University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXV.

When King Zoheir missed his son Harith, he sent
out his slaves in every direction, and he remained
anxiously expecting their return till the happy
tidings of his brother's arrival reached him. Asyed
was one of King Jazeema's sons. He was a learned
man in that age of ignorance, and he generally passed
his time at the sacred shrine and Zemzem. He
was full of virtue and liberality, loving justice and
equity, and detesting violence and oppression. He
every year paid a visit to the tribe of Abs, teaching
them the distinctions between right and wrong, and
arranging their affairs, and when he arrived this
time, he sent forward to King Zoheir to announce
his approach. His brother went forth to meet him
with three hundred horsemen, all like stern-faced
lions, and all his relations and uncles, for King Zoheir
was the father of ten, the brother of ten, the
paternal uncle of ten, and the maternal uncle of ten.
They continued driving away the wild animals over
the wastes and the sands till evening came on, when
having halted in a valley till day dawned, King Zoheir
marched on without any apprehensions, till
meeting his brother Asyed in the sandhills of Erak,
he and his attendants dismounted and saluted

him. My love and affection for you, said Asyed,
have exceedingly distressed me, otherwise I should
not have quitted the fountain of Zemzem, and the
holy mansion, and the sacred shrine. They proceeded
towards the middle of a valley, which was called
the valley of Tamarisks. The wild beasts and the
deer fled before them. King Zoheir looked about
and observed his brother Asyed, who was pointing
with his hands towards the trees, and the tears were
streaming from his eyes; burning sighs burst from
his heart, and as he poured forth the groans of a
woman deprived of her children, he thus addressed
the trees:

"O trees of the Tamarisks, where do ye behold
them? Do the people of my vows dwell in your
neighbourhood? I look all around, but the hand
of ravage has destroyed them; yet never have I
broken my former protestations, I have not betrayed
them; my vows were made to one like the
full moon, resembling the branches and boughs
of the Tamarisk,—but I am alone and solitary,
though once we met, and here, now they are gone,
are only the owl and the raven. O trees of the
Tamarisk, whither are they gone? They are
gone, and in my heart passion has left a burning
flame. If ye ever, after being watered, complain
of drought, my tears to-day shall form a lake
around ye."

When Asyed had finished his verses, his sighs
became more frequent, his countenance changed, and

his agony increased; his brother advanced towards
him, having heard his discourse, and asked what was
the matter, but he observed him still pointing to
the trees, and thus exclaiming:

"O trees of the Tamarisk, in the name of God,
tell me what ye know, for I am overwhelmed with
inquietude. Pity the tears of a distracted lover,
whose eyes weep over these devastated plains.
The valley is abandoned; but there was an inhabitant
like the fawn, richly robed. Speak to me
of Selima, of Robab, of Zineb, and those, resembling
brides, in the sand-hills. They have abandoned
me in misery—they are gone, and I weep
over the remains of these desolated scenes. The
raven moans over the vestiges of these spots,
where no more are seen the tents of my mistress
and the horsemen. Take then, ye boughs of the
Tamarisk, my tears, that flowing would moisten
the saturated as well as the parched up soil. Although
the covenant between us is dissolved, yet
my love for thee bids me not despair; I live in
hope that God will make us meet in joy, as if we
had never been parted."

King Zoheir was so struck by his grief, that he
ran up to his brother Asyed, and interrupted his
speech, saying; I cannot permit you to finish these
verses, till you inform me what affliction has befallen
you. I conjure you, by the sacred shrine, to tell me
what this means. O brother, said Asyed, if I tell
you my story, you will have an indifferent opinion

