nstruments of music. All the tribe rejoiced; and when Khaled appeared,
he distributed clothing to the widows and orphans, and invited his
companions and friends to the feast he was preparing for his wedding.
All the Arabs of the country came in a crowd to the marriage. He caused
them to be regaled with abundance of flesh and wine. But while all the
guests abandoned themselves to feasting and pleasure, Khaled,
accompanied by ten slaves, prepared to scour the wild and marshy places
of the land, in order to attack hand to hand in their caverns the lions
and lionesses and their cubs, and bear them slain to the tents, in order
to provide meat for all those who attended the festival.

Djaida had been informed of this design. She disguised herself in coat
of mail, mounted her horse, and left the tents; as three days of
festivities still remained, she hastily followed Khaled into the desert,
and met him face to face in a cavern. She flung herself upon him with
the impetuosity of a wild beast, and attacked him furiously, crying
aloud, "Arab! dismount from your horse, take off your coat of mail, and
your armor; if you hesitate to do so, I will run this lance through your
heart." Khaled was resolved at once to resist her in this demand. They
engaged in furious combat. The struggle lasted for more than an hour,
when the warrior saw in the eyes of his adversary an expression which
alarmed him. He remounted his horse, and having wheeled round his steed
from the place of combat, exclaimed: "By the faith of an Arab, I adjure
you to tell me what horseman of the desert you are; for I feel that your
attack and the violence of your blows are irresistible. In fact, you
have prevented me from accomplishing that which I had intended, and all
that I had eagerly desired to do." At these words Djaida raised her
visor, thus permitting him to see her face. "Khaled," she cried, "is it
necessary for the girl you love to attack wild beasts, in order that the
daughters of Arabia may learn that this is not the exclusive privilege
of a warrior?" At this cutting rebuke Khaled was overcome with shame.
"By the faith of an Arab," he replied, "no one but you can overcome me;
but is there anyone in this country who has challenged you, or are you
come hither merely to prove to me the extent of your valor?" "By the
faith of an Arab," replied Djaida, "I came into this desert solely for
the purpose of helping you to hunt wild beasts, and in order that your
warrior