King Cais, chief of the Absians, distrusting the evil designs of
Hadifah, the chief of the tribe of Fazarah, had sent out his slaves in
every direction to look after Antar. One of these slaves on his return
said to the king: "As for Antar, I have not even heard his name; but as
I passed by the tribe of Tenim, I slept one night in the tents of the
tribe Byah. There I saw a colt of remarkable beauty. He belonged to a
man named Jahir, son of Awef. I have never seen a colt so fine and
swift." This recital made a profound impression upon Cais. And in truth
this young animal was the wonder of the world, and never had a handsomer
horse been reared among the Arabs. He was in all points high-bred and
renowned for race and lineage, for his sire was Ocab and his dam Helweh,
and these were horses regarded by the Arabs as quicker than lightning.
All the tribes admired their points, and the tribe of Byah had become
celebrated above all others, because of the mare and stallion which
pertained to it.
As for this fine colt, one day, when his sire Ocab had been put out on
pasture, he was being led by the daughter of Jahir along the side of a
lake at noonday, and there he saw the mare Helweh, who was tethered
close to the tent of her master. He immediately began to neigh, and
slipped his halter. The young girl in her embarrassment let him go, and
for modesty took refuge in the tent of a friend. The stallion remained
on the spot until the girl returned. She seized the halter and took him
to the stables.
But her father discerned the anxiety which she could not conceal. He
questioned her, and she told him what had happened. He became furious
with rage on hearing her story, for he was naturally choleric; he ran
among the tents, flinging off his turban, and crying at the top of his
voice, while all the Arabs crowded round him, "Tribe of Byah, tribe of
Byah! Kinsmen and friends, hear me." Then he related what his daughter
had told him. "I cannot permit," he added, "that the blood of my horse
should be blended with that of Helweh; yet I am not willing to sell him
for the most costly sheep and camels; and if I cannot otherwise prevent
Helweh from bearing a colt to my stallion, I shall be glad if some one
will put the mare to death." "By all means," cried his listeners, "do as
you please, for we can have no objection." Such were the usual terms of
Arabian courtesy.
Nevertheless, Helweh, in course of time, bore a fine colt, whose birth
brought great joy to her master. He named the young horse Dahir. The
colt waxed in strength and beauty, until he actually excelled his sire
Ocab. His chest was broad, his neck long, his hoofs hard, his nostrils
widely expanded. His tail swept the ground, and he was of the gentlest
temper; in short, he was the most perfect creature ever seen. Being
reared with the greatest care, his shape was perfect as the archway of a
royal palace. When the mare Helweh, followed by her colt, was one day
moving along the shore of a lake, Ocab's owner chanced to see them. He
seized the young horse, and took him home with him, leaving his mother
in grief for his difference. "As for Jahir," he said, "this colt belongs
to me, and I have more right to him than anyone else."
The news of the colt's disappearance soon reached his owner's ears. He
assembled the chiefs of the tribe, and told them what had happened. They
sent to Jahir, and he was reproached bitterly. "Jahir," they said, "you
have not suffered, yet have done injustice, in that you carried off that
which belonged to another man." "Say no more," answered Jahir, "and
spare me these reproaches, for, by the faith of an Arab, I will not
return the colt, unless compelled by main force. I will declare war
against you first." At that moment the tribe was not prepared for a
quarrel; and several of them said to Jahir: "We are too much attached to
you to push things to such an extreme as that; we are your allies and
kinsmen. We will not fight with you, though an idol of gold were at
stake." Then Kerim, son of Wahrab (the latter being the owner of the
mare and colt, a man renowned among the Arabs for his generosity),
seeing the obstinacy of Jahir, said to him: "Cousin, the colt is
certainly yours, and belongs to you; as for the mare here, accept her as
a present from my hand, so that mother and colt will not be separated,
and no one will ever be able to accuse me of wronging a kinsman."
The tribe highly applauded this act, and Jahir was so humiliated by the
generosity with which he had been treated, that he returned mare and
colt to Kerim, adding to the gift a pair of male and a pair of female
camels.
Dahir soon became a horse of absolute perfection in every point, and
when his master Kerim undertook to race him with another horse, he rode
the animal himself, and was in the habit of saying to his antagonist,
"Even should you pass me like an arrow, I could catch you up, and
distance you," and in fact this always happened.
As soon as King Cais heard tell of this horse, he became beside himself
with longing and mortification, and his sleep left him. He sent to
Kerim, offering to buy the horse for as much gold or silver as the owner
demanded, and adding that the price would be forwarded without delay.
This message enraged Kerim. "Is not this Cais a fool, or a man of no
understanding?" he exclaimed. "Does he think I am a man of traffic--a
horse-dealer, who cannot mount the horses he owns? I swear by the faith
of an Arab that if he had asked for Dahir, as a present, I would have
sent the horse, and a troop of camels besides: but if he thinks of
obtaining him by bidding a price, he will never have him; even were I
bound to drink the cup of death."
The messenger returned to Cais, and gave him the answer of Kerim, at
which the latter was much annoyed. "Am I a king over the tribes of Abs,
of Adnan, of Fazarah, and of Dibyan," he exclaimed, "and yet a common
Arab dares to oppose me!" He summoned his people and his warriors.