of my discretion and honour; but indeed I am not
much to blame, as I did it in the days of my youth.
Know then, my brother, that the year our father,
King Jazeema, made his pilgrimage, I accompanied
him, and when our pilgrimage was expired, as we
were on our way home, we happened to pass by this
place, in which I saw a vast quantity of wild beasts
and deer. My father rode on and went home, but
I remained for the sake of the chase. Thus occupied,
I remained till the meridian heat overpowered
me, and the sultry air became so excessive I returned
also, seeking the track of my father; but I
chanced to pass by this tree, and when I reached it
I saw a very old Sheikh beneath it, and with him an
immense quantity of camels, and also his daughter,
who was tending them at the pasture. She was the
most beautiful and most elegant of forms, and as
soon as I came up to him I saluted him. What do
you want, young man? said he. I only said, Will
you accept of a guest when he comes? Welcome, said
he, to me, in winter and in summer. But, young
man, every one according to his means On hearing
this, I resolved on alighting at the lake, in order
to drink and water my horse. But the Sheikh prevented
me, and called out to his daughter, who
brought me some fresh camel's milk and gave me to
drink, and also watered my horse. I remarked the
beauty of the maiden, and I perceived her moving
in the plains of loveliness. Her father, too, observing
the symmetry of my horse and my rich garments,
brought me some victuals. Excuse my scanty
offering, said he, for I am a poor man, and the liberal
pardon when they see the apology is sincere. O
Sheikh, said I, this is the greatest charity; but if
you will accede to my wishes, I would request you
to accept my proposal, and gratify my desire with
regard to your daughter, and you shall then go with
me to my tribe. I am anxious you would receive
me as her husband, and I will take you to my land
and family; speak to me and bestow her. By Him
who has created her and fashioned her, I added,
take all I have about me as part of her marriage
dower; and I took off my sword belt and my horse
trappings, which were all of gold. The Sheikh at the
sight of this was much surprised and delighted, and
came towards me without hesitation, and giving me
his hand for the marriage, drove away the camels
and cattle, and went to his own dwelling, and I accompanied
him; and on our arrival he slaughtered
all the sheep he possessed and some she camels, and
rejoiced in me as no one ever rejoiced before, and
married his daughter to me that night. I tarried
with them three days, and afterwards I informed
them who I was. I staid some time longer, and
quitted them, bearing in my heart the greatest attachment
for them, and intending to return to them
with abundant wealth. Having reached home and
joined my family, I despatched a slave to conduct
my wife to me, and sent with him a great quantity
of camels and sheep to this valley and desert. I remained,
anxiously expecting them, till my slave returned
in despair, and brought back all my property.
I asked him what was the matter? I have seen no
one there, my lord, said he. I staid some time quiet,
and despatched emissaries to all the Arab tribes, and
expended amongst them much gold and silver, but
I never could obtain any intelligence of her. And
even now, my brother, I bear her in my memory.
It was on her account I attached myself to
Mecca and the sacred shrine, till I this day beheld
these remembrances of her, and now all my sorrows
come upon me anew; and whilst I meditated on the
past, I was anxious that you should come with me
to this spot, that I might renew the vows made so
many years ago. King Zoheir, on hearing this narrative,
was amazed at the revolutions of the days and
nights. He dismounted, and ordered the slaves to
clear away that spot, and spread carpets for them
under the tamarisk trees, and the horsemen soon returning
from the chase, bringing with them hares and
deer, they made a sumptuous feast, and expressed
great delight in the presence of King Zoheir and
his brother Asyed, making the time pass pleasantly
for them, and availing themselves of the delicious
hours in joy and delight; and they kept carousing
till the cups of wine overpowered them, and darkness
came on, and there was not one but fell asleep,
in which state they remained till the nocturnal wanderers
on the watch surprised them. A troop of
horses came upon them about the break of day, and
perceiving the spoil, and no one to protect it, they
surrounded them on all sides, and took them prisoners.
Now these horsemen belonged to the tribe
of Cahtan, and were called among the Arabs the
race of Cayan, and their chief was a brave knight,
an intrepid warrior, well skilled in the art of war
and battle, named the Chief Nazih. As soon as
these horsemen had fallen into their power, they
returned home, and none escaped of all King Zoheir's
sons and brothers but Zambaa and Warca with
three slaves, who made their way home, and raised
an uproar among the dwellings, and instantly the
horsemen mounted, all seeking the valley of Tamarisks.
The whole tribe were involved in universal
mourning, and loud were the groans and lamentations;
it was at that crisis that Shiboob arrived,
when he found them oppressed with affliction, and
the horsemen already on their way to the valley of
Tamarisks.

On Shiboob's inquiring what was the matter,
they informed him of all that had passed, and what
were their plans. He immediately returned and told
his brother Antar, the lion hero, who sent Harith
and Labna home, whilst he himself with his companions
departed in order to release King Zoheir.

But as to the tribe of Cayan, they continued
traversing the deserts till the forenoon, when the
meridian heat oppressing them, they halted to

repose by the side of a lake called the Lake of the
Waste. Here King Zoheir recovered from his intoxication,
and also his sons and brothers, and the
other horsemen, but they found themselves in fetters
and disgrace. What horseman art thou? said King
Zoheir, turning towards the knight of Cayan, and
to what Arabs art thou connected, that thou hast
braved the princes of the tribe of Abs and Adnan?
By the future and the past, we have not fallen into
your power but by the will of fate and destiny, so
we will ransom our lives with whatever thou pleasest,
and we will thank thee; avail thyself of the friendship
of such as us.

Nazih, at hearing this, started on his saddle and
swaggered about: O God, thanks be unto thee! he
exclaimed, I did not know that you were of the
tribe of Abs till this moment. With you will I terminate
all my sorrows. At last fortune has had
pity on me. Youth, cried Asyed, surprised at these
expressions, what have we to do with such language?
Hast thou any revenge against us thou
must satisfy? I have no debt, no retaliation against
you, said Nazih, but I will proceed with you to one
who is your enemy and foe. He is my lord Obad,
son of Temeem, with whom I was brought up an
orphan till I attained this high station. I am enamoured
of his daughter Dhimya, and am wrecked
in the sea of love for her. On her account I endure
battles and perils, and have exhibited my

prowess against the inhabitants of Sana and Aden.
Besides you, I have found no opposition; but he
is most anxious to have hold of one of ye. Yet I
have always heard every one say, Beware, approach
not the tribe of Abs; but now ye have fallen into
my hands, and I will through ye succeed in my
designs. Conduct us out of the road, cried he to his
comrades, that neither friend nor foe may meet us.
So they did as he directed, and Nazih was overjoyed,
marching in front of the horsemen, till darkness
overspread the land, when they halted by the
waters of the tribe Akhrem; and as they were near
home, they imagined their important concerns would
succeed, for King Zoheir despaired of safety, and
so did his brothers and his associates. At daybreak
Nazih set out, passing over the barren waste
till the forenoon, when lo! a dust appeared in front
of them that involved the whole region for an hour.
Soon after the dust opened, and there appeared
underneath it a man on foot like a bird when it
flies, like a leopard when it maddens. Behind him
were horsemen clad in iron, like the calamities of
extermination. Ahead of them was a black knight
on a black steed; he was girt with a well-proportioned
spear, and his roar was like the roar of a
lion. He was the knight of the swarthy Abs, and
their brightest ornament—the serpent of the bowels
of the desert—the chief Antar, son of Shedad.
How is it, exclaimed Nazih, that this party has
been directed to this spot? They seem but a small
number of horsemen, their fate has driven them to
death and perdition.

