As soon as Cais perceived Dahir, he recognized him, and the desire of possessing him became intensified.  He hurried on, but his chagrin was great, as he perceived that, do what he would, he never could catch up with him.  At last the slave, perceiving that he had quite out-distanced the Absians, dismounted, untied the feet of Dahir, leapt again into the saddle, and galloped off.  Cais, who had kept up the pursuit, gained ground during this stop, and coming within ear-shot of the slave, shouted out, “Stop, Arab, there is no cause for fear; you have my protection; by the faith of a noble Arab, I swear it.”  At these words the slave stopped.  “Do you intend to sell that horse?” said King Cais to him, “for in that case you have the most eager buyer of all the Arabian tribesmen.”  “I do not wish to sell him, sire,” replied the slave, “excepting at one price, the restoration of all the booty.”  “I will buy him then,” the King answered, and he clasped the hand of the Arab as pledge of the bargain.  The slave dismounted from the young horse, and delivered him over to King Cais, and the latter overjoyed at having his wish, leapt on to his back, and set out to rejoin the Absians, whom he commanded to restore all the booty which they had taken.  His order was executed to the letter.  King Cais, enchanted at the success of his enterprise, and at the possession of Dahir, returned home.  So great was his fondness for the horse that he groomed and fed him with his own hands.  Soon as Hadifah, chief of the tribe of Fazarah, heard that Cais had possession of Dahir, jealousy filled his heart.  In concert with other chiefs he plotted the death of this beautiful horse.

Now it came to pass that at this time Hadifah gave a great feast, and Carwash, kinsman of King Cais, was present.  At the end of the meal, and while the wine circulated freely the course of conversation turned to the most famous chiefs of the time.  The subject being exhausted, the guests began to speak about their most celebrated horses, and next, of the journeys made by them in the desert.  “Kinsmen,” said Carwash, “none of you ever saw a horse like Dahir, which belongs to my ally Cais.  It is vain to seek his equal; his pace is absolutely terrifying.  He chases away sorrow from the heart of him who beholds him, and protects like a strong tower the man who mounts him.”  Carwash did not stop here, but continued to praise, in the highest and most distinguished language, the horse Dahir, until all of the tribe of Fazarah and of the family of Zyad, felt their hearts swell with rage.  “Do you hear him, brother?” said Haml to Hadifah; “come, that is enough,” he added, turning towards Carwash.  “All that you have said about Dahir is absolute nonsense—­for at present there are no horses better or finer than mine, and those of my brother.”