d it and ran off.
Rage gave Antar the fleetness of the wind. With mighty leaps he bounded
after the dog. Swifter darted no eagle upon its prey than Antar pursued the
rogue. With a mighty spring he caught it and seizing its jaws tore them
asunder down to the beast's shoulders, and in triumph he held the meat
aloft. But the King grew afraid and let Shedad depart with Antar. At ten
years of age he slew a wolf that harassed his flock and later killed a
slave who had beaten an old woman. Thus did the women find in him a
protector and they hung upon his words and recounted his deeds and his acts
of justice.

Now Shedad's brother, Malek, had a daughter named Ibla, who was as fair as
the moon. The ladies were wont to drink camel's milk morning and evening
when Antar had cooled it in the winds. It chanced one morning that Antar
entered Ibla's tent just as her mother was combing her hair, and the beauty
of her form transfixed him. A thing of loveliness fairer he had never seen,
nor ringlets of darker hue grace a human head. His heart beat wildly at the
birth of a great passion and the hot blood burned his dark cheeks. But
Ibla fled and Antar left with a light heart. For days he sang in measures
sweet of Ibla's beauty and his arm burned to do deeds. The weeds of the
field became the fairest of flowers; the limpid pools mirrored Ibla's face
in images beautiful and pure and the zephyrs whispered of love. But Antar
had dared love a princess and his father became wroth and came to the
fields one day with some chiefs to punish him.

When they arrived they found Antar in combat with a lion. With a roar like
thunder the beast lashed its tail and advanced. But Antar knew not fear. He
stepped forward to the fray. The snarling creeping beast scratched furrows
in the ground and bided the time for the spring. Then it leaped. Like a
flash Antar hurled his lance and leaped aside. A gleam of light and iron
met flesh as the mighty body hurtled by. Quickly he seized the shaft and
held it firmly while the beast lashed furiously and growled in its death
struggles, and then it lay still. But the heart of Shedad was softened and
he invited Antar and the chieftains to sup with him. Long into the night
recounted Shedad Antar's deeds but the dark eyes of Antar saw only Ibla and
his heart yearned for the morrow and the end of the feasting.

Not far from the land of King Zoheir dwelt the tribe of Temin and Zoheir
and his warriors departed to war against t