The guide who had conducted them through
these ways was called Aboolgharat, son of Aboolfita,
the most intelligent man of the time for traversing
the wastes and barren wilds. O Nazih, cried he,
our hopes are frustrated—our pains are baffled—
our object has failed—we have forfeited the aid of
heaven, and we have encountered here the slave of
the tribe of Abs, and not one of us will effect his
escape; but as to your expressions, of how this
party was directed to this place, I know that Antar
has a brother called Shiboob, by his mother Zebeeba,
and he is the calamity of calamities; the
misfortune of misfortunes; for when he departed with
his brother from the land of Irak at the beginning
of the night, he did not halt with him in the morning
but in the land of Syria. As to me, I know
the roads and the ways no one of all the tribes but
myself ever knew; and I am well aware, from my
own feelings, when I am in company with any one
that can puzzle me, or distract or confuse me in the
wilds. But after all, my advice is, that you release
the tribe of Abs from bondage, and relieve us from
battle and contest, first securing protection from
them: do not engage this great warrior, for he is
not like those horsemen you have hitherto encountered.
Nazih bellowed and foamed: What mean
these words? said he, am I with a hundred horsemen

of the tribe of Cayan, and they Himyarites
and brave heroes, and shall I fear the contest with
this black devil? This day shalt thou see how I
will bring destruction upon him. I will make an
example of him amongst mankind. And he rushed
towards Antar, galloping and charging to and fro;
he thus burst out:

"Away! ye that reprove me, I will not listen to
ye, my railers, I will not answer either by word
or deed. Let me die young; the swords of India
that tear out life are preferable to a life of dishonour
and infamy. It is not the approach of
the day of battle that alarms me; it is not flight
that shall rescue me from death. Who is he that
avoids it, though death should encounter him?
Death is sweeter to my heart than honey. I
have indeed taken captives the chiefs of a powerful
tribe. I am a knight, and the world can
testify it."

Nazih having finished his verses, Antar commenced
his attack upon him, and as he charged
him, he thus expressed himself:

"O antagonist, that wouldst desire a contest
with me in the battle, and wouldst aim at me in
the confusion of spears! How many armies, how
many camps have I routed! and have assaulted
when the water-mills of war were revolving!
The lightning of my sword flashes through the
dust, and its brilliancy sickens the eyes of all beholders.
The barb of my spear falls on the chests

of the east and west, till they are all mangled, and
I will defend the tribe of Abs for ever till I die,
and their name through me shall be renowned."

Antar again turned upon Nazih, and attacking
him, exclaimed, Eh! what a coxcomb art thou
amongst thy fellows! thou must be frantic! What
Arab art thou? But this day I will silence thy
presumption; I will make thee an inhabitant of the
tomb, and I will make thee feel the ill-luck of thy
resistance against the tribe of Abs and Adnan, and
of thy daring violence against the prince of the
age.

By the faith of an Arab, said Nazih, I have obtained
unbounded good from the tribe of Abs, and
I have captured every one of their chiefs and
princes, and soon will I bring down annihilation on
thee. At hearing this, Antar's passion increased,
and he rushed upon him, eager for his death. Nazih
met him and fought him; they engaged till their
limbs were powerless, and the perspiration streamed
down their bodies, and the blood flowed from their
wounds. Indignation seized the heart of Nazih;
he rushed at Antar and thrust at him, quick as the
twinkling of the eye, aiming at Antar's chest; but
in this thrust the spear came short, and as it was
falling between the eyes of Abjer, Antar warded it
off with his shield, but it wounded him in the thigh;
then indeed was his wrath roused; he pounced
down upon Nazih, and struggling with him till he
quite exhausted him, he stretched forth his arm

towards the belt of his armour, and dragged him
off the seat of his saddle, and took him prisoner.
Shiboob ran up to him and received Nazih from his
hands; he bound fast his shoulders, and tied down
his arms and his sides, whilst Antar shouted out
to his horsemen, and ordered them to strike and
thrust. So they attacked the tribe of Cayan, and
plied their swords and their spears among them;
and the dust arose over their heads. Perdition
fell upon the horsemen of Cayan, and the horsemen
of Yemen, and they were overwhelmed
with perils. The Absians slew thirty of them,
and took seventy prisoners. In the mean time
Shiboob, seeing them all occupied, hurried towards
King Zoheir and his associates, and released
them, slackening away from them the tightness of
the bow-string. Antar also soon came up with
his comrades and saluted King Zoheir, who told
him what had passed. O King of the time, said
Antar, it is incumbent on every one to give way to
the changes of fortune, for it is ever treacherous.
But pour forth your thanks to the great God for
your deliverance, and your release from this perilous
situation. Antar also related all that had happened
to him in the land of Irak, and how his horses had
been stolen from him on the road, and how he met
Shiboob, and Harith, and Labna, and the tribe of
Zohran; how he released them all, and slew Kheitaoor.
O Aboolfawaris, said King Zoheir, my son
Harith lives then? Yes, said Antar, and is now
with his family and relations. Glorious indeed are
thy works, O Aboolfawaris, said King Zoheir, for
I had despaired of my son. But now conduct us
home. King of the age, said Antar, it will first be
advisable to cut the throats of these dogs. So
Shiboob went up to Nazih first of all, who was in
the greatest agony; he stripped him of his clothes,
and his body appeared whiter than hail, and above
his wrist was a bracelet of cornelian, and on it were
shaped two images of burnished gold in the form of
Lat and Uzza. As soon as Asyed saw this bracelet
he recognised it, and perfectly recollected it; and
as Shiboob was proceeding to despatch Nazih,
Hold, my cousin, he exclaimed, a little for me, and
he advanced towards Nazih; his agony of mind increased;
he took the bracelet in his hand, he kissed
it and wept over it; he sighed and sorrowed.
Whence had you this bracelet, young man? he
quickly asked. Nazih shed a torrent of tears;
Know, my lord, said he, I was brought up an
orphan among the tribe of Cayan. Who was your
father? demanded Asyed. O my dread lord, said
Nazih, I never knew who was my father; neither
do I know of what Arab tribe he was. I was
brought up as a poor fatherless orphan by the
charity of my master Obad, son of Temeem. He
has a daughter called Dhimya, and I have loved
her from the days of childhood. On her account I
have engaged my equals, and have subdued horsemen,
and although I am mad to demand her in
marriage, modesty has prevented me; and oft I say to
myself, I shall be this evening in his tent, then it
shall be done; and again, to-day I will demand his
daughter, but I have never ventured yet, and were
I to drink of the draught of death and perdition, I
shall never approach him, however great my influence
is over him, and however serviceable I have
been to him. But in my heart I conceal my love
for his daughter, and it is only to my mother I
complain when my sorrows oppress me; and my
mother, she sometimes says to me, O my son, you
can never find any relief for this passion till
you make an attack upon the tribe of Abs and
Adnan, and are roused to seize some of their chiefs
and bring them here, then may your plans succeed.
For, O my son, your master Obad has an old vengeance
against them; and if you do not march
against that country, you will never gain your
point. Mother, I said to her, I hear every one
extol the tribe of Abs for their irresistible steadiness
in the day of battle, and they are the knights of
extermination and of instant death. But my mother
still would say, good luck is oft in penury, and
victory comes from God; and moreover, if you
have fears, you must ever live a trifler. But take
with you this bracelet, on which is the name of the
Lord of heaven and earth; your father gave it me,
alas! alas! on the night he was wedded to me—
and he said to me, Preserve it! So if you succeed
in your wishes, praise be to the God of Zemzem
and the shrine; and should you be taken prisoner,
this will liberate you from bondage and infamy.
I took it from my mother and bound it on my arm,
and I set out on an expedition against the vagrant
tribes with these hundred men, and I did not discontinue
my journey over the deserts till I came to
the spot, the valley of Tamarisks, where we overcame
you and succeeded in our attempts. There
indeed shone clear the proof of my mother's sayings,
and with you I was traversing the wilds and
the wastes till I encountered this black, this dreadful
warrior, and infamy fell upon me, and now you are
come to cut off my head.