Immediately there was the flash of armor, of coats of mail, and swords
and helmets appeared amid the tents; the champions mounted their steeds,
shook their spears, and marched forth against the tribe of Byah. As soon
as they reached their enemy's territory they overran the pastures, and
gathered an immense booty in cattle, which Cais divided among his
followers. They next made for the tents and surprised the dwellers
there, who were not prepared for such an attack: Kerim being absent with
his warriors on an expedition of the same sort. Cais at the head of the
Absians, pushing his way into the dwellings, carried off the wives and
daughters of his foe.
As for Dahir, he was tethered to one of the tent-pegs, for Kerim never
used him as a charger, for fear some harm might befall him, or he might
be killed. One of the slaves who had been left in the encampment, and
had been among the first to see the approach of the Absians, went up to
Dahir for the purpose of breaking the line by which he was hobbled. This
he failed to accomplish, but mounting him, and digging his heels into
his flanks, he forced the horse, although he was hobbled, to rush off
prancing like a fawn, until he reached the desert. It was in vain that
the Absians pursued him; they could not even catch up with the trail of
dust that he left behind him.
As soon as Cais perceived Dahir, he recognized him, and the desire of
possessing him became intensified. He hurried on, but his chagrin was
great, as he perceived that, do what he would, he never could catch up
with him. At last the slave, perceiving that he had quite out-distanced
the Absians, dismounted, untied the feet of Dahir, leapt again into the
saddle, and galloped off. Cais, who had kept up the pursuit, gained
ground during this stop, and coming within ear-shot of the slave,
shouted out, "Stop, Arab, there is no cause for fear; you have my
protection; by the faith of a noble Arab, I swear it." At these words
the slave stopped. "Do you intend to sell that horse?" said King Cais to
him, "for in that case you have the most eager buyer of all the Arabian
tribesmen." "I do not wish to sell him, sire," replied the slave,
"excepting at one price, the restoration of all the booty." "I will buy
him then," the King answered, and he clasped the hand of the Arab as
pledge of the bargain. The slave dismounted from the young horse, and
delivered him over to King Cais, and the latter overjoyed at having his
wish, leapt on to his back, and set out to rejoin the Absians, whom he
commanded to restore all the booty which they had taken. His order was
executed to the letter. King Cais, enchanted at the success of his
enterprise, and at the possession of Dahir, returned home. So great was
his fondness for the horse that he groomed and fed him with his own
hands. Soon as Hadifah, chief of the tribe of Fazarah, heard that Cais
had possession of Dahir, jealousy filled his heart. In concert with
other chiefs he plotted the death of this beautiful horse.
Now it came to pass that at this time Hadifah gave a great feast, and
Carwash, kinsman of King Cais, was present. At the end of the meal, and
while the wine circulated freely the course of conversation turned to
the most famous chiefs of the time. The subject being exhausted, the
guests began to speak about their most celebrated horses, and next, of
the journeys made by them in the desert. "Kinsmen," said Carwash, "none
of you ever saw a horse like Dahir, which belongs to my ally Cais. It is
vain to seek his equal; his pace is absolutely terrifying. He chases
away sorrow from the heart of him who beholds him, and protects like a
strong tower the man who mounts him." Carwash did not stop here, but
continued to praise, in the highest and most distinguished language, the
horse Dahir, until all of the tribe of Fazarah and of the family of
Zyad, felt their hearts swell with rage. "Do you hear him, brother?"
said Haml to Hadifah; "come, that is enough," he added, turning towards
Carwash. "All that you have said about Dahir is absolute nonsense--for
at present there are no horses better or finer than mine, and those of
my brother."
With these words he ordered his slaves to bring his horses and parade
them before Carwash. This was done. "Come, Carwash, look at that horse."
"He is not worth the hay you feed him on," said the other. Then those of
Hadifah were led out; among them was a mare, named Ghabra, and a
stallion called Marik. "Now look at these," said Hadifah. "They are not
worth the hay they eat," replied Carwash. Hadifah, filled with
indignation at these words: "What, not even Ghabra?" "Not even Ghabra,
or all the horses in the world," repeated Carwash. "Would you like to
make a bet for us with King Cais?" "Certainly," answered Carwash--"I
will wager that Dahir will beat all the horses of the tribe of Fazarah,
even if he carries a hundred weight of stone on his back." They
discussed the matter for a long time, the one affirming the other
denying the statements, until Hadifah closed the altercation by saying,
"I hold to the wager, on condition that the winner takes from the loser
as many male and female camels as he chooses." "You are going to play me
a nice trick," said Carwash, "and for my part I tell you plainly that I
won't bet more than twenty camels; the man whose horse loses shall pay
this forfeit." The matter was arranged accordingly. They sat at table
until nightfall, and then rested.
The next day Carwash left his tent at early morn, went to the tribe of
Abs, to find Cais, whom he told about the wager. "You were wrong," said
Cais. "You might have made a bet with anyone excepting Hadifah, who is a
man of tricks and treachery. If you have made the wager, you will have
to declare it off." Cais waited until certain persons who were with him
had retired, then he at once took horse, and repaired to the tribe of
Fazarah, where everybody was taking their morning meal in their tents.
