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Gherib, ‘ask of me what thou wilt, and I will fall upon the Amirs of the Arabs in their dwellings and on the kings in their cities and bring thee wealth enough to cover the land from East to West.’[1] ‘O my son,’ rejoined Merdas, ‘I have sworn by all the idols that I would give Mehdiyeh to none but him who should take my wreak [of mine enemy] and do away my reproach.’ ‘O uncle,’ said Gherib, ‘tell me with which of the kings thou hast a feud, that I may go to him and break his throne over his head.’ ‘O my son,’ replied Merdas, ‘know that I once had a son, a champion of the champions, and he went forth one day to hunt with a hundred horse. They fared on from valley to valley, till they had wandered far away into the mountains and came to the Valley of Flowers and the Castle of Ham ben Shith ben Sheddad ben Kheled.[2]
Now in this place dwells a black giant, seventy cubits high, who uses to pluck up trees by the roots and fight with them; and he came out upon my son and his men and slew them all, save three, who escaped and bore me the news. So I assembled my braves and went forth to fight the giant, but could not avail against him; wherefore I was baulked of my revenge and swore that I would not give my daughter in marriage but to him who should avenge me of my son.’ ‘O uncle,’ said Gherib, ‘I will go to the giant and avenge thy son on him with the help of God the Most High.’ And Merdas answered, saying, ‘O Gherib, if thou get the victory over him, thou wilt gain of him such booty of wealth and treasures as fires may not devour.’ Quoth Gherib, ‘Swear to me [before witnesses] that thou wilt give me Mehdiyeh to wife, that I may go to seek my fortune with a heart at ease.’ So Merdas swore this to him and took the elders of the tribe to witness;