As Asyed listened to this tale, a shuddering came
over him; he gazed at Nazih very minutely, and
tracing the well-known features, he clasped him to
his bosom, and kissed him between the eyes, exclaiming
by the truth of the sacred Shrine, Thou
art my son!—thou art a part of my heart! I gave
this bracelet to thy mother Selma, and my name is
inscribed thereon, and thy mother only sent thee to
this land to gain authentic intelligence of us. O
my brother, added he to Zoheir, the times have
changed and turned round, and what was lost is
come back to me: it was of this young man's mother
that I spoke to you. All that were present, when
they heard this story, were in amazement. But Antar
dismounted and received Nazih with great kindness,
and kissed him between the eyes, for he was a true
lion warrior, and a noble knight. Nazih was much
pleased: O tribe of Abs, said he, indeed you are

the mine of liberality and generosity, and he who is
connected by birth to you can never care for death.
I indeed rejoice in your parentage, and in my union
with your lineage, and I will be as a slave among
you. Yet must I interrogate my mother about my
father, that the truth may be fully proved, and I
realise all my expectations.

Make no such delays, O Nazih, said Aboolgharat,
you have no occasion to inquire of your mother on
this subject, for I am better acquainted with it than
any one. I was the person who conducted your
master Obad to this country; he invaded it, and
took your mother captive. We returned home immediately
under alarm that the tribe of Abs and
Adnan might overtake us, and on our arrival we
divided the spoil, and your mother fell to the lot of
your master Obad; and as soon as her pregnancy
became evident, he questioned her about her situation,
and who was her husband. My husband was
slain in the valley, said she. Thus she concealed
her story, and never revealed the secret to any one,
fearful of death and perdition. This man is your
father, and you are his son; but this is no time for
talking at length, for we are about to have our
heads cut off. At hearing this the noble Nazih
smiled, and his heart pitied his people when they
communicated to him his real situation; but Asyed
hastened and untied his handcuffs, and did the same
to the others, and mounted them on horses, and
they all set out for the land of the tribe of Abs,

Nazih travelling by the side of his father Asyed,
who talked pleasantly with him, and gave him accounts
of his mother. Now that it is certain that
you are my father, said Nazih, I have no more
anxiety on your account; but I must bring my mother
here. I am, however, distressed when thinking
how I shall remain with you among the tribe of
Abs and Adnan, and my mother in the tribe of
Cayan will suffer death and infamy; particularly
when Obad hears I am an Absian he will not let
my mother survive a day, and I shall die of sorrows
for her, and regret for his daughter Dhimya. O
my son, said Asyed, it appears as if I must either
abandon your mother in the hands of foes, or you
drive Dhimya from your heart: but let us say no
more till we reach home and join our tribe. Thus
they travelled on, highly gratified, till evening, when
they halted at the waters, and waited whilst the
horses were refreshed. They took their dinner,
and again mounted their steeds, and passed on
during the darkness of the night till morning shone,
when they reached the valley of Tamarisks; but as
soon as the sun rose they perceived the camp of the
tribe of Abs, who were hasting over the desert in
pursuit of King Zoheir, for every family was in
movement. And as King Zoheir and his party approached,
the first that espied them was Rebia; he
had also set out on that expedition, hoping that King
Zoheir would receive his deliverance at his hands,
and thus would his past actions be erased from his
heart: but he was disappointed. The tribe advanced
and saluted King Zoheir, and inquired the
cause of his captivity, and how it had happened. He
related the whole to them, and also the story of
Nazih, at which they were in astonishment. Rebia
came up to Antar, jealous that King Zoheir had
been released by him, and said, O Aboolfawaris,
there is no day but we see you in it, for you are indeed
the daily food of friends. May no evil, no
harm ever reach you! for you are our polished
sword and our long spear. Antar thanked him.
About evening they set off: they crossed over the
desert, and reposed that night in the valley of
Erak. In the morning they resolved on pursuing
their way: O king, said Asyed, I will go with you
to the tents, and thence I will proceed to liberate
my wife Selma, and will gratify my son's designs
upon Dhimya, for unless I effect this he will never
feel happy in staying with us. If such is the case,
said King Zoheir, we will all proceed to the cities
of Yemen with our warriors and armies, and we
will not return till we have accomplished our purpose.
No, said Antar, by the faith of an Arab no
one but myself shall proceed on this expedition, for
I do not see the necessity of your taking all that
trouble and anxiety. On hearing this, Rebia
thanked him for the loyalty of his spirit. Admirable!
my cousin, said he; and I and my brother also, we
will go with you, and will expose our lives on this
occasion.

