Now it happened that a youth of wealth and lineage sought Ibla’s hand in marriage.  But pride choked him and he basked in the glory of his fathers’ deeds.  When Antar heard of the boastful youth’s suit he swore a great oath to kill him and he fell upon him.  But the youth escaped.  Now the chieftains saw a chance to destroy Antar’s power and encompass his destruction.  They appeared before Zoheir and demanded Antar’s life.  Then Zoheir stripped him of his high estate and favors and sent him back to the fields to attend the herds and Antar bowed his great head in shame and left.  But the love he bore for Ibla was as meat to his body and refreshment to his mind and his great spirit died not.

Soon the tribe of Tex fell upon Zoheir and his warriors and sorely pressed them.  The pride of Zoheir, however, was great and Antar stayed far from the battle, for his heart was heavy and he was again a tender of herds.  Then the day went against Zoheir and his warriors and many fell and sadness came upon the land.  And the men of Tex pressed the men of Zoheir harder and carried off the women and with them Ibla.  Still Antar tended the herds and came not.  But the mighty chieftains of Zoheir came to him and begged him to cloak his wrath and do battle with them against the men of Tex.  And Antar heard the men of Tex in silence and his heart gave a bound when they spoke of Ibla, but still he stayed in his tent and came not.  Then the chieftains sought to move him by his great love for Ibla.  Thereupon Antar’s face beamed and he spoke and laid down the condition that Ibla must be given him as a wife.  Shedad and Malek agreed and Antar girt himself and with the remnant of Zoheir’s army went against the men of Tex.  Now the strength of Antar was that of a hundred men and his courage that of a thousand and animated by his great burning passion and with the ardor of battle in his nostrils he fell upon the tribe of Tex.  Redder sank never a sun than the plains blushed with the blood of men after that battle.  Tears filled Ibla’s eyes when she beheld Antar and in triumph he led her back to the land of King Zoheir.  But the heart of Malek was false, and bitter plots were rife, and even Shedad viewed in despair the rise of a black slave.  Malek demanded that Antar should give his bride a present of a thousand camels of a certain breed that could be found only in distant lands.  Now Antar read his heart and saw his wicked artifice but he set out.  Far from the land of King Zoheir wandered Antar, far from the wiles of Malek and jealous suitors, far from the tent of his beloved Ibla.  But the heart of Antar was not cast down nor did hope die.

Now it happened that Antar entered the country of Persia where he was taken prisoner.  His captors bound him upon a horse and departed for the village of their king.  Tidings came of the ravages of a fierce lion and no warriors dared to give it battle.  Fiercer had roamed no lion in the land of King Zoheir nor in Persia.  Whole villages fled before it and herds were but as chaff.  But Antar begged that he be loosed and they untied his bonds and gave him a lance and he departed to attack the lion.