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Wilfrid Scawen Blunt - The Stealing Of The Mare - IV
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Said the Narrator:
Now when the Princess Alia had made her petition to the Maker of the Heavens, and her deliverance had been wrought by Abu Zeyd with the slaying of her enemies, and he had said to her, ``Return and say no word of this to thy friends,`` she besought him, saying: ``Nay, but by Him who commandeth all power, I will not return home until thou hast told me of thyself, who thou art and of what tribe and nation of the Arabs.`` But he said to her, ``Know, O Lady, that I am of the race of the Jinns and that our people are indeed Muslims obeying the Lord of the Universe, and I was sent to thee from the land of Syria to deliver thee from that traitor, who was of the children of crime.`` But she answered him, ``Yet are not the Jinns of thy quality. Rather tell me the truth. I adjure thee by Him who created thee and in whose shadow thou didst grow up, and who hath wrought blessings through thy hand.`` And being thus adjured he said, ``O Alia, there were peril for me if I told thee truly all.`` But she answered, ``Be not afraid. Though thou wert the Prince Abu Zeyd himself, the Helali, yet shouldst thou have security, ay, even he that great horseman.`` Then said he to her, ``Stretch forth thy hand that we may make a covenant together, so shall God be our witness.`` And she said, ``As thou wilt.`` Then they made them a covenant together in the name of God the Almighty, and their souls were loosed of their burden. And Abu Zeyd spoke to her and told her all, and said, ``It was indeed none other than I that slew thy uncle, nor came I with a better purpose than to steal away that mare.`` And she said, ``Now is my heart light and my trouble ended, and as for the mare, look for her at my hand and not through another road; for my uncle and my people, are they not at thy disposal? And if there hath been evil how shall we take vengeance now, for I and my wealth and my kindred, all that is mine is thine. And thou shalt not find us niggardly of our kindness to thee, nor shall we refuse thee aught, inasmuch as all that I might do for thee, whether I fast or whether I pray, whether I give or whether I bestow, never might I make up to thee for what I have received at thy hand. Therefore shall there evermore be kindness between us. Ay, and if thou be willing, come thou now to our camp.`` But he said to her, ``O Alia, O fairest lady, know that this I cannot do, this I desire not.`` And when Alia heard this word, it deepened her regard for him, and she praised God who had ordered it that she should meet with one so honourable. And she perceived that to one such as was this brave knight she could entrust her soul and all that was hers. And she entreated him, ``Come with me to the tribe.`` But he, ``Never can I come with thee.`` And still she besought him, saying, ``Know this, O Hejazi Salameh, that I will not leave thee here nor depart from thee. And as to the mare, her will I deliver to thee and whatsoever else thou demandest. Nay, though it were my soul I would not deny it.`` But he answered her, ``My mind is changed about the mare, nor would I now take her, for I fear lest they seeking and not finding her should suspect thee, O Alia, and trouble should come to thee of thy father. And have we not the grey mare of Diab with us, the Shohba, whom we may give to the lady, nor run this great risk for her sake?`` But Alia insisting said, ``Nay, that shall not be, nor care I what may come, not though I should taste of the cup of evil things. But if thou wilt not take the mare, then will I kill her and myself with her, and on thy head be it for her and for me.`` And Abu Zeyd consented, saying: ``I will do what thee seemeth good. So may God prosper thy designing.``
And the Narrator returned to his singing of that which happened between the Princess Alia and the Prince Abu Zeyd.

 Saith the hero, Abu Zeyd Salameh Helali:
 Thus was our meeting made, mine with the Princess Alia.
 The cause in the beginning of all was a mother bereaved,
 A mother who came in her need where I sat with the chiefs assembled,
 And told us her desire, the mare of Agheyli Jaber.
 And I pledged my soul to her prayer I would bring the mare, and straightway
 Went I forth nor tarried, seeking his tent the Agheyli.
 And I made my plot to entrap her, standing unknown among them.
 And how I came to this tree she knoweth it, Jaber`s daughter,
 And how with my hand I snatched her life from the hand of the wicked.
