280
THE BIRTH OF ABU-ZAID.
Barakat now writes another letter without letting Za'hlan know:—
| Oh thou who goest abroad on horseback, | آيا غادي مني على دهر غامر |
| Kiss the ground, be it far or near, | وقبل الاراضي قربها وبعيد |
| And if thou comest to Abu-l-Jud, read well my missive, | ومن جيت على ابو الجود بلغ ارسالتي |
| And tell him, your time is gone, your nights are dark! | وقلهُ زمانك راح واسود ليلكَ |
| But our nights are our feasts. | واما لييلينا علينا عيد |
Abu-l-Jud takes it and reads it, then tears it and throws it away, curses the father of the Sheikh who sent it, and now sends 40 knights to kill Za'hlan. Barakat meets them, kills 39, and cuts off their heads, Abu-l-Jud only remaining, who says:—
| Oh negro, oh shoe, thou single slipper, | يا عبد يا زربود يا فردة وطا |
| Thou killest our heroes, swift, never idle, | قتلت فرسانا سريعين بلا بطا |
But Barakat says:—
| By your life, oh liberal one, and perfect in power, | وحياتكم يا جواد والقدر الوافي |
| I'm the son of Za'hlan the king, it is no secret! | ابن الملك زحلان ماني مختافي |
And then pounces on Abu-l-Jud, and kills him. The Beni-Helal sent a negro for the tenth, but Barakat cuts off his hand and his ear and sends him back, saying: if you like, come out to war; and the Beni-Helal come to war; and Risk comes forth and meets Barakat, and says:—
| Oh ho, thou negro, go home to your mother, | آلا يا عبد روح راوح لامك |
| And play with a crowd of small ones, | والعبلك مع صربت صغاره |
| I fear, to-morrow, they'll find fault with me, | وانا خايف من معياري باكر |
| And say. Risk goes to fight the little ones. | يقولوا رزق تايح لالصغاره |