Now this speech was only meant to excite Antar
to the expedition, for he was vexed at him, as all
his plans had failed through him; so he wished him
to expose himself among the cities of Yemen, in the
full expectation that the calamities of fortune and
perils would put an end to him. Antar thanked
him for his speech, though well aware of his malice
and insidious motives.

We cannot agree with you in this respect, said
King Zoheir, we will not let you go into Yemen to
endanger yourself on our private necessities with
only one hundred horsemen: take with you a thousand
of the most tried warriors, that our hearts may
be at ease about you. O great king, said Antar,
were I even going to the conquest of the cities of
Syria, or to fight with the Chosroe of Persia, I
would not take so many as a thousand horsemen. I
do wish it may be publicly announced that your
slave Antar invaded the cities of Yemen, and those
countries, with only one hundred horsemen, every
one indeed a hardy warrior; and that he executed
his objects, and returned with affluence and plunder.
But my heart does not feel happy that I should undertake
this expedition before my Lord Harith has
wedded his bride Labna.

Now Harith was recovered of the wounds he had
received; he was quite well and in good health. They
continued till they reached their native land, and
universal joy and delight was the result of their ar
rival. They made entertainments and feasts, and perfect

happiness and felicity dwelt among them. They
slaughtered cattle for the banquets; the liquor and
the wine went round; the damsels beat the dulcimers;
and the high and low were in full glee.
Labna was married to Harith; he entered unto her,
and he was happy. After feasting seven days, Antar
prepared for his expedition and passage over
the desert, in order to finish the affair so interesting
to Asyed and his son Nazih. He took with him
his father Shedad, and three hundred horsemen of
the race of Carad; Asyed also went with him, determined
on success. King Zoheir accompanied
them to take leave, and when they reached the valley
of Erak they left King Zoheir behind, and
quitted him there. He returned home, and Antar
departed for the cities of Yemen.

But as to King Zoheir, he had not rested two
days after Antar's departure when Numan's messenger
arrived, and with him innumerable camels,
and robes, that amazed the eye, and also a thousand
Asafeer camels. When King Zoheir learnt
the arrival of the messenger, he went out to meet
him, and welcoming him to his dwelling, made him
dismount, and treating him hospitably, inquired
about King Numan's health. And when he had
described to him all the goods and presents destined
for him (and indeed the quantity was immense),
King Numan, he added, salutes you, and desires
you to send him your daughter, merely herself;
but not a single article of your own property, for he

does not require of you either goods or presents.
King Zoheir upon this made a long panegyric on
King Numan.

Aswad's messenger also arrived about the same
time at the tribe of Fazarah, who did the same towards
him as King Zoheir had done with regard to
King Numan's. The cymbals were struck up in
the hands of the damsels, and they remained in this
state seven days. On the eighth day the howdahs
were raised on the backs of the camels, decorated
with splendid velvet. The ladies were lifted in, accommodated
on silken cushions and couches. The
standards and ensigns were unfurled, and the men
rode round them like lions. Hadifah accompanied
his sister with one hundred horsemen, and King
Zoheir sent his son Shas with his daughter; and they
continued traversing the deserts, the Arabs treating
them as they passed, till they reached Hirah. And
when Numan heard of their approach he went out
to meet them, his brother riding by his side, and
surrounded by troops; the drums were beaten on
all sides, and this was a day of joy and pleasure, the
like of which was never known in the whole world;
for Numan gave away alms, made presents, distributed
gold and silver, prepared magnificent entertainments,
and had tables covered with meat. This
continued in the same manner for ten days, and
Mootegeredeh was married to King Numan, and
the hour and the time were most propitious; and
Maria was also married to his brother Aswad, and

theirs was a state of happiness never experienced
before by man; each realised his hopes, and all
their friends and well-wishers rejoiced. In three
days the Arabs separated, and every one took his
own road, and every chief sought his own clan.
Aswad invested Hadifah with an honorary robe,
and also the chiefs of the tribe of Fazarah. So also
did King Numan towards Shas; he bestowed on
him rich presents, and gave him splendid robes, and
treated him in the most distinguished manner.

When Shas saw this, and all the rich presents
that were produced before him, O king, said he, do
not bestow on me any article of your property, not
even to the value of a halter. We only coveted
your connexion on account of your glory, and the
honour of your name. Numan thanked him; and
having loaded the she camel that had conveyed his
bride with aloes, and amber, and musk, and perfumes,
he also wished to send with him an escort of
troops to attend on him and protect him. But, said
he, are you not my relation? King Zoheir my father?
the tribe of Abs my countrymen? and the
protector of our lands and our property, the Chief
Antar, son of Shedad? and shall I go with an escort?
No! by the faith of an Arab! So he bade
them farewell, and departed in company with Hadifah
and the tribe of Fazarah.