Cais dismounted, took off his arms, and seating himself among them began
to eat with them, like a noble Arab. "Cousin," said Hadifah to him
jokingly, "What large mouthfuls you take; heaven preserve me from having
an appetite like yours." "It is true," said Cais, "that I am dying of
hunger, but by Him who abides always, and will abide forever, I came not
here merely to eat your victuals. My intention is to annul the wager
which was yesterday made between you and my kinsman Carwash, I beg of
you to cancel this bet, for all that is uttered over cups and flagons is
of no serious account, and ought to be forgotten." "I would have you to
know," was the answer, "that I will not withdraw from the challenge,
unless you forfeit the camels which are staked. If you accept this
condition, I shall be perfectly indifferent to everything else.
Nevertheless, if you wish it, I will seize the camels by force, or, if
it be your good pleasure, I will waive every claim, save as a debt of
honor." In spite of all that Cais could say, Hadifah remained firm in
his resolution, and as his brother began to deride Cais, the latter lost
his temper, and with a face blazing with wrath he asked of Hadifah,
"What stake did you offer in your wager with my cousin?" "Twenty
she-camels," said Hadifah. "As for this first wager," answered Cais, "I
cancel it, and propose another one in its stead: I will bet thirty
camels." "And I forty," replied Hadifah, "I make it fifty," was the
retort of Cais. "Sixty," quickly added the other; and they continued
raising the terms of the wager, until the number of camels staked was
one hundred. The contract of the bet was deposited in the hands of a man
named Sabic, son of Wahhab, and in the presence of a crowd of youths and
old men. "What shall be the length of the race?" asked Hadifah of Cais.
"One hundred bow-shots," replied Cais, "and we have an archer here,
Ayas, the son of Mansour, who will measure the ground." Ayas was in fact
the strongest and most accomplished archer then living among the Arabs.
King Cais, by choosing Ayas, wished the course to be made long, knowing
the endurance of his horse, and the longer distance Dahir had to travel,
the more he gained speed, from the increased excitement of his spirit.
"Well now, we had better fix the day for the race," said Cais to
Hadifah. "Forty days will be required," replied Hadifah, "to bring the
horses into condition." "You are right," said Cais, and they agreed that
the horses should be trained for forty days, that the race should take
place by the lake Zatalirsad, and that the horse that first reached the
goal should be declared winner. All these preliminaries having been
arranged, Cais returned to his tents.
Meanwhile one of the horsemen of the tribe of Fazarah said to his
neighbors: "Kinsmen, you may rest assured that there is going to be a
breach between the tribe of Abs and that of Fazarah, as a result of this
race between Dahir and Ghabra. The two tribes, you must know, will be
mutually estranged, for King Cais has been there in person; now he is a
prince and the son of a prince. He has made every effort to cancel the
bet, but Hadifah would by no means consent. All this is the beginning of
a broil, which may be followed by a war, possibly lasting fifty years,
and many a one will fall in the struggle."
Hadifah hearing this prediction, said: "I don't trouble myself much
about the matter, and your suggestion seems to me absurd." "O Hadifah,"
exclaimed Ayas, "I am going to tell you what will be the result of all
your obstinacy towards Cais." Then he recited some verses, with the
following meaning: "In thee, O Hadifah, there is no beauty; and in the
purity of Cais there is not a single blot. How sincere and honest was
his counsels, although they were lacking in prudence and dignity. Make a
wager with a man who does not possess even an ass, and whose father has
never been rich enough to buy a horse. Let Cais alone; he has wealth,
lands, horses, a proud spirit, and he is the owner of this Dahir, who is
always first on the day of a race, whether he is resting or
running--this Dahir, a steed whose feet even appear through the
obscurity of night like burning brands." "Ayas," replied Hadifah, "do
you think I would break my word? I will take the camels of Cais, and
will not permit my name to be inscribed among the number of those who
have been vanquished. Let things run their course."
As soon as King Cais had regained his tents he hastened to tell his
slaves to begin the training of his horses, and to pay especial
attention to Dahir. Then he told his kinsmen all that had taken place
between himself and Hadifah. Antar was present at this recital, and as
he took great interest in all that concerned the king, he said, "Cais,
calm your fears, keep your eyes well open, run the race, and have no
fear. For, by the faith of an Arab, if Hadifah makes any trouble or
misunderstanding, I will kill him, as well as the whole tribe of
Fazarah."
The conversation on this subject continued until they reached the tents,
which Antar declined to enter before seeing Dahir. He walked several
times round this animal, and saw at a glance that the horse actually
possessed qualities which astonished any one who saw him.
Hadifah quickly learned the return of Antar, and knew that the hero was
encouraging King Cais to run the race. Haml, Hadifah's brother, had also
heard the news, and in the distress which he felt remarked to Hadifah,
"I fear lest Antar should fall upon me, or some one of the family of
Beder, and kill us, and thus render us disgraced. Give up this race, or
we are ruined. Let me go to King Cais, and I will not leave him until he
promises to come to you and cancel the contract." "Do as you please,"
answered Hadifah. Thereupon Haml took horse, and went immediately to
King Cais. He found him with his uncle Assyed, a wise and prudent man.
