. They roamed to some
distance in the wastes, and went their rounds till the
night was quiet, and all was in repose: and as the
fresh breezes blew upon them, drowsiness overpowered
their senses. They all fell asleep, and not
one of them wagged his head till day dawned and

shone, when they returned to their companions, and
roused them from their slumbers. They arose, and
prepared for departure, but they could not find a
single horse. Alas! alas! exclaimed Antar, we
have been surprised in the obscurity of the night,
and have been robbed of our horses: he questioned
Oorwah about what had happened to him during
the night; but Oorwah was confounded, and hung
his head down to the ground through exceeding
shame. O, said Antar, this affair would not even
disconcert a woman; and I feel perfectly easy and
unconcerned about finding my horse Abjer. So he
turned to his brother Jareer; Hie thee away into
this barren wild, son of my mother, said he; and
return not till you have discovered their track, and
if in your way you chance to meet some Arab horde,
ask them for a horse for me, that I may mount—
(Shiboob was absent when this event occurred, for
Antar had sent him home with the women, and
gave him charge of Ibla, being alarmed about her
on account of that vile family of Zeead).

As Jareer was about to follow the track, the
neigh of Abjer was heard, in his movements outstripping
the northern blast. As soon as Antar saw
him, he was delighted, and cried out, What joy!
He shouted towards him, and he replied with a
neigh, gratified at his master's voice. Immediately
he fastened the housings on him and mounted, saying
to Oorwah, Do you and your men mount on
these camels, and drive on till we have developed

this affair. And they travelled on till the heat
exhausted them, and the desert seemed on fire.
Antar was about to halt, when lo! a man on foot
appeared from the midst of the defiles, speeding
away like a cloud in a storm, although both his
hands were tied; about his neck was a long rope,
and behind galloped a troop of twenty horse, and
he appeared bewildered, like one afflicted with a
sudden calamity.

When Antar perceived the man on foot bounding
along like a fawn, he bent his course towards him.
Come, come to me, O Aboolfawaris, exclaimed the
unhappy wretch, I am your brother Shiboob, and
what has happened to me would even melt the
stoutest heart.

At this Antar's heart quaked; he was greatly
agitated, and his two eyes appeared like horse-leeches,
till he came up with him. He instantly
loosened the cords, and untied the rope about his
neck. O my brother, he cried, no Arab shall ever
live to enslave thee. Nothing of that has happened,
said Shiboob; but both your story and mine are
very extraordinary. Thank God, who has sent you
to this spot, or I and Harith, King Zoheir's son,
must have drank of the cup of death; for he is a
prisoner too, and I am dreadfully alarmed about
him. I have left him with the companions of these
horsemen, but I cannot possibly tell you any thing
till I am perfectly convinced of security.

Antar was confounded, and turning his eyes at

the advancing horsemen, he gave a shout at them.
He attacked them like a lion, and pierced them with
his spear: he soon laid low sixteen of them, and the
other four escaped by the speed of their horses. He
returned, and asked Shiboob what it was all about.
My narrative will be very long, said Shiboob, if you
do not first tell me who is with you in this country.
Son of my mother, said Antar, Oorwah and his men
are with me. So he informed him of all that had
occurred; how they had quitted King Numan, and
had come down to this spot, and how their horses
had been stolen. Son of my mother, said Shiboob,
this circumstance of the robbery of your horses has
been the means of our salvation; for the fellows
that stole them are forty thieves who followed you
from the land of Irak, and their chief is the nuisance
of the Arabs; he is quite an insufferable fellow. I
could recognise him amongst the whole race of man;
he is called Awis, son of Saala, the robber. This
morning the tribe of Zohran, with whom I have
been a prisoner, encountered them: they slew thirty
of them, the remainder fled; and whilst the tribe
was occupied with them, I ran away into this desert,
till you came up to my assistance. Now, as
to the robbers, they had followed Antar and his
comrades from the land of Irak; and when Antar
was returning with all that wealth, Awis, son of
Saala, happening to have a glimpse of it, assembled
forty robbers. Well! said he to them, if you are
indeed desirous of wealth, and the accomplishment
of your wishes, let us follow this black slave; let
us expose our lives against him, and let us exert
ourselves to obtain this vast property.