Now Shas had no one with him but the slave that
drove his camel; and when they were at some
distance from Kufah they began to converse about

the weddings and the feasts, and each of them
talked about his connexion, and what had occurred
during the entertainments. Hadifah was quite extravagant
in his eulogium of Prince Aswad, extolling
him greatly, and preferring him to Numan.
Shas was now aware that they wished to irritate him
by their discourse; but as he was anxious to put a
stop to any enmity or ill will between them, he separated
from them, feigning a desire to indulge in
the hunt and chase. As soon as Hadifah saw this,
he said to his cousins, Let us away over the wastes
and the wilds, and let us escape from danger and
destruction; perhaps some one may fall upon him
who will cut off his head, and will take his horse
and his armour, for he is also one of Antar's friends.
Thus they passed over the deserts, and Shas followed
behind, who being thus separated from Hadifah,
travelled alone, amusing himself on the skirts
of the waste, and rejoicing at having avoided their
misconduct, till he reached the waters of the tribe
of Aamir, where he arrived in the obscurity of the
night, and as he was exceedingly thirsty, he was
much troubled. By the side of the lake there was
a huntsman chasing the wild animals as they passed
to and fro; he was called Thalaba, the son of Aaridj.
He was extending out his nets, and fixing them by
the water-side, and as Shas came up, the wild animals
being frightened away, the huntsman was
much annoyed, and he cried out to Shas, Who art
thou? thou hast spoiled my sport, and hast driven
away the beasts from me. Fear not, young man,
said Shas, for I will reward you for what you lose.
But have you a drink of water, that I may quench
my thirst? Ay! you shall have water from me,
said the huntsman, but not water that shall moisten
your thirst or relieve your entrails. Shas, on hearing
this, was very angry, for he was a prince and
the son of a prince. You dog of the tribe of Aamir,
said he, were you not a poor miserable fellow I
would punish you in the manner that kings punish.
But the huntsman immediately drew an arrow from
his quiver, and fixing it on the centre of his bow,
aimed it at Shas by the sound of his voice, and it
struck him through the heart, and it hurled him
dead off his horse. The slave, when he saw his
master fall headlong, left him there, and departed
home to the tribe of Abs, making all speed in his
flight. Then came up the huntsman, and examined
him, and looked at his horse, and lo! its trappings
were of gold; and perceiving the garments of a
mighty prince upon him, he was in the greatest
agitation. He dug a hole for him in the sand, and
buried him; but he took away the horse and the
camel, and hastened home, and when he came to
his wife he acquainted her with the circumstance,
and directed her not to discover it to any one. He
slaughtered the camel, and distributed the meat,
concealing the property and perfumes, and the fine
horse. And thus it was all over with Shas.

In the meantime Hadifah reached the tribe of

Fazarah, and the whole universe could not contain
him, so excessive was his joy. King Zoheir heard
of his arrival, and his heart was in a flame about his
son Shas, till the slave also came back and informed
King Zoheir of the murder of his son. Great indeed
was this affliction. His tears, his lamentations
were incessant; he tore off all his clothes. The
news soon reached his mother, and his brothers, and
his comrades, and their distress equalled his. The
whole clan was absorbed in tears, and sobs, and
groans. The next day arrived Rebia; and in three
days more King Zoheir assembled in haste all his
lion warriors, and prepared two thousand horsemen
that would have infused fears even into the genii
and the fiends. And they departed, traversing the
burning sands, seeking the land of the tribe of
Aamir; and at their head rode King Zoheir, his
heart ulcered with grief, and by his side was Rebia;
and they continued their successive marches till they
drew nigh to the land of the tribe of Aamir; and
when their dust appeared, Ghasham[4] , son of Malik,
mounted, and went out with a party of his people
to meet King Zoheir, and saluting him, O great
king, said he, art thou come to our land to take your
pleasure with us, and to hunt in the vicinity? O
Ghashm, said King Zoheir, we are not come on a
visit or as guests. We are come with no other purpose
but to extirpate you with the sword. What,
said the Brandisher of Spears, has produced this
enmity between us, that we should deserve such
violent measures at your hands after such friendship?
Ay, said King Zoheir, for my son Shas, on
his return from his relation, King Numan, was
slain at your waters. O king, said Ghashm, who
told you this? The slave that accompanied him,
said King Zoheir, informed me of his murder and
his destruction. And would you, O great king,
added Ghashm, take away a man in health for one in
sickness? and have you believed a base slave to our
prejudice? and had even the slave told the truth,
how many thieves and robbers are there in our
neighbourhood! But if, notwithstanding this, you
are resolved on shedding blood, God forbid that
hostility should arise between us! But if you will
not assent to my proposal, and you are certainly a
man of honour, at least have pity on the widows and
the infirm. King Zoheir, on hearing this address,
returned, alarmed at the consequences of violence
and oppression. He hastened his march till he
reached home. But his son Cais was extremely afflicted,
and wept bitterly, saying, I will not permit
the blood of my brother to pass away in vain. I
myself will undertake this business. It happened
that this was a year of drought and scarcity, and
the people were in total want of every thing. So
Cais selected two she camels, and loading them with
dried dates, and wheat, and butter, sent for an old,
grey-headed woman, from whom there was no sort
of deceit concealed. Take these two camels, said he
to her, and go to the land of the tribe of Aamir, but
take special care not to discover yourself; buy nothing
in exchange but rarities and valuable articles,
and when any perfumes fall in your way, inquire
whence they were imported.