Haml approached Cais, saluted him by kissing his hand, and after saying
that he was the bearer of an important message, added: "Kinsman, you
know that my brother Hadifah is a low fellow, whose mind is full of
intrigues. I have spent the last three days in trying to persuade him to
cancel this wager. At last he has said: 'Very good, if Cais comes to me,
and wishes to be released from the contract, I will annul it; but do not
let any Arab think that I abandon the bet through fear of Antar.' Now
you, Cais, are aware that the greatest proof of attachment between
kinsmen is their willingness to give way to one another. So I am here to
beg that you will come to the dwelling of my brother Hadifah and ask him
to give up the race, before it causes trouble, and the tribe be utterly
driven away from its territories." At this address of Haml, Cais became
flushed with shame, for he was trusting and generous. He at once arose,
and leaving his uncle Assyed in charge of his domestic business, he
accompanied Haml to the land of Fazarah. When they were midway on their
journey Haml began to utter lavish praises of Cais to the latter's face,
and to blame his own brother's faults, in the following terms: "O Cais,
do not let your wrath be stirred up against Hadifah, for he is verily a
man headstrong and unjust in his actions. O Cais, if you persist in
holding to the bet, great disasters will follow. Both you and he are
impulsive and passionate, and this is what causes me to feel anxiety
about you, Cais. Put aside your private feelings, be kind and generous,
and it will come to pass that the oppressor himself will become the
oppressed."
Haml continued to abuse his brother, and to flatter Cais with
expressions of admiration all the way, until in the evening they arrived
at the tribe of Fazarah. Hadifah, who at the moment was surrounded by
many powerful chiefs, upon whose aid he depended in the hour of need,
had changed his mind since his brother Haml's departure, and in place of
coming to terms and making peace with Cais he had determined to yield in
nothing, but to maintain rigorously the conditions of the coming race.
He was speaking of this very matter with one of the chiefs at the moment
when Cais and Haml presented themselves before him. As soon as Hadifah
saw Cais, he resolved to cover him with shame. Turning therefore to his
brother, he asked: "Who ordered you to go to this man? By the faith of a
noble Arab, even if all the men who cover the surface of the earth were
to come and importune me, saying, 'O Hadifah, give up one hair of these
camels,' I would not yield until a lance had pierced my heart and a
sword stricken the head from my shoulders." Cais crimsoned, and
immediately remounted his horse, bitterly reproaching Haml. He returned
home with the utmost haste, and found his uncle and brothers waiting for
him in extreme anxiety. "O my son!" said his uncle Assyed as soon as he
saw him, "you have had a disastrous journey, for it has caused you to be
disgraced."
"If Hadifah had not been surrounded by certain chiefs, who gave him
treacherous counsels, I could have arranged the whole affair," answered
Cais. "There is now nothing left but to carry out the race and the bet."
King Cais did not sleep the whole of that night. On the morrow he
thought of nothing but the training of his horses during the forty days'
interval before the race. All the Arabs of the land agreed to come to
the pastures and see the race, and when the forty days had expired the
horsemen of the two tribes came in a crowd to the banks of lake
Zatalirsud. Next arrived the archer Ayas, who, turning his back to the
lake at the point where the horses were to start, drew his bow as he
walked toward the north a hundred times, and measured out to the goal
the course of a hundred bow-shots. Soon the horsemen of Ghitfan and
Dibyan arrived, for they were of the same territory, and because of
their friendly relations and kinship were comprised as one tribe under
the name of Adnan. King Cais had begged Antar not to show himself on
this occasion, fearing that his appearance might cause dissension. Antar
listened to this advice, but was unable to rest quiet in the tents. The
interest he felt in Cais, and the deep distrust with which the falseness
of the Fazareans--who were always ready for treason--inspired him,
induced him to show himself. Girding on his sword Dhami, and mounting
his famous charger, Abjer, he took with him his brother Shidoub, and
reached the spot fixed upon for the race, in order that he might watch
over the safety of King Zoheir's sons. On his arrival he seemed to excel
all that crowd, like a lion clad in coat of mail. He carried his naked
sword, and his eyes flashed like blazing coals. As soon as he had
reached the middle of the crowd, he cried out with a loud voice, that
struck terror to all hearts: "Hearken, noble Arabian chieftains and men
of renown assembled here--all of you know that I was supported and
favored by King Zoheir, father of King Cais, that I am a slave bound to
him, by his goodness and munificence; that it is he who caused my
parents to acknowledge me, and gave me my rank, making me to be numbered
among Arab chiefs. Although he is no longer living, I wish to show my
gratitude to him, and bring the kings of the land into subjection to
him, even after his death. He has left a son, whom his brothers have
acknowledged, and have set on the throne of his father. This son is
Cais, whom they have thus distinguished, because of his wisdom,
rectitude, and noble heart. I am the slave of Cais, and am his property;
I intend to be the supporter of him whom I love, and the enemy of
whosoever resists him. It shall never be said, as long as I live, that I
have suffered an enemy to affront him. As to the conditions of this
wager, it is our duty to see them observed. The best thing, accordingly,
to do is to let the horses race unobstructed, for victory comes from the
creator of day and night. I make an oath, therefore, by the holy house
at Mecca, by the temple, by the eternal God, who never forgets his
servants and never sleeps, that if Hadifah commits any act of violence,
I will make him drink the cup of vengeance and of death; and will make
the whole tribe of Fazarah the byword of all the world. And you, Arab
chieftains, if you sincerely desire the race to take place, conduct
yourselves with justice and impartiality; otherwise, by the eyes of my
dear Ibla, I will make the horses run the race in blood." "Antar is
right," the horsemen shouted on all sides.