That night therefore Awis approached with his
associates. How long, said he, must we be traversing
these wastes? we cannot bother ourselves any longer.
Upon that one of them advanced towards Antar
and his companions, and found them all asleep.
Much pleased at this, he returned to give information
to Awis. My opinion, said he, is, we should
content ourselves with their horses, and leave their
men alone, and not bring a war dust upon us. They
all agreed to his advice, and finding the horses
grazing, they mounted some, and drove away the
others; but they had not quitted the desert ere
daylight shone, when Abjer, not knowing these fellows,
and missing his master, burst loose from the
person who led him, and galloped over the plain;
the men hastened after him till he came nigh unto
Antar.

My brother, said Shiboob, it would be well to let
Abjer rest a little till Oorwah and his men come up
here, that they may mount these horses that we
have gained, for the enemy will of course follow me
over the desert. Antar approved of the plan, and
he let Abjer graze in the desert, and as he was
quite amazed at Shiboob's narrative, he directed
him to state how he and Harith were made prisoners.
Theirs was a wonderful adventure; for when the
Absians returned home, they waited in expectation

of Antar's joining them from the country of King
Numan, and a great dread of the tribe of Abs had
made its way into the hearts of the Arabs. Now it
happened that one day Prince Harith went out to
the chase, and with him a party of Absians. They
had wandered away to some distance from the land
of Shurebah in search of game. And as they
roamed about the wastes and wilds, east and west,
they came to a valley called the valley of Sandhills,
where they beheld a large party of the tribe of
Zohran. Harith questioned a slave; My lord,
said he, we are of the tribe of Zohran, and our chief
is Bekir, son of Moatemid, and whilst Harith was
in conversation with the slave, a fawn fled away
before him. Harith called out to his horse, and he
made towards it; but having missed it, he passed
by a lake where there was a party of the Zohran
women. Now the cause of their removal from home
was this. This chief Bekir had a daughter called
Labna, and she was more beautiful and lovely than
the full moon; her suitors were numerous, and
many demanded her of her father, but he would not
bestow her on any one. She had a cousin, who
was Jareer, son of Cadim. Labna detested him on
account of his harsh manners, although he was
brave in the field. He demanded her of her father,
but he refused; and there arose such an hostility
between them, that their removal was absolutely
necessary. So they traversed the wilds and the
deserts till they reached the land of the tribe of Abs
and Adnan, and asked the protection of King
Zoheir, which he readily granted. The damsel
Labna, on the day Harith passed by the lake, was
in company with her maidens. Harith beheld her,
and became enamoured; and she likewise saw him,
and all her limbs were in a tremor, and her agitation
was great. So she addressed her maidens to
take off their attention, exclaiming in verse:

"O truly mine eye has had a glance of the
youth who has passed me, employed in the chase
of the fawns;—he is gone, but his charms have
captivated my heart;—he is gone, and my heart
still burns the more."

When Harith heard this, he looked behind him,
and love for her took possession of his whole frame.
His companions, as soon as they perceived how he
was affected, checked him: O Prince, said they, we
observe you are discomposed and dejected. Yes,
said he, I wish to return home; and when he reached
his dwelling, his mother came to him and said, My
son, what has distressed you? I went to bed last night,
said he, a little indisposed, and what is come to me
no one but the Searcher of all secrets knows. But
when his mother had quitted him, he sent for his
nurse, and informed her of his situation. She
listened, and promising to assist him in his troubles,
she set out for the valley of Sandhills, where she
saw the tents, and introducing herself among the
women, she feigned being on a visit to them. At
length she came up to Labna, and addressing her,

