he hoofs of
her camels. I will kiss the earth where thou art; mayhap the fire of my
love and ecstasy may be quenched.... I am the well-known Antar, the
chief of his tribe, and I shall die; but when I am gone, histories shall
tell of me_.

[From that day forth Antar was named Abool-fawaris, that is
to say, the father of horsemen. His sword, Dhami--the
trenchant--was forged from a meteor that fell from the sky;
it was two cubits long and two spans wide. If it were
presented to Nushirvan, King of Persia, he would exalt the
giver with favors; or if it were presented to the Emperor of
Europe, one would be enriched with treasures of gold and
silver.]

As soon as Gheidac saw the tribe of Abs, and Antar the destroyer of
horsemen, his heart was overjoyed and he cried out, "This is a glorious
morning; to-day will I take my revenge." So he assailed the tribe of Abs
and Adnan, and his people attacked behind him like a cloud when it pours
forth water and rains. And the Knight of Abs assaulted them likewise,
anxious to try his sword, the famous Dhami. And Antar fought with
Gheidac, and wearied him, and shouted at him, and filled him with
horror; then assailed him so that stirrup grated stirrup; and he struck
him on the head with Dhami. He cleft his visor and wadding, and his
sword played away between the eyes, passing through his shoulders down
to the back of the horse, even down to the ground; and he and his horse
made four pieces; and to the strictest observer, it would appear that he
had divided them with scales. And God prospered Antar in all that he
did, so that he slew all he aimed at, and overthrew all he touched.

"Nobility," said Antar, "among liberal men, is the thrust of the spear,
the blow of the sword, and patience beneath the battle-dust. I am the
physician of the tribe of Abs in sickness, their protector in disgrace,
the defender of their wives when they are in trouble, their horseman
when they are in glory, and their sword when they rush to arms."

[This was Antar's speech to Monzar, King of the Arabs, when
he was in search of Ibla's dowry. He found it in the land of
Irak, where the magnificent Chosroe was ready to reward him
even to the half of his kingdom, for his victory over the
champion of the Emperor of Europe.]

"All this grandeur, and all these gifts," said Antar, "have no value to
me, no charm in my eyes. Love of my native land is the fixe