Hadifah chose, as the rider of Ghabra, a groom of the tribe of Dibyan.
This man had passed all his days and many of his nights in rearing and
tending horses. Cais, on the other hand, chose as rider of Dahir a groom
of the tribe of Abs, much better trained and experienced in his
profession than was the Dibyanian. When the two contestants had mounted
their horses King Cais gave this parting instruction to his groom: "Do
not let the reins hang too loosely in managing Dahir; if you see him
flag, stand up in your stirrups, and press his flanks gently with your
legs. Do not urge him too much, or you will break his spirit." Hadifah
heard this advice and repeated it, word for word, to his rider.
Antar began to laugh. "By the faith of an Arab," he said to Hadifah,
"you will be beaten. Are words so scarce that you are obliged to use
exactly those of Cais? But as a matter of fact Cais is a king, the son
of a king; he ought always to be imitated by others, and since you have
followed, word by word, his speech, it is a proof that your horse will
follow his in the desert."
At these words the heart of Hadifah swelled with rage and indignation,
and he swore with an oath that he would not let his horse run that day,
but that he wished the race to take place at sunrise, next morning. This
delay was indispensable to him in preparing the act of perfidy which he
meditated, for he had no sooner seen Dahir than he was speechless with
astonishment at the beauty and perfections of the horse.
The judges had already dismounted and the horsemen of the various tribes
were preparing to return home, when Shidoub began to cry out with a loud
voice, "Tribes of Abs, of Adnan, of Fazarah and of Dibyan, and all here
present attend to me for an instant, and listen to words which shall be
repeated from generation to generation." All the warriors stood
motionless. "Speak on," they cried, "what is your will? Perhaps there
may be something good in your words." "Illustrious Arabs," continued
Shidoub, "you know what happened in consequence of the match between
Dahir and Ghabra: I assure you on my life that I will outstrip both of
them in running, even were they swifter than the wind. But listen to the
condition I offer; if I am the winner, I am to take the hundred camels
which are at stake; but if I am beaten, I am to forfeit fifty." Upon
this one of the Sheiks of Fazarah exclaimed, "What is that you are
saying, vile slave? Why should you receive a hundred camels if you win
and only forfeit fifty if you lose?" "Do you ask why, ancient mire of a
dunghill," replied Shidoub, "because I have but two legs to run on and a
horse has four, not counting his tail." All the Arabs burst out
laughing; yet as they were astonished at the conditions proposed by
Shidoub, and extremely curious to see him run the race, they agreed that
he should make the hazardous experiment.
When all had returned to the tents Antar said to Shidoub: "Come, now,
thou son of a cursed mother, how dared thou say that thou couldst
outstrip these two horses, whose race all horsemen of our tribes have
assembled to see, and who all the world admits have no equals in speed,
not even among the birds of the air?" "By him who created the springs in
the rocks and who knows all things," replied Shidoub, "I will outstrip
those two horses, be they fleet as the winds. Yes, and my victory will
have an advantageous result, for when the Arabs hear of it, they will
give up all idea of pursuing me, when I run across the desert." Antar
laughed, for he was in doubt about Shidoub's plan. The latter went to
find King Cais and his brothers, and the other witnesses of the race,
and made oath on his life that he would outstrip the two horses. All
present acknowledged themselves witnesses of the oath, and left the
spot, filled with astonishment at the proposition.
As for the trickster Hadifah, in the evening he summoned one of his
slaves named Dames, a rascal, if ever there was one. "O Dames," he said,
"you frequently boast of your cunning, but hitherto I have had no
opportunity of putting it to the proof." "My Lord," answered the slave,
"tell me in what way I can be useful to you." "I desire," said Hadifah,
"that you go and post yourself in the great pass. Remain in this place,
and go and hide yourself there in the morning. Watch the horses well,
and see if Dahir is in advance. If he is, show yourself suddenly, strike
him on the head, and cause him to stop, so that Ghabra may outstrip him,
and we may not incur the disgrace of defeat. For I confess that since I
have seen Dahir, his excellent points have made me doubt the superiority
of Ghabra, and I fear my mare will be beaten, and we shall become the
laughing stock of all the Arabs." "But, sir, how shall I distinguish
Dahir from Ghabra when they advance, both of them wrapped in a cloud of
dust?" Hadifah replied, "I am going to give you a sign, and to explain
how the matter may be free from difficulty." As he spoke he picked up
some stones from the ground and said: "Take these stones with you at
sunrise, begin to count them, and throw them to the earth, four at a
time. You must repeat the operation five times, and the last time Ghabra
will arrive. That is the calculation I have made, so that if a cloud of
dust presents itself to you, and some of the stones, a third or a half
of them, still remain in your hand, you may be sure that Dahir has
gained first place, and is before your eyes. You must then hurl a stone
at his head, as I said, and stop his running, so that my mare may gain
the lead." The slave agreed to do so. He provided himself with stones
and went to hide himself at the great pass, and Hadifah felt confident
of gaining the wager.