acquainted her with the state of Harith. She
started up on hearing this, and also imparted her
situation to the nurse, who said, I wish you would
come to-morrow night to the lake. Labna expressed
her thanks, and the old woman departed home to
Harith, who was most anxiously expecting her.
She informed him all about Labna, and the love she
felt for him. This relieved Harith's anguish, and at
the close of the day he took the old woman with
him and set out; and when they reached the valley,
he secreted himself among the Erak[2] trees. Labna
too waited till evening, and then with one of her
maidens went away to the lake, where she found
Harith, and threw herself into his arms. They remained
till daylight, and this became the spot of
their future assignations, till one day he happened
to ride out towards the valley of Sandhills, but he
perceived no vestige of the tribe. In the greatest
agitation and astonishment he returned home, and
he became like a living corpse. The cause of this
removal was a messenger, who came to them from
their chief, reproaching them for their migration,
and he was called As-hath, son of Dharnah. Not
being aware of their total removal from their
country, he waited for some time till he heard
they had gone down to the tribe of Abs and
Adnan. So he sent after them, saying, As to
Jareer, son of Cadim, I have seized his person on
your account, and I desire you will return to your
native land.

Labna's father, hearing this message, was delighted
to revisit his home, and his rage was quenched.
But when their departure was ascertained by Harith,
he informed Shiboob of all that had happened,
and of his present situation. Shiboob pitied him.
They waited till it was dark; Harith saddled his
horse, and enveloped himself in his armour and
rich corslet, according to his custom. Shiboob too
grasped his bow and quiver, and filled his portmanteau
with arrows, and they both set out for the
land of the tribe of Zohran; and on their arrival,
said Shiboob to Harith, Do you lie concealed here.
But he himself departed for the tents, clothed like
a poor infirm beggar; and he disguised his designs
very cunningly till reaching the tent of Labna's
father, O mistress! he exclaimed to an old woman,
have you any victuals? Yes; wait for me a little,
said she. She came out and said, Here, take these
bean-shells, you famished fellow, and pray to the
mistress of joys for a happy meeting of lovers; perhaps
your prayers may be accepted. Are you a
stranger in this land? said Shiboob. No, said she;
but my mistress has a lover with the tribe of Abs,
and she is out of all patience on his account. Is
it not Harith, son of King Zoheir? said Shiboob.
Yes, answered she, and I see you know him. Yes,
he returned, for he is my master; so he told her all
the story, and of Harith's arrival. Let him stay

where he is, said she, for her father has resolved on
marrying her to Kheitaoor, who has even sent the
whole of the marriage dower to her father, and there
are only three days now to the wedding. The maid
ran to Labna in haste, and told her of her conversation.
Return, said she, and tell him to go
back to his master; assure him that I will join him,
and that he must take me away with him. She
arose as soon as it was dark, and all the family were
asleep, and went to Shiboob, taking her she-camel
with her, on which he loaded all she possessed.
Lead this camel, said she, and go with it to your
master. Away went Shiboob, and Labna followed
him till they met Harith. Come with me, cried
Shiboob to them. Labna mounted her camel, and
Harith his horse, whilst Shiboob held the camel's
bridle, and they set out traversing the wastes.

But Labna's father and mother, when morning
dawned, sought for Labna, but she was not to be
found. They raised a hue and cry, and informed
Kheitaoor, who mounted with a party of his warriors,
and questioned Labna's father about the circumstance.
My lord, said he, I heard on my return
from the tribe of Abs, that Harith, the son of King
Zoheir, was in love with her, and he must have carried
her off. By the faith of an Arab, cried Kheitaoor,
I will overtake him by sunrise, and will slay Harith
and all the tribe of Abs. Having stationed some
troops in different places, he himself set out with
five hundred stout horsemen.