As soon as the old woman heard Cais's instruction,
she understood the whole affair, and she departed
with a heart proof against all perils. He, however,
sent with her some one to conduct her to the tribe
of Aamir, and when she reached the dwellings, she
roamed about and offered for sale her stock of wheat,
inquiring for excellent perfumes in exchange. They
produced all the perfumes they had, till she came, in
her rounds, to the families of Ghani and Kellab;
and, moreover, she importuned the whole tribe of
Aamir till she reached the house of Thalaba, son of
Aaridj, the huntsman. He himself was, at that
period, away from his wife, who, in his absence,
being in want of provisions, and seeing this stock
brought by the old woman, cried out to her to come
into her tent; she conducted her in, and offered
her for sale some aloe wood, and musk, and amber,
and as she inhaled the fragrance of them, the barren
waste was scented with their odour. The old
woman was quite amazed at the extraordinary qualities
of these perfumes, and their fragrance quite
intoxicated her. O my mistress, said she, this is
indeed a rarity not to be purchased with wheat.
The God of old knows my intention, and may I

never lose my daughter! For God's sake, do now
take all my stock, and relieve me from any further
trouble and delay. But tell me whence was this
perfume brought you, for in no place whatever have
I ever seen any thing like it; such as this is not to
be found at any merchant's or perfumer's. I will
not inform you on this point, said Thalaba's wife,
and I will not reveal the business to you unless you
promise me, by him who fashioned the human frame,
that this affair shall not proceed from you to any
human being, and that you will not acknowledge it
to any one, man or woman. The old woman acceded
to her proposition. O aunt, said she, my
husband is called Thalaba, the son of Aaridj, the
huntsman, and he gained, in this pitiful business,
what no one of the servants of God ever gained before,
for one day he was by the side of the lake
hunting. It was night, when a youth called Shas,
son of King Zoheir, passing by, frightened away the
wild beasts, at which my husband was very angry
and abused him; the youth spoke in terms that irritated
him, so my husband struck him with an arrow
and slew him, and when the business was over
my husband went towards him and perceived the
whole catastrophe. A slave had accompanied Shas,
and there was also a black-eyed camel, laden entirely
with these perfumes. The slave, on seeing what
had happened, fled away, and my husband, having
first buried Shas in the sand, immediately came
home, and with him the horse and camel; he is now
gone to sell the horse and the trappings in some of
the Arab hordes, and will bring me back some gold
and silver. Now, were you not a foreign woman I
should not have informed you of this extraordinary
story. But still I will not let you go after this meeting,
till you have given me your promise not to tell
any one. I am a foreign woman, said the other, and
am very old, and I live in the land of Yemen, and
I have never heard any one mention the tribe of
Abs or their king's son, Shas. So she made the required
promise, and took away all her perfumes, and
put them on the two camels; and, bidding her adieu,
she departed much pleased at what she had done.
She instantly set out for the land of Abs, and she
thought she should never reach home, so eager was
she to execute Cais's commission, and inform King
Zoheir of his son's death, till she actually arrived
and related the surprising circumstances that had
occurred to her. Now, do what you please, said
she, and make whatever arrangements you choose.
And what man slew him? said he. Thalaba, the
huntsman, said she; and she informed him what
Cais had done in his ingenuity, and showed him the
perfumes. King Zoheir wept and sobbed, the tears
streamed and flowed, whilst he thus gave vent to his
grief in verse:

"The vicissitudes of fortune have thrown me
into misery and wretchedness, and fortune has
ever evinced its treacherous disposition. I am involved
in affliction by it, as if I were the friend of

intoxication, produced by excess of wine. It has
left me in solitude; I have no one to assist me.
O that I were with him; united to him in the
tomb. When the messenger of Shas's death arrived,
grief took possession of me, and I am
bewildered. O Shas, thou hast cast a grief into
my heart that will not pass away, were even my
life to pass away. Think not, O vengeance, that
thou shalt sleep, now that he is gone. Let not the
goose imagine it shall escape the vulture. Soon
shalt thou see the Absian warriors plunge into
deaths, and seas, and horrors. The kings of the
earth shall see that we are able to take vengeance
on their boldest heroes."

To arms! to arms! cried King Zoheir to those
that were about him, and he mounted that very day,
accompanied by all the chiefs and Rebia, who thus
exclaimed, in verses:

"I was heedless of the nocturnal depredators, and
my heart is insensible to joy. A calamity has
befallen me that has taught me afflictions, and the
heaviest sorrows. O my tears, flow fast from your
stores for the loss of our hero. O my tribe, I have
lost one who was my sword, and my right hand,
and left hand, in the battle. He was a crown on
the heads of the tribe of Abs, brilliant as the full
moon; but that moon is on the wane and is lost,
now that the hostile hand has aimed at him the
fatal arrow. O tribe of Aamir, do ye not dread
the assault, that would even endanger the summits

of the caverned mountains. O land, now Shas is
gone, what can protect thee? Will the heavens
shadow thee from destruction? Our steeds are
fearless in the contest, and our swords are death's
harbingers in the battle. The barbs of our spears
bear witness that the heights of glory are our
mansions of honour. The kings of the universe
are our slaves. They serve us, and we are the
lords. Shall they venture to oppose us? and we
are on our thin-flanked coursers, like dragons."