At the dawn of day, the Arabs, coming from all quarters, were assembled
on the race ground. The judges gave the signal for the start, and the
two riders uttered loud shouts. The racers started like flashes of
lightning which dazzle the sight and seemed like the wind when, as it
blows, it increases in fury. Ghabra passed ahead of Dahir and distanced
him. "Now you are lost, my brother of the tribe of Abs," cried the
Fazarean groom to the Absian, "try and console yourself for this
defeat." "You lie," retorted the Absian, "and in a few moments you will
see how completely you are mistaken. Wait till we have passed this
uneven ground. Mares always travel faster on rough roads than on smooth
country." And so it happened, for when they arrived in the plain, Dahir
shot forward like a giant, leaving a trail of dust behind him. It seemed
as if he went on wings, not legs; in the twinkling of an eye he had
outstripped Ghabra. "Here," cried the Absian to the Fazarean groom,
"send a messenger from me to the family of Beder, and you yourself drink
the bitter cup of patience behind me." Meanwhile Shidoub, swift as the
north wind, kept ahead of Dahir, bounding like a fawn and running like
an ostrich, until he reached the defile where Dames was hidden. The
slave had only thrown down less than a third of his pebbles, when he
looked up and saw Dahir approaching.
He waited till the horse passed close by him, and suddenly showed
himself with a shout, and hit the racer violently between the eyes with
a stone. The horse reared, stopped one moment, and the rider was on the
point of being unseated. Shidoub was a witness to the incident, and
having looked at the slave, recognized him as belonging to the
treacherous Hadifah. In the violence of his rage he flung himself upon
Dames, and struck him dead with his sword: then he approached Dahir for
the purpose of speaking soothingly to him, and starting him again on the
race; but, alas, the mare Ghabra rushed up like the wind. Then Shidoub,
fearing defeat, thinking of the camels he would forfeit, set out running
at full speed towards the lake, where he arrived two bow-shots in
advance of the horses. Ghabra followed, then Dahir last, bearing on his
forehead the mark of the missile; his cheeks were covered with blood and
tears.
All the spectators were astounded on seeing the agility and endurance of
Shidoub; but as soon as Ghabra had reached the finish the Fazareans
uttered loud shouts of joy. Dahir was led home all bleeding, and his
rider told the men of the tribe of Abs what the slave had done. Cais
examined the wound of his horse and asked for full details of the
occurrence. Antar grew crimson with anger, and laid his hand upon his
invincible sword, as if impatient to annihilate the tribe of the
Fazareans. But the sheiks restrained him, although with difficulty,
after which they went to Hadifah to cover him with shame, and to
reproach him with the infamous deed he had done. Hadifah denied it, with
false oaths, affirming that he knew nothing of the blow dealt to Dahir;
then he added, "I demand the camels which are due to me, and I do not
admit the treacherous pretext on which they are being withheld."
"That blow is doubtless of evil augury for the tribe of Fazarah," said
Cais. "God will certainly give us victory and triumph, and destroy them.
For Hadifah only desired this race to take place in order that it might
cause trouble and discord, and the disturbance which this contest is
sure to excite will stir up one tribe against another, so that there
will be many men killed, and children made orphans." The conversation
which followed among the tribesmen became more and more excited,
confusion followed, shouts rang out on all sides, and drawn swords
flashed. Bloodshed would have resulted had not the sheiks and wise men
dismounted and with bared heads mingled with the crowd, with humble
mien, imploring them, until at last the matter was settled as
harmoniously as possible. It was agreed that Shidoub should receive the
amount of the wager--a hundred camels from the tribe of Fazarah, and
that Hadifah should abandon his claims and refrain from all dispute.
Such were the measures taken to extinguish the hostility and disorder
which threatened to burst out among the tribes. Then the different
families retired to their own dwellings, but the hearts of all were
filled with bitter hatred. One whose resentment seemed keenest was
Hadifah, especially when he learned of the slave Dames's death. As for
Cais, he was also filled with mute rage and intense hatred. Yet Antar
tried to reassure him. "King," he said to him, "do not let your heart be
a prey to mortification; for I swear by the tomb of King Zoheir, your
father, that I will cause disgrace and infamy to fall on Hadifah, and it
is only from regard for you that I have up to this time delayed action."
Soon after all returned to their tents.
The following morning Shidoub killed twenty of the camels he had won the
day before, and caused the meat to be distributed among the widows and
those who had been wounded and crippled in war. He slaughtered twenty
others, which he used in entertaining the tribe of Abs, including women
and slaves. Finally, the next day, he killed the rest of the camels and
made a great feast near the lake Zatalirsad, to which he invited the
sons of King Zoheir and his noblest chieftains. At the end of this
banquet, when the wine circulated among the guests, all praised the
behavior of Shidoub. But the news of the camel slaughter and of all the
feasting was soon known to the tribe of Fazarah. All the enraged
tribesmen hastened to seek Hadifah. "What," said they, "while we were
first in the race, slaves and traitorous Absians have eaten our camels!