But as to Shiboob, and Harith, and Labna, they
travelled under the veil of the night till morning
dawned in smiles, when they reached the vale of
Fawns and the mountain of precipices; this was a
lofty mountain, and perfectly inaccessible but by
one road. Arrived at the meadow beneath, they
were desirous of alighting near it, when lo! ten
slaves came towards them from the mountain's side,
shouting and running impetuously. In front of
them was a black slave like a lion. These slaves
had occupied this mountain as a refuge and a safe
retreat in their escapes after the perpetration of
murders; and when they were hard pressed they
climbed up the mountain, and defended themselves
on its summits. Their chief was called Habis, and
as soon as they saw Shiboob, and Labna, and
Harith, they made at them, calculating that the
horseman would escape by flight; that they should
put the man on foot to death, seize the camels, and
enjoy the damsel. But they knew not that this
man on foot was a blaze of fire and a crashing
thunderbolt: for as soon as Shiboob perceived them
hastening from the mountain top, he met them resolutely,
and smote their chief with an arrow on
the chest, forcing it out quivering through his back.
The slaves, seeing their chief dead, shouted at Shiboob,
and all their wrath was excited against him.
Harith galloped after him to assist him, but an
arrow fell on the chest of his horse, and down
he fell. Harith instantly sprung on his feet and

exerted himself to the utmost behind Shiboob on foot,
whilst Shiboob practised all his arts, hurling them
over with his arrows, and slaying them one after the
other till six of them were killed, and only four survived.
They made bitter reflections to themselves.
I cannot think this can be a mortal man, said one,
he must be indeed a devil, and he dwells hereabouts;
for our chief used often to say he had seen a ghoul
in the plain, and we ever bantered him about it.
Talk not now of that, said another, let us escape in
haste to the top of the mountain, and they fled;
but they soon perceived that Shiboob had arrived
before them at the head of the pass: Ye dastardly
Arabs, he cried out, whither would ye fly? Your
death is at hand. The first he struck down with
an arrow on the chest, and it issued out through his
back: he came up with a second, rushed upon him,
and smote him with his dagger through the heart,
and laid him prostrate; but the other two fled over
the barren waste: so Shiboob returned to Harith,
who thanked him for his exertions. O Ebe-reah,
said he, I am now left on foot in this desert, and
the way is long.

They were thus conversing together, when lo! a
troop of horsemen appeared, headed by Kheitaoor,
and he was like a tower or a fragment rent from the
mountain's side, and Labna's father was riding by
his side. When Labna saw this, she was in despair.
Here then is certain death, said Harith, and we
have no other resource but this mountain where

these slaves retired; for if we were at its summit, we
should be secure. And I, said Shiboob, will empty
my quiver before me, and will show you a little
of my skill, and I will defend you against the inhabitants
of the whole world, wide and long as it is.
I will disperse this party over the sand-hills. Let
us only ask for succour from the Lord of the Fountain
Zemzem, and the Shrine. Do as you please,
said Harith, but how shall we ascend this mountain?
and will not our fears and terrors enfeeble our
exertions? Be sure of success, said Shiboob, and he
went up to Labna and took her upon his shoulders,
and went off with her on foot, till he reached the
skirt of the mountain, whence he clambered up
with her till he was on the heights. Harith followed
him.

But when Labna's father and his party saw that
Shiboob was like a bird, they were amazed, for he
ascended the mountain till e approached the summit.
The party in pursuit overtook Harith on the
mountain's skirts, for he was weighed down by his
armour. He defended himself, and exhibited his
prowess till numbers thronged upon him, so they
took him prisoner, and Shiboob was in the deepest
affliction. The troops alighted in the meadow
under the mountain, and afterwards rushed one
after the other to ascend, in order to accomplish
their hopes with respect to Labna and Shiboob.
But Shiboob overthrew them with his arrows till
darkness came on, when they returned, thwarted in

all their attempts, many of them wounded. Upon
this Kheitaoor and Labna's father halted, in the
greatest alarm at Shiboob's arrows. We are indeed
quite nonplused by this devil, said Kheitaoor, all
we have for it is by daybreak to seize hold of
Harith and prepare for hanging and torturing him;
and we will say to Shiboob, if you do not surrender
our daughter to us, we will hang Harith, and make
his dwelling in the tomb. Here we will besiege you
till we catch you, and we will take your life from
between your sides. So they bound Harith fast,
and stationed over him two black slaves.

