though an idol of gold were at stake.”  Then Kerim, son of Wahrab (the latter being the owner of the mare and colt, a man renowned among the Arabs for his generosity), seeing the obstinacy of Jahir, said to him:  “Cousin, the colt is certainly yours, and belongs to you; as for the mare here, accept her as a present from my hand, so that mother and colt will not be separated, and no one will ever be able to accuse me of wronging a kinsman.”

The tribe highly applauded this act, and Jahir was so humiliated by the generosity with which he had been treated, that he returned mare and colt to Kerim, adding to the gift a pair of male and a pair of female camels.

Dahir soon became a horse of absolute perfection in every point, and when his master Kerim undertook to race him with another horse, he rode the animal himself, and was in the habit of saying to his antagonist, “Even should you pass me like an arrow, I could catch you up, and distance you,” and in fact this always happened.

As soon as King Cais heard tell of this horse, he became beside himself with longing and mortification, and his sleep left him.  He sent to Kerim, offering to buy the horse for as much gold or silver as the owner demanded, and adding that the price would be forwarded without delay.  This message enraged Kerim.  “Is not this Cais a fool, or a man of no understanding?” he exclaimed.  “Does he think I am a man of traffic—­a horse-dealer, who cannot mount the horses he owns?  I swear by the faith of an Arab that if he had asked for Dahir, as a present, I would have sent the horse, and a troop of camels besides:  but if he thinks of obtaining him by bidding a price, he will never have him; even were I bound to drink the cup of death.”

The messenger returned to Cais, and gave him the answer of Kerim, at which the latter was much annoyed.  “Am I a king over the tribes of Abs, of Adnan, of Fazarah, and of Dibyan,” he exclaimed, “and yet a common Arab dares to oppose me!” He summoned his people and his warriors.  Immediately there was the flash of armor, of coats of mail, and swords and helmets appeared amid the tents; the champions mounted their steeds, shook their spears, and marched forth against the tribe of Byah.  As soon as they reached their enemy’s territory they overran the pastures, and gathered an immense booty in cattle, which Cais divided among his followers.  They next made for the tents and surprised the dwellers there, who were not prepared for such an attack:  Kerim being absent with his warriors on an expedition of the same sort.  Cais at the head of the Absians, pushing his way into the dwellings, carried off the wives and daughters of his foe.

As for Dahir, he was tethered to one of the tent-pegs, for Kerim never used him as a charger, for fear some harm might befall him, or he might be killed.  One of the slaves who had been left in the encampment, and had been among the first to see the approach of the Absians, went up to Dahir for the purpose of breaking the line by which he was hobbled.  This he failed to accomplish, but mounting him, and digging his heels into his flanks, he forced the horse, although he was hobbled, to rush off prancing like a fawn, until he reached the desert.  It was in vain that the Absians pursued him; they could not even catch up with the trail of dust that he left behind him.