shock of foray and fray, give me a little time to don my armour and sling on my sword and set lance in rest and mount war steed. Then will we go forth into the field of fight, I and you; and, if I conquer you, I will kill you to the last man; but if you overcome me and slay me, this damsel, my sister, is yours." Hearing such words I replied, "This is only just, and we oppose it not." Then I turned back my horse's head (for my love for the damsel waxed hotter and hotter) and returned to my companions, to whom I set forth her beauty and loveliness as also the comeliness of the young man who was with her, together with his velour and strength of soul and how he had avouched himself a match for a thousand horse. Moreover, I described to my company the tent and all the riches and rarities therein and said to them, "Know ye that this youth would not have cut himself off from society and have taken up his abode alone in this place, were he not a man of great prowess: so I propose that whoso slayeth the younker shall take his sister." And they said, "This contenteth us." Then my company armed themselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we found that the young man had donned his gear and backed his steed; but his sister ran up to him (her veil being drenched with tears), and took hold of his stirrup and cried out, saying, "Alas!" and, "Woe worth the day!" in her fear for her brother, and recited these couplets:—
To Allah will I make my moan of travail and of woe, ○ Maybe Iláh of Arsh[1] will smite their faces with affright:
Fain would they slay thee, brother mine, with purpose felon-fell; ○ Albe no cause of vengeance was, nor fault forewent the fight.
Yet for a rider art thou known to those who back the steed, ○ And twixt the East and West of knights thou art the prowess knight:
Thy sister's honour thou shalt guard though little might be hers, ○ For thou'rt her brother and for thee she sueth Allah's might:
Then let not enemy possess my soul nor 'thrall my frame, ○ And work on me their will and treat thy sister with despight.
I'll ne'er abide, by Allah's truth, in any land or home ○ Where thou art not, though dight it be with joyance and delight:
For love and yearning after thee myself I fain will slay, ○ And in the gloomy darksome tomb spread bed upon the clay.
But when her brother heard her verse he wept with sore weeping and
- ↑ i.e. the God of the Empyrean.