Harith laid himself down, suffering the acutest
grief and affliction. But Shiboob returned to Labna
and comforted her heart, vowing to her he would
ransom him with his own existence; and he remained
quiet, till being convinced that the influence
of sleep prevailed over the party below, he descended,
sliding down on his back till he was at the bottom
of the heights, where, having recourse to his stratagems,
he made a minute scrutiny right and left,
and at last perceiving the slaves were asleep, he
approached them and despatched them all. Continuing
the enterprise on which he was bound, he
crawled along on his hands and feet till he entered
the tents, where he heard Harith thus speaking:

"O my tribe, the fetters of captivity have bound
me fast; there is no escape for me from these galling
chains. They pounced down on me early in
the morning, or their thin blades would soon have

despoiled my life. O my cousins, I had not congratulated
myself on a day's meeting, when separation
befel me. Fortune has overthrown me
with a deadly arrow, and for its sting there is
no panacea. O my cousins, seek to revenge me
when I am gone, where the high-spirited steeds
charge. Tell Antar, the son of Shedad, that I
cannot escape from their hell-flames; he will be
a match for the foe with his irresistible sword, to
him all lovers weep their sorrows. Alas! for
Labna! what anguish must she endure in my absence
when separation shall afflict her! I imagined
we should all live happily together in security,
and all our flames would be quenched.
But Fortune has tormented us with separation;
there is no faith, no covenant with Fortune."

When Shiboob heard these verses repeated by
Harith, he knew that he felt assured of death and
perdition; his heart grieved for him; he advanced
towards him—he found him tied down—the slaves
about him were asleep—he came closer—he rent the
fetters from his feet, and cut away the handcuffs—
he calmed his apprehensions. Follow me, said he,
and do as I do; and he went crawling along on his
hands and feet: they continued stepping over the
fellows asleep, till they were beyond the tents, and
then they pursued their way in the greatest haste
till they reached the summit of the mountain. As
soon as Labna saw Shiboob and Harith with him, she
was delighted at his contrivance. Shiboob took out

some victuals, and they reposed in comfort and happiness
till the day dawned, when Kheitaoor starting
up from his pillow, sought Harith, but he could
not find him; he only saw the handcuffs cut away,
and the slaves murdered and lying dead on the
ground. Eh! ye wretches, he cried to his people,
behold the prisoner was fast bound, and a single
person has released him from the midst of ye, and
yesterday he destroyed your bravest warriors; how
will you now defend yourselves or your chief? This
is all your doing, and he resolved on putting to
death the other guards; but Labna's father prevented
him. These men are not to blame in this
business, said he; we were in fault, that we did not
station a guard over the mountain's side. We shall
never succeed in seizing him, if we do not all mount
against him, and slay this devil, for he has already
killed fifty of our men, and we shall be a disgrace
to the end of time. They set out with the whole
party, who were ordered to ascend the mountain; they
accordingly began to climb, shouting, but alarmed.
When Shiboob saw this, he emptied his quiver
before him, and strung his bow; he bent down on
one knee, and shot his arrows against their chests
and their necks; the men fell down like leaves.
Harith quitted Labna, and threw immense stones
down upon them from the top of the precipice; in
a short time fifty were killed. So Kheitaoor retired
in despair and disgrace, writhing in agonies of
terror. The tribe of Zohran, he exclaimed, is
rendered infamous among the Arabs. By the faith
of an Arab, were I to encounter a thousand horsemen
in the field, it would be an easier task for me
than this devil. And he turned towards the warriors,
and told them they must struggle in the contest.
They continued in this state till darkness
came on.

On that day all Shiboob's arrows were expended
by the number he had shot, and the men and chiefs
he had slain. Kheitaoor stationed ten horsemen on
the skirt of the mountain, whom he ordered to lie
concealed among the rocks, saying in the height of
his passion, Whoever shall sleep, him will I destroy.
I will be near you, for I am convinced that this
devil has expended all his arrows: however, he will
not abandon his design; he will therefore come
down this night against you when the people are
asleep, and will steal away your arrows. I expect
therefore you will watch him till he descends, then
seize him. But beware, should he escape from you,
I will strike off all your heads; for in his speed he
will outstrip the winds, and I have not a horse that
could overtake him.

