The Literature of Arabia | Page 5

tribe still
regarded him as merely a common slave and tender of cattle. The
beginning of his rise to favor excited a feeling of keen hatred, and
caused many plots to be laid against him. A series of intrigues was
entered upon, the aim of which was the death of the hero. But each
attack upon his reputation and his life redounded to his benefit, and
furnished him with an opportunity of putting his enemies to silence and
defeat. For by his generosity and magnanimity, even his envious foes
felt themselves under obligation to him. On each of his triumphs the
mutual love between himself and Ibla went on increasing.
After the performance of many feats as a horseman, Antar came into
possession of a famous horse named Abjer, and a sword of marvellous
temper, Djamy--and every time he appeared on the field of combat, as
well as when he returned victorious from the fight, he made a poetic
address, finishing with the words, "I am the lover of Ibla." At the
conclusion of a war in which he had performed prodigies of valor, King
Zoheir gave him the surname of Alboufauris, which means, "The
Father of Horsemen."
The greater grew his name, the more highly he was honored by King
Zoheir, so much the more did the hatred of the chieftains and the love
of Ibla towards him increase. But it came to pass that Ibla was asked in
marriage by Amarah, a stupid youth, puffed up by his wealth and
lineage. Antar, on hearing the news, was transported with rage, and
attacked his young rival with such violence that all the Arabian chiefs
begged of Zoheir to punish the aggressor. The king left to Shedad,
Antar's father, the pronouncing of sentence. Shedad had, like the others,
viewed the rise of Antar, the black slave, to favor, with jealous eye, and

sent him back to the pastures to keep the herds.
It was at this point that the greatness of Antar's character appeared in its
full dimensions. The hero submitted with resignation to the orders of
his father, "to whom," he said, "he owed obedience as to his master,
since he was his slave"; and he swore to him, in the presence of
witnesses, not to mount horse, nor engage in battle, without his
permission. Tears flowed from his eyes, and before departing for the
pastures he went to see his mother Zebiba, and to talk with her
concerning Ibla. "Ibla?" said his mother--"but a moment ago she was
here beside me, and said to me, 'Comfort the heart of Antar, and tell
him from me, that even should my father torture me to death in trying
to change my mind, I would not desire nor ask for other husband than
Antar.'"
These words of Ibla filled with rapture the heart of Antar, as he started
for the pastures in company with his brothers, Djaris and Shidoub.
At this time the tribe of Abs, which Zoheir ruled over, was at war with
that of Tex, on account of the carrying off of Anima, daughter of the
chief of the Tex, a man known as "The Drinker of Blood." Animated by
the desire to take vengeance and recover his daughter, this chief and his
army fell upon the Absians like a thunderbolt. The Absians were
defeated, and their women, among whom was Ibla, taken prisoners. All
pride was then, in this time of need, laid aside, and to their assistance
Antar was summoned. But before acting Antar laid down his conditions,
and stipulated that, in case he succeeded in subduing the foe and
recovering the women, Ibla should be given him in marriage. Malek,
the father of Ibla, and Shedad, the father of Antar, assented, and bound
themselves by an oath to fulfil these conditions and to reinstate Antar in
all the honors and dignities belonging to him.
Antar was victorious. He rescued Ibla, and received grateful
expressions of gratitude from his beloved, while King Zoheir gave him
the kiss of royal honor. Everything seemed to unite in fulfilling the
hopes of Antar. But at the very moment in which he was honored by
royal felicitations, several chieftains, indignant at the elevation of a
black slave, employed every means to prevent his marriage with Ibla,

and to force him to undertake enterprises which would prove fatal to
him. Shedad, his father, and Malek, the father of Ibla, connived at these
plots. They demanded of Antar, who was of that trusting disposition
which belongs to generous and brave men, that he give as a wedding
present to his bride, a thousand camels, of a particular breed, not to be
found excepting on the borders of the Persian kingdom. The hero made
no remark on hearing this treacherous demand, and was so eager to