 And I said to her, ``Lady, return and be content with thy fortune,
 Speak no word of it all, of that which hath befallen.
 Keep thou close thy secret. So shall they do thee honour.``
 But she, ``To return were grief, O dark one, sweetest of faces.
 Nay, by an oath I adjure thee, even by the House, the Kaaba,
 Tell me thy tribe and dirra, and who be thy nearest kinsmen.``
 And I, ``I hear and obey. With the Jinns am I in kindred.
 Kings are we of the great, Berkhan is my father`s brother,
 Shemhurish and Tayar are next to me for cousins.``
 But she, ``Not so, the Jinns are not of thy human nature.
 Tell me the truth of thy tribe, and which of the sons of Adam:
 All that thou hidest speak.`` And I said to her, ``Behold me,
 Now will I tell thee all (and may the deceivers perish).
 Behold me, him who came to string for thee thy necklace,
 And thou gavest him dates to eat and for drink the milk of camels.
 And thy damsel chid me saying, `There is no nobility in thee.
 By my faith thou art no Sheykh, rather a spy and a traitor.`
 And I was afar in Sham at the evening hour when thou calledst,
 Crying aloud for help, and I snatched thee from thy peril.``
 And I said, ``Now go in peace, thou daughter of the Princes.``
 But she held me by the neck and stretched her arms entreating.
 ``Tell me thy tale,`` said she, ``for know, I am Jaber`s daughter;
 Why shouldst thou fear to speak? Tell of thy tribe and people,
 And peace be with thee ever, even to the day of judgment.
 Alia am I of Agheyl, and Fadel is my father:
 First of the horsemen he, the mightiest, the most noble,
 And my mother`s name Kanua, one of illustrious lineage.
 Tell me thou of thy Arabs, thy house and thy connexion,
 So shall my heart be at rest.`` But I, ``Alas, O Alia,
 What if the news should fly, and thy tribe slay the stranger?
 Stretch forth thy hand to me, in covenant between us,
 Whoso then shall betray, let him be as an unbeliever.``
 And I stretched my hand to her hand and touched it with my fingers.
 And its softness made me wonder, and its most slender fashion,
 And the palm of her hand in mine was cool as a cloud in summer.
 And I placed the veil between us, and we held fast by the girdles,
 And I recited the oath and sealed with a prayer our treaty.
 And I cried aloud, ``I am Abu Zeyd, he and no other,
 Salameh, chief of Amer, the slayer of thy kindred.
 For I slew Zohan, and Abu Tolh, and Fakhr, and Khodel,
 Leaving their kith in pain with lovelocks shorn from their foreheads.
 Mine is the arm of valour which made Helal victorious,
 Mine the vow of succour to all in need distressful.``
 And Alia heard me speak and stood up tall before me,
 Like to one making a cry, but I shut her mouth with my hand`s palm.
 And hot tears came to my eyes, and ``Cry not,`` I said,
 ``O Alia, Cry not for pity aloud, lest I fall in a sea of trouble.``
 And she said, ``My cry was unwilled, for thy love my whole heart filleth,
 And now fear is forgot. And O, Abu Zeyd Salameh,
 Know that we twain must love, for I am of noble lineage,
 Even as thou thyself, the hero, the lion of Amer.``
 And I said, ``Now listen, Alia, to that which I would tell thee:
 Love is a building fair, broad based on sure foundations.
 And the builders built it high as was no other dwelling.``
 And she said, ``Thou speakest truth. And love is of three conditions,
 And to men of understanding each hath a sign to know it.
 The first compelleth thee to kiss the hand thou lovest.
 This is a moment`s love. The next is more enduring,
 Which kisseth thee on the cheek. But there is yet the latest,
 Love which shall kiss thy forehead. This is a love for ever.
 Mine is of all the three. And for my soul`s consoling,
 Come thou to our camp.`` But I said to her, ``O Alia,
 In this thou art to blame. I dare not on such venture,
 Being a seeker still of that which was my questing.``
 But she said, ``The mare is mine. My own hand shall unloose her.