Thus he stationed the men, and enjoined them to
be on their guard. As to Shiboob, he was all
anxiety till night came on in obscurity, when he
started on his legs, and hastened down the mountain
till he reached the bottom of the heights; but
he had scarcely recovered his breath, when the men
sprung upon him, and surrounded him on all sides.

He rushed against them like a lion when he terrifies,
and in his hand he held his dagger; and though he
slew numbers of them, they at length took him prisoner.

The intelligence soon reached Kheitaoor: the
whole party arose and struck lights. Thou art
fallen at last, thou devil, said Kheitaoor: and having
ordered his shoulders to be tied well down,
Labna's father and the rest started away for the
mountain.

Harith saw all this, and he was convinced of disgrace
and misery. He immediately drew his sword
out of the sheath, and fought as long as he had
powers and strength, till he had slain ten slaves, and
brought down perdition upon them, and also two of
the Arab chiefs. At length numbers overpowered
him, and they took him prisoner, and they bound
him miserable and dejected. Bekir advanced towards
his daughter, who was trembling like a reed;
he dragged her by the hair to the bottom of the
heights, and would have slain her, had not Kheitaoor
prevented him.

They halted in that place till day dawned, when
they lashed Harith to the back of a horse, and
fastened a long rope round Shiboob's neck, and
stationed a slave over him to haul him along. He
endured it all very patiently, till coming close to
him, he gave him a kick on the stomach, and dashed
out his bowels. He darted forth into the deserts,
and they all endeavoured to gallop after him in a

body, till the robbers rushed upon them from the
barren waste, and with them Antar's horses. Having
slain them and carried away their horses,
Kheitaoor and his companions returned in pursuit of
Shiboob till they met Antar. As soon as Kheitaoor's
eyes fell on Antar, he attacked him; galloping and
charging he sought the contest, and thus addressed
him:

"Lord of the noble black steed, and the sword,
and the penetrating spear, if you indeed succeed
in destroying any of our horsemen, fortune must
have betrayed the invincible lion. When she
offers a slave the cup of sweetness, she errs, in
giving him to drink any thing but coloquintida.
Tell me what you have seen; and know that
mine is a never-failing scimitar in the revolutions
of fortune. In every land I have left for the wild
beasts and the birds a sea of blood shed by my
sword. When I am present in the fight on the
day of battle I exterminate every lion-warrior;
when I even retreat the foe trembles in horror;
and you might see the whole earth in the circumference
of a dirhem. So have recourse to some
subterfuge that you may escape by it, for apologies
cancel even the most heinous offences."

Antar heard Kheitaoor's address, and laughed
exceedingly, and thus replied in verse:

"Verily I say I will slay your horsemen, and I
will leave their flesh as carrion for wild beasts,
for my spear indeed complains of the inconvenience

of thirst; but now I have met a day when
it shall be moistened with blood. What! have
you not known my power? truly, the warriors of
all the cities of Persia confess it; and the heroes
of war on the day of battle die at the mention of
my intrepidity and liberality. When I lose my
way over the desert in my nocturnal solitude, my
only company is my sword, resembling inevitable
fate. It is never drawn but on its separation
from the sheath a sea of blood gushes from its
edge. My piebald steed has a white crescent on
its forehead, like the dawn of day, and its black
is like the sable raven. These two are my support
on the day of contention; and the barb of
my spear sparkles like a speckled serpent. How
many heroes have I abandoned as food for the
wild beasts and every ravenous lion."

Antar had not finished his verses when he rushed
upon Kheitaoor, and frightened him; he shouted
at him, and made him tremble; he pierced him
with his spear between the paps, and drove it out
through his back, and Kheitaoor fell dead weltering
in his blood. When his companions perceived what
calamity had overtaken him, they rushed on from
all sides; Antar met them with a frightful assault,
and laboured among them like a blazing fire. In
an hour forty of them were slain, the remainder
fled and sought Labna's father. But Antar returned
like a raving lion to his brother Shiboob,
and his object was accomplished upon his enemies.