When King Zoheir looked round at his sons and
saw not Shas, he wept bitterly. They hastened
their march, and a burning flame was concealed in
their breasts, till they reached the tribe of Aamir.
Their chief and ruler was called Khalid, son of
Giafir, and their knight that protected them in the
days of trouble was the Brandisher of Spears,
Ghashm, son of Malik. The family of Ghani had
also a skilful warrior whose name was Rebia, son of
Ocail, and the family of Kellab had also a horseman
called Jandah, son of Beka. These three tribes
resided in one land, and their waters approximated,
and they were nearly related. But at that time the
chief, Khalid, was absent with Prince Aswad, in the
land of Irak, who had also married the daughter of
his brother, Akhwas, and her name was Saad; and
when Khalid heard of Aswad's marriage with Hadifah's
sister, he took with him some of the chiefs of
the tribe of Aamir to visit him, and when he was
about to return, his niece would not let him go. O

my uncle, said she, stay with me till I see how I like
my situation; for, indeed, if I am annoyed, I will
return to my own country and my family. So he
staid some time with her, and it was during his
absence these events occurred, and King Zoheir
invaded the tribe of Aamir, where he found the
dwellings without their warriors, and there was no
one but the Brandisher of Swords with a few men.
Now, when they saw King Zoheir return, they rode
out to meet him, and made a very humble address
to him, inquiring the cause of his return. He informed
them of the stratagem Cais had adopted, in
order to succeed in his object; he also told them
that Thalaba, the huntsman, had slain his son Shas.
On hearing this, and ascertaining it to be true, they
searched for Thalaba, but could not find him. Upon
this they sent for his wife, and ordered her to confess;
she acknowledged what her husband had done,
and produced all the perfumes she still had. King
Zoheir was highly incensed, and his eyeballs started
into the crown of his head. O tribe of Aamir, cried
he, I demand of you one of three conditions. First,
that you return me my son as he was; but if you
cannot effect that, fill then my outer cloak with the
constellations of heaven; and if you cannot effect
that, I demand of you the whole tribe of Ghani, that
I may sacrifice all their children and their parents.
O my lord, said they, verily you insult and outrage
us, and demand of us impossibilities; for he who
requests what no human being can perform, oppresses
and tyrannizes. It is impossible for any one to
revive the dead or kill the living, but Him who outspread
the earth and vaulted the skies; but as to
your proposal of delivering over to you all the tribe
of Ghani, it is a thing you in your senses could
never suppose we should do, for you are a generous
king, therefore do not exact the living for the dead.
But as to exciting war and dissensions among us,
heaven forbid that we should ever have recourse to
such a proceeding, and that we should exchange our
security for alarms and fears. But we will pay you
ten times[5] the price of blood, and we beg of you to
set at liberty our women and our daughters. Thus
the tribe continued till King Zoheir was duped and
relented. Consulting with Rebia about the abandonment
of retaliation and their return home, O king,
said Rebia, what is this you say? How can we raise
our heads among the Arabs, if we permit the blood
of Shas to pass unrevenged? And, unsheathing his
sword, To arms! to arms! he exclaimed, and rushed
with his drawn sabre among the tribe of Aamir,
whilst the sons of King Zoheir, also joining in a
similar shout, extended their spears and plied their
scimitars among them. The shouts arose on all
sides; the tribe of Aamir put on their arms and
defended themselves; the battle became furious, and
many were slain and wounded. Blood flowed and
streamed, and the dust uprose and sickened the eyeballs
of the shouters. Heads were severed from
bodies; the tribe of Aamir just kept off the contest
from their children, but were reduced to great distress
as the confusion and uproar increased. The
tribe of Abs cut through them by the force of their
steeds, and slaughtered numbers of their horsemen
and troops. On that day the only one that could
fight on the offensive, and repel the attack, was the
Brandisher of Spears, for he was one of the renowned
heroes and celebrated warriors; but observing the
tribe of Abs, how they overpowered him, and the
numbers of his own party, how they were cut up,
and alarmed for their total annihilation, and the
destruction of his country, he took with him a party
of his tribe, all noble horsemen, and repaired to
King Zoheir, who was under the standards; he
dismounted and paid obeisance, and kissing his hand,
O dreaded king, said he, do not the deeds of a
coward, for you are a great prince. Draw back your
swords from us, that we may extract this tribe for
you from the midst of us, and may separate from
them and deliver them over to you. Do not destroy
us for the crimes of others, leave us quiet in our
lands and territory. All I request of you is, to
delay for the remainder of this day, and to-morrow
morning come on and the tribe shall be yours. He
continued to engage his compassion in this proposal,
and so humiliated himself, that King Zoheir was
induced to agree to his request. I grant you, said
King Zoheir, the term of this day, so that no blame
or reproach may attach to us. And he immediately
directed his slaves to order back the troops from the
contest. The Brandisher of Spears returned to his
tribe: Now then, said he, entrench your women and
families on the summits of the mountains, for I have
circumvented King Zoheir in my discourse. Let us
occupy a strong post for some days, till the sacred
moon shine upon us, when battle and contention
must be stopped, and these unexpected oppressors
must depart. Moreover too, our Chief Khalid may
arrive from the land of Irak, and he will avert from
us this insupportable calamity.

The tribe of Aamir, on hearing this, were convinced
of the expediency of the measure. So they
all hastened away, and struck their tents and dwellings,
every one carrying away his property, and
placing his family in security among the mountains.
Before daylight, the whole country was abandoned,
and they moved like waves towards the hills.

By the dawn of day King Zoheir mounted, and
when he saw what they had done, he was aware that
the Brandisher of Spears had deceived him. He
was furious with passion, and marched in haste
against the Aamirites, with his men, and besieged
them in the mountains. All that fell into
his hands he made to drink of the cup of death and
extinction, for the troops were greatly exasperated.
They continued in this state for five days, and then
arose the sacred moon. It was the month of Redjeb,
which the ignorance of the Arabs sanctified. War

ceased during that time, and had it happened that
any one had killed his father or his brother, it was
never spoken of to him, and he could not be brought
to trial. The Arabs went every where unarmed; and
for that reason it was called the deaf and dumb
month, for the ears were insensible therein, and the
Arabs, laying aside their arms, repaired to the holy
Shrine, and made a pilgrimage, demanding forgiveness
of sins.

When King Zoheir perceived the rising of the
moon, and that the month of Redjeb had commenced,
his heart was in flames, and burned with
rage. He abandoned the contest, not to give an
evil example among the Arabs.