having provided themselves with presents even more costly than those they had taken before, they started off, and marched on until they came to the tribe of Saad.  Khaled began by complimenting his uncle on his happy return from war, but no one could be more astonished than Zahir at this second visit, especially when he saw his nephew accompanied by all the chieftains of his family.  It never for a moment occurred to him that his daughter Djaida had anything to do with Khaled’s return, but thought that his nephew merely wished to persuade him to return to his native territory.  He offered them every hospitality, provided them with tents and entertained them magnificently.  He ordered camels and sheep to be killed, and gave a banquet; he furnished his guests with all things needful and proper for three days.  On the fourth day Khaled arose, and after thanking his uncle for all his attentions, asked him for his daughter in marriage, and begged him to return to his own land.  Zahir denied that he had any child but his son Djonder, but Khaled told him all that he had learned, and all that had passed between himself and Djaida.  At these words Zahir was overcome with shame and turned his eyes to the ground.  He remained for some moments plunged in thought, and after reflecting that the affair must needs proceed from bad to worse, he addressed those present in the following words:  “Kinsmen, I will no longer delay acknowledging this secret; therefore to end the matter, she shall be married to her cousin as soon as possible, for, of all the men I know, he is most worthy of her.”  He offered his hand to Khaled, who immediately clasped it in presence of the chiefs who were witnesses to the contract.  The dowry was fixed at five hundred brown black-eyed camels, and a thousand camels loaded with the choicest products of Yemen.  The tribe of Saad, in the midst of which Zahir had lived, were excluded from all part in this incident.

But when Zahir had asked his daughter’s consent to this arrangement, Djaida was overwhelmed with confusion at the course her father had taken.  Since he let his daughter clearly understand that he did not wish her to remain unmarried, she at last replied:  “My father, if my cousin desires to have me in marriage, I shall not enter into his tent until he undertakes to slaughter at my wedding a thousand camels, out of those which belong to Gheshem, son of Malik, surnamed ’The Brandisher of Spears.’” Kahled agreed to this condition; but the sheiks and the warriors did not leave Zahir before he had collected all his possessions for transportation to his own country.  No sooner were these preparations completed than Khaled marched forth at the head of a thousand horsemen, with whose assistance he subdued the tribe of Aamir.  Having thrice wounded “The Brandisher of Spears,” and slain a great number of his champions, he carried off their goods and brought back from their country even a richer spoil than Djaida had demanded.  Loaded with booty he returned,