Send for an equal number of camels, by all means; but if he refuses them
let us make a terrible war upon the Absians."
Hadifah raised his eyes upon his son Abou-Firacah. "Mount horse at
once," he said to him, "and go and say to Cais: my father says that you
must this instant pay the wager, or he will come and seize the amount by
main force, and will bring trouble upon you." There was then present a
chief among the sheiks, who, hearing the order that Hadifah had given to
his son, said: "O Hadifah, are you not ashamed to send such a message to
the tribe of the Absians? Are they not our kindred and allies? Does this
proposal harmonize with the counsel and desire of allaying dissensions?
The genuine man shows gratitude for generosity and kindness. I think it
quite reasonable to expect that you desist from this perverse mood,
which will end in our total extermination. Cais has shown himself quite
impartial and has done wrong to no one; cherish, therefore, peace with
the horsemen of the tribe of Abs. Take warning from what happened to the
slave Dames; he struck Dahir, the horse of King Cais, and God punished
him at once; he is left bathed in his slavish blood. I beg you to listen
to none but wise counsels; act nobly, and abandon base designs. While
you are thus forewarned as to your situation, keep a prudent eye on your
affairs." This discourse rendered Hadifah furious. "Contemptible sheik!
Dog of a traitor!" he exclaimed. "What! Must I be in fear of Cais and
the whole tribe of the Absians? By the faith of an Arab, I will let all
men of honor know that if Cais refuse to send the camels I will not
leave one of his tents standing." The sheik was indignant, and to
increase the fear he would cast into the heart of Hadifah he spoke to
him in verses, to the following effect: "Insult is cowardliness, for it
takes by surprise him who is not expecting it, as the night enwraps
those who wander in the desert. When the sword shall once be drawn look
out for blows. Be just and do not clothe thyself with dishonor. Enquire
of those who know the fate of Themond and his tribe, when they committed
acts of rebellion and tyranny. They will tell you that a command of God
from on high destroyed them in one night, and on the morrow they lay
scattered on the ground, their eyes turned towards the sky."
Hadifah dissembled his contempt for these verses and the sheik who had
pronounced them, but he ordered his son to go at once to Cais.
Abou-Firacah started for the tribe of Abs, and as soon as he arrived
there repaired to the home of Cais, who was absent. The messenger asked
then for his wife Modelilah, the daughter of Rebia. "What do you desire
of my husband?" she asked. "I demand my due, the prize of the horse
race." "Misfortune take you and that which you demand," she replied.
"Son of Hadifah! Do you not fear the consequences of such perfidy? If
Cais were here he would send you to your death, instantly." Abou-Firacah
returned to his father, to whom he told all that the wife of Cais had
said "What, you coward," shouted Hadifah, "do you come back without
completing your errand? Are you afraid of the daughter of Rebia? Go to
him again."
As Abou-Firacah reminded his father that it was now near night-fall, the
message was postponed until the next day. As for Cais, when he
re-entered his home, he learned from his wife that Abou-Firacah had come
to ask for the camels. "By the faith of an Arab," he said, "if I had
been here I would have slain him. But the matter is closed; let us think
no more of it." Yet King Cais passed the night in grief and annoyance
until sunrise, at which time he betook himself to his tent Antar came to
see him. Cais rose, and making him take a seat, mentioned the name of
Hadifah. "Would you believe he had the shamelessness to send his son to
demand the camels of me? Ah, if I had been present I would have slain
the messenger." Scarcely had he finished uttering these words when
Abou-Firacah presented himself on horseback. Without dismounting, and
uttering no word of salutation or preface, he said: "Cais, my father
desires that you send him that which is his due; by so doing your
conduct will be that of a generous man; but if you refuse, my father
will come against you, carry off his property by force, and plunge you
into misfortune."
On hearing these words Cais felt the light change to darkness before his
eyes. "O thou son of a vile coward," he exclaimed "how is it that you
are not more respectful in your address to me?" He seized a javelin and
plunged it into the breast of Abou-Firacah. Pierced through, the young
messenger lost control of his horse.--Antar dragged him down and flung
him on the ground. Then, turning the horse's head away from the
direction of Fazarah, he struck him on the flank with a holly-stick, and
the horse took the road towards the pastures, and finally entered his
stable, all covered with blood. The shepherds at once led him to the
tents, crying out, "Misfortune! Misfortune!"
Hadifah became furious. He smote upon his breast, repeating the words:
"Tribe of Fazarah, to arms, to arms, to arms!" and all the disaffected
came to Hadifah once more, begging him to declare war on the Absians,
and to take vengeance on them. "Kinsmen!" replied Hadifah, with
alacrity, "let none of us sleep to-night without our armor on." And so
it happened.
At break of day Hadifah was on horseback; the warriors were ready, and
only women and children and the feeble were left in the tents. Cais, on
the other hand, after slaying Abou-Firacah, expected that the Fazareans
would come and attack himself and his warriors; he therefore prepared
for battle. Antar was charged with taking the necessary reconnoitre. He
left in the tents only women, children, and those too feeble to bear the
sword; then he put himself in command of the heroes of Carad. Nothing
could be more brilliant than the ranks of the Absians in their coats of
mail and gleaming weapons. These preparations caused an anxious moment
for both parties. They marched forth against each other, and the sun had
scarcely appeared, before scimitars flashed, and the whole country was
in a turmoil.