Just at that time came up Oorwah and his men.
They were greatly surprised at seeing the scattered
horses of the enemy, and were exceedingly rejoiced.
O Aboolfawaris, said Oorwah to Antar,
whence are these horses you have obtained? Antar
related the adventures of Shiboob and Prince
Harith's captivity. On hearing this they alighted
from their camels' backs, and having mounted the
high-blooded horses, they went up to Shiboob, and
saluted him.

But as to the fugitives, they continued to flee
away over the desert from Antar till they reached
Beker, son of Moatemed, to whom they announced
Kheitaoor's death, detailing every circumstance,
and the destruction made among the horsemen.
Eh! and who, said he, is the warrior; who is the
dreadful lion that has slain him? A black knight,
said they, mounted on a black steed, as if hewn out
of a black rock, and in his hand is an Indian blade;
and we heard him, as he fought among the horses,
crying out, Ye base cowards, I am Antar, the son
of Shedad. May God curse your fathers above all
men! exclaimed Labna's father. What! has all
this happened to you by a single knight, and he a
black slave, powerless and insignificant? Know,
said one of them, that this is the knight whom horsemen
have described as overthrowing alone a thousand
warriors in the plain, vanquishing them by his
intrepidity and superiority. Labna's father shuddered.
What sayst thou? he cried. Who ever beheld

a single horseman attack a numerous host?
Return with me, and I will show thee what I will
do. Mount these steeds, he cried to his horsemen,
and make towards this slave with your scimitars and
your spears.

And they put their horses on their speed, and
followed him, when behold, the dust of the Absians
sprung up, and their shouts arose, and they ad
vanced like fate and destiny. It is my opinion,
said one called Jifal to Labna's father, that you
should let me pass over the desert, taking ten
horsemen with me, that I may bear away Harith
and your daughter, and convey them home; and
do you attack Antar with the remainder. Take
as many men as you please with you, said the
other.

On that Jifal returned, and with ten horsemen
departed, travelling on till they reached the place
where they had left Harith and Labna; but they
could see nothing of them, and no appearance of
their track. We are indeed disappointed in our
pursuit, said Jifal, and Labna has escaped us.

They passed on, when lo! shouts arose in their
rear. They turned about to see the cause of this
uproar, and behold their own horsemen and Arabs,
all seeking flight, pursued by the tribe of Abs and
Adnan. Jifal struck his horse's rump, and fled towards
his own country, followed by his companions.
The fugitives were scattered in tens and twenties,
and they continued in this state till night advanced,

when Antar coming up with the Absians, What
think you of this affair? said he to Oorwah; we
have routed the foe, and have succeeded in our attempts;
but we have not released either Harith or
Labna, and I am afraid they have carried them
away, and have sought their own country, and if
Harith should be delivered to As-hath, the business
will become desperate, and he will be put to death
for Kheitaoor: Shiboob indeed is gone on before
us, and till he returns this is a serious affair; for if
I pursue these fellows till I destroy them, I shall be
separated from my brother Shiboob; and if I stay
here till I have some intelligence of him, I fear
Harith will be exposed to peril, and every vestige of
him erased.

Whilst they were thus conversing, they heard
some men shouting from the mountain, and saying,
Come hither, O Aboolfawaris, for we have found
Harith, and he is indeed despairing of life. Antar,
on hearing this, took Oorwah with him, and having
ascended the mountain, Antar called out to Harith,
who opened his eyes, and mourned his sad state,
relating what had happened to him. The cause of
it was this: when the fugitives came groaning to
Labna's father, and related Kheitaoor's death, Bekir
mounted, and sought the contest with his companions,
having left his nephew Jireer with Harith
and Labna, and two stout slaves. Instantly, Jireer
unsheathed his sword, and making at the slaves,
smote them with his cleaving scimitar, and slew

them all. He sprung at Harith also, and struck
him with his sword, and dreadfully wounded him;
and then mounting Labna on one of the fine horses
(thinking Harith was dead), he abandoned him, and
rode away on his own high-mettled steed, with the
design of going with Labna to some of the noble
Arab kings, and to defend himself against accidents
under his protection. In vain Labna shrieked
aloud, and looked about to the right and left, praying
for succour.

