in distant lands. Now Antar read
his heart and saw his wicked artifice but he set out. Far from the land
of King Zoheir wandered Antar, far from the wiles of Malek and jealous
suitors, far from the tent of his beloved Ibla. But the heart of Antar was
not cast down nor did hope die.

Now it happened that Antar entered the country of Persia where he was taken
prisoner. His captors bound him upon a horse and departed for the village
of their king. Tidings came of the ravages of a fierce lion and no warriors
dared to give it battle. Fiercer had roamed no lion in the land of King
Zoheir nor in Persia. Whole villages fled before it and herds were but as
chaff. But Antar begged that he be loosed and they untied his bonds and
gave him a lance and he departed to attack the lion.

Courage is half victory and the arm of Antar was skilled in the art of the
lance and his heart was stout. But the strength of the lion was of the body
whilst that of Antar was of the body and the mind. With a mighty throw
Antar hurled the lance and it found its mark, but the lion bounded forward
and Antar stood unarmed. Then with a mighty wrench he jerked a young tree
from the ground and with powerful blows beat down the attack of the lion.
He gave a mighty swing and cleft the beast's skull and it fell down and
died, and Antar departed for the tent of the king. Then the men marvelled,
for none dared follow to see the terrible combat nor did people believe
until they saw the beast.

Then the king loaded Antar with rich gifts and honors and gave him the
thousand camels which he sought, and Antar departed for the land of King
Zoheir. Great was the rejoicing of Ibla when messengers brought tidings
of Antar's return. Great was the surprise of Malek and the rage of the
chieftains. But Shedad's heart softened and he yearned for his son and the
fair Ibla gave him her hand and Antar and Ibla married and dwelt in the
land of King Zoheir.

To this day the fame of Antar still persists. Rimsky-Korsakoff, a modern
Russian composer, has given us in his symphony "Antar" a tone picture of
this Arabian Negro's life that opens and closes with an atmospheric eastern
pastorale of great beauty. It has been played during the past winter with
marked success in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, at the
concerts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, that representative body of
great musicians. The remarkable career of Antar and the perpetuation of his
memory in histor