The Literature of Arabia | Page 3

all inhabitants of
the desert dreaded their power and depredations.
Under these circumstances, and as a consequence of a flagrant act of
tyranny on the part of Zoheir, several chieftains, among whom was
Shedad, a son of Zoheir, seceded from the Absian tribe, and set out to
seek adventures, to attack other tribes, and to carry off their cattle and
treasure. These chieftains arrived at the dwelling-place of a certain tribe,
named Djezila, whom they fought with and pillaged. Amongst their
booty was a black woman of extraordinary beauty, the mother of two
children. Her name was Zebiba; her elder son was Djaris; her younger
Shidoub. Shedad became passionately enamoured of this woman, and
yielded all the rest of his share in the booty in order to obtain
possession of her and her two children. He dwelt in the fields with this
negress, whose sons took care of the cattle. In course of time Zebiba
bore a son to Shedad. This child was born tawny as an elephant; his
eyes were bleared, his head thick with hair, his features hard and fixed.
The corners of his mouth drooped, his eyes started from his head, his
bones were hard, his feet long; he had ears of prodigious size, and his
glance flashed like fire. In other respects he resembled Shedad, who
was transported with delight at the sight of his son, whom he named
Antar.
Meanwhile the child waxed in strength, and his name soon became
known. Then the companions of Shedad wished to dispute the
possession of the boy with him, and King Zoheir was informed of the
matter. He demanded that the boy should be brought into his presence,
and Shedad complied. As soon as the king caught sight of this
extraordinary child, he uttered a cry of astonishment, and flung him a

piece of goat's flesh. At the same moment a dog, who happened to be in
the tent, seized the meat and ran off with it. But Antar, filled with rage,
pursued the animal, and, violently taking hold of him, drew his jaws
apart, splitting the throat down to the shoulders, and thus recovered the
meat. King Zoheir, in amazement, deferred the matter to the Cadi, who
confirmed Shedad's possession of Zebiba, and her three children, Djaris,
Shidoub, and Antar.
Shedad therefore provided a home for Zebiba, in order that his sons
might be educated in their business of tending the herds. It was at this
time that Antar began to develop his strength of body, his courage, and
intelligence. When he was ten years of age he slew a wolf which
threatened to attack the herds committed to his charge. Although brutal,
headstrong, and passionate, he early exhibited a love of justice, and a
disposition to protect the weak, especially women. He put to death a
slave who beat an old woman, his slave and companion; and this action,
although at first misunderstood, eventually gained the admiration of
King Zoheir, who treated Antar with distinction, because of his nobility
of character. In consequence of this action, which had been so much
applauded by King Zoheir, the young Arab women and their mothers
hung round Antar to learn the details of this courageous deed, and to
congratulate him on his magnanimity.
Among the young women was Ibla, daughter of Malek, the son of
Zoheir. Ibla, fair as the full moon, was somewhat younger than Antar.
She was accustomed to banter him in a familiar way, feeling that he
was her slave. "And you," she said to him, "you, born so low, how
dared you kill the slave of a prince? What provocation can you have
against him?" "Mistress," replied Antar, "I struck that slave because he
deserved it, for he had insulted a poor woman. He knocked her down,
and made her the laughing stock of all the servants." "Of course you
were right," answered Ibla, with a smile, "and we were all delighted
that you escaped from the adventure safe and sound. Because of the
service you have rendered us by your conduct, our mothers look upon
you as a son, and we as a brother."
From that moment Antar made the service of women his special duty

above all others. At that time the Arabian ladies had the habit of
drinking camel's milk morning and evening, and it was especially the
duty of those who waited upon them to milk the camels, and to cool it
in the wind before offering it to them. Antar had been for some time
released from this duty, when one morning he entered the dwelling of
his uncle Malek, and found there his aunt, engaged in combing the hair
of her daughter Ibla, whose ringlets, black as the night, floated over her
shoulders. Antar was struck with surprise, and Ibla, as