As to the subtle Shiboob, he set out in quest of
Harith, and did not stop his progress till he came
to that spot, where he saw no human being, but the
slaves murdered. Advancing towards them, he also
perceived Harith lying between them, groaning
piteously. At this sight Shiboob stood aghast with
horror: O my lord, said he, who has done this?
Harith's heart was strengthened at seeing Shiboob;
so he told him what Jireer, Labna's cousin, had
done. Shiboob took him in his arms, and ascending
the mountain with him, on the summit he found
a ravine, in which he laid him down, placing him
in security: Shiboob then questioned Harith about
Jireer; What road has he taken? he asked. He
directed him to the quarter, and immediately Shiboob
left him in the mountain, and let loose his feet,
seeking the barren waste, and following the tracks
of Jireer. He continued his course till he overtook
him by break of day, and heard Labna's screams;
she was weeping, and in the greatest affliction.

Shiboob was delighted at seeing them; he hasted
towards them, swift as the twinkling of the eye, and
smote his horse on a vital part. The horse plunged
with him, and threw him on his head. Shiboob
sprung upon him, and stamping on his chest, stabbed
him with his dagger, scattering wide his entrails,
and annihilated his existence.

Labna, in the excess of her terrors, was bewildered;
and when Shiboob came up to her, she exclaimed,
Who art thou, O Arab? I am Shiboob,
said he; and he gave her an account of Harith, and
soothed her heart. He returned with her till he
joined his brother Antar, whom he found just as he
had brought away Harith from the mountain. On
seeing Shiboob they were in ecstasies of joy, and
grief and sorrow quitted them. Labna ran up to
Harith, whose life, as soon as he saw her, returned
to him; and thus reunited to her, his happiness was
complete, and he forgot in her society all the pain
of his wounds.

Antar remained the rest of the day in that spot
in security, and by dawn of day he departed with
his horsemen, seeking the land of the tribe of Abs
and Adnan. But, as his love for Ibla burst upon
him, he thus rhapsodised:

"Oh! is it the fragrance of musk? is it itr[3] ? is
it a voice, or the breeze warbling over the desert,
that sings of her? Is it a flash of lightning? or

is it her teeth in the wastes, resembling the full
moon when it rises? Is it the branch of the tamarisk
that sweetly waves in the wilds? Is it the
stem of the spear, or her form? Is it the narcissus
of the gardens, endued with visual powers, or
her cheek, like the untouched apple? I rave
through love of her; but let my railers see the
torrents of my tears, to which there is no end!
O Ibla, my heart for love of thee suffers tortures;
this frequent separation, and these echoes, fill me
with grief. O Ibla, fear not thy enemies, for
against the destiny of God there is no opposition."

When Antar had finished, the horsemen expressed
their delight at his prose and verses; they
travelled before him, traversing the wastes, till there
only remaining one day between them and the land
of Abs, Antar sent on Shiboob to give notice to
King Zoheir of the safety of his son Harith. Shiboob
set out by dawn of day, and about midday he
returned. It is impossible that you can have returned,
having ever reached home, said Antar. O
my brother, said Shiboob, I reached home, and
saw all the horsemen dispersed about the country,
mounted on their steeds. I inquired what was the
matter of one of them, and he informed me that
King Zoheir rode out with his son to congratulate
and meet his brother Asyed, on his arrival from
Mecca on a visit; and we have now heard, he
added, that they have been taken captives. On this

account, the horsemen have mounted in order to
release them; and he who has plundered them is a
notorious knight, and an obstinate warrior, accompanied
by a troop of noble horsemen. And hast
thou heard, said Antar, in what country they were
detained prisoners? Yes, said he; the troop came
upon them in the valley of Irak trees. This is a
most extraordinary circumstance, said Antar, that
our Princes should be taken prisoners, and perdition
come upon them. Certainly, no one has ventured
on such a deed but one fearless of mankind, and
unintimidated at death.

Antar sent Harith and Labna with twenty warriors
to the dwellings and homes; but he himself
with his men set out for the valley of Irak trees,
preceded by Shiboob.