Antar was impatient to press forward, and satisfy his thirst for battle;
but, lo! Hadifah, dressed in a black robe, advances, his heart broken by
the death of his son. "Son of Zoheir," he cried to Cais, "it is a base
action to slay a child; but it is good to meet in battle, to decide with
these lances which shall predominate, you or me." These words cut Cais
to the quick. Hurried along by passion he left his standard and rushed
against Hadifah. Then the two chiefs, spurred on by mutual hatred,
fought together on their noble chargers, until nightfall. Cais was
mounted on Dahir, and Hadifah on Ghabra. In the course of this combat
the exploits of the past were eclipsed. Each tribe despaired of his
chieftain's safety, and they were eager to make a general attack, in
order to stop the struggle of the chieftains and the fury with which
they contended. Cries began to be heard in the air. Scimitars were
drawn, and lances advanced over the ears of Arabian chargers. Antar
approached certain Absian chiefs and said, "Let us attack the traitors."
He prepared to charge, when the ancients of the two tribes came forth
into the middle of the plain, with heads uncovered, their feet bared,
and their idols hung from their shoulders. Standing between the two
armies they spoke as follows: "Kinsmen and allies, in the name of that
harmony which has hitherto prevailed among us, let us do nothing that
will make us the byword of our slaves. Let us not furnish our enemies
with ground for reproaching us. Let us forget all matter of dispute and
dissension. Let us not turn wives into widows and our children into
orphans. Satisfy your warlike ardor by attacking those among the Arabs
who are your real foes; and you, kinsmen of Fazarah, show yourselves
more humble and less haughty, towards your brethren the Absians. Above
all, forget not that insolent wrong has often caused the destruction of
many tribes, which have had sore reason to regret their impious actions;
in this way many men have been deprived of their possessions, and a vast
number been plunged into the gulf of despair and regret. Expect the
fatal hour of death, the day of dissolution, for it is upon you. You
will be rent asunder by the threatening eagles of destruction, and
enclosed in the dark prison-house of the tomb. Take care, that when your
bodies are separated from life, men may think about you without any
other memory than that of your virtues."
The sheiks talked together for a long time, and meanwhile the flame of
passion which had been kindled in the soul of the two heroes, Cais and
Hadifah, became quenched. Hadifah withdrew from the fight, and it was
agreed that Cais should pay as the price of Abou-Firacah's blood a
quantity of cattle and a string of camels. The sheiks did not wish even
then to quit the field of battle until Cais and Hadifah embraced each
other and had agreed to all the arrangements. Antar was crimson with
rage. "O King Cais," he exclaimed, "what have you done? What! while our
swords flash in our hands shall the tribe of Fazarah exact a price for
the blood of its dead? And we never be able to obtain retaliation
excepting with our spear points! The blood of our dead is shed, and
shall we not avenge it?" Hadifah was beside himself on hearing these
words. "And you, vile bastard," said Antar to him, "you son of a vile
mother, must your honor be purchased at the expense of our disgrace? But
for the presence of these noble sheiks I would annihilate you and all
your people this very instant."
Then Hadifah's indignation and anger overleaped all bounds. "By the
faith of an Arab," he said to the sheiks, "I wish to hear no talk of
peace at the moment that the enemy is ready to spear me." "Do not talk
in that way, dear son of my mother," said Haml to his brother. "Do not
dart away on the path of imprudence; abandon these gloomy resolutions.
Remain in peace with the allies of the Absians, for they are shining
stars: the burnished sun that guides all Arabs who love glory. It was
but the other day that you wronged them by causing the horse Dahir to be
wounded, and thus erred from the path of justice. As for your son, he
was justly slain, for you had sent him to demand something that was not
due you. After all, nothing is so proper as to make peace, for he who
would seek and stir up war is a tyrant, and an oppressor. Accept
therefore the compensation offered you, or you are likely to call up
around us a fire which will burn us in the flames of hell." Haml
concluded with verses of the following import: "By the truth of him who
has rooted firm the mountains, without foundations, if you decline to
accept the compensation offered by the Absians, you are in the wrong.
They acknowledge Hadifah as their chief; be a chief in very deed, and be
content with the cattle and camels offered you. Dismount from the horse
of outrage, and mount it not again, for it will carry you to the sea of
grief and calamity. Hadifah, renounce like a generous man, all violence,
but particularly the idea of contending with the Absians. Make of them
and of their leader a powerful rampart against the enemies that may
attack us. Make of them friends that will remain faithful, for they are
men of the noblest intentions. Such are the Absians, and if Cais has
acted unjustly towards you, it is you who first set him the example some
days ago."
When Haml finished these verses, the chiefs of the different tribes
thanked him, and Hadifah having consented to accept the compensation
offered, all the Arabs renounced violence and war. All who carried arms
remained at home. Cais sent to Hadifah two hundred camels, six
men-slaves, ten women-slaves, and ten horses. Thus peace was
reestablished and every one rested in tranquillity throughout the land.