 With me are her hobbles` keys, by night will I unlock them.
 The keys lie in a goatskin, a goatskin filled with water,
 And that deep in a well. There lieth our secret hidden.
 And all are mine to deal with, goatskin and keys and hobbles.
 Therefore do thou give ear--nay, be not thou despising.
 For as the mare is mine, so am I thine to deal with.
 Let us arise and go, thou, I, and the mare together,
 Even to thine own tribe.`` But I, ``My thought is elsewise,
 No more I seek the mare, nor is my mind to take her,
 For have we not the Shohba, the grey mare of Ibn Ghanem?
 Her will I give in ransom for the mare of Agheyli Jaber.
 Nay, for I fear for thee, lest evil should befall thee,
 Through the tracking of the mare, thou daughter of the great ones,
 Evil and sore disgrace which all men should remember.``
 But she said, ``No, of a truth. And, if thou spare to take her
 Then will I slay her straight. For how many more beside her,
 Stand not tied at our door, mares like to her in value?
 And for myself, alas, the poison cup stands ready,
 And I will go with her to death`s unjoyful dwellings.``
 And when I heard this word, need was that I consented.

Said the Narrator:
And when the Princess Alia and the Emir Abu Zeyd had finished talking in the manner told, and she perceived that his mind was truly on the mare, and that for her sake only he doubted, then answered she him thus and said, ``Behold, I will arrange this thing for thee, even if in its accomplishing my soul should pass away, for in truth the mare is precious to my father, more precious than am I his daughter.`` And Abu Zeyd, hearing this, pondered a long while, even for an hour in silence. And she asked him, ``What aileth thee, O Helali Salameh?`` And he said, ``If I should take the mare, of a surety thy father would question thee of her, and he would learn the truth, and maybe he would treat thee ill for her sake. And for this cause hath my mind changed that I will not take her. And there is verily the grey mare of Ibn Ghanem, the Shohba, and her we could put in her place.`` But she said to him, ``Nay, that may not be, not though I should drink of the cup of bitterness. And, if thou dost not take her, surely will I slay the mare and my own self after her, and thou alone shalt be responsible to her Lord and to my Lord. So come down now this very hour to the camp, and I will arrange all the matter.`` And he answered her, ``Do thou go before, and I will follow after thee on the morrow.`` But she said, ``Nay, but come thou now with me.`` And she desisted not until he came with her to the tents. And she made a place for him of honour on a rich carpet, and she herself ministered unto him, speaking him words of welcome. And she brought him the ewer, that he might wash and pray. And for this he praised God. And he needed sleep, so she said to him, ``Sleep here in peace, for I am mindful of the covenant made before God between thee and me.`` And he slept. And this was after that he had eaten and drunk, and refreshed himself. And behold the dawn lightened. And Alia brought him water, and he prayed. And she brought him something of food, and he praised the Lord of all creatures. And she set him in the seat of honour, and she hung around him curtains of silk, and he slept. Then she left him and went to the Assembly.
And the Narrator once more singeth:

 Saith the hero Abu Zeyd, the Helali Salameh:
 Of that which befell, O people in wait for information,
 Hear and list to my words, ``O Alia, daughter of Jaber,
 Leave me here and go thy way to thy tribe and people.
 Leave me here. With the rising sun shalt thou see me coming.``
 But she, ``O Abu Zeyd, thy life with mine is knitted.
 Thy soul is as my soul. Be not for me in trouble.``
 And she set her hand on my neck, and held me and implored me.
 And I, for all I feared, went home with her unwilling.
 And she led me within to a couch, a couch spread soft with cushions,
 Four--square with curtains round and netted thick with jewels,
 (A castle you had deemed it). And she said, ``O thou Salameh,
 Now hast thou made us glad, for see, the tribe rejoiceth.
 To--day is white through thee, O prince, O lion of Amer.``
 And she brought the basin and ewer, and stood there in her beauty,
 Shining, unveiled, her hair in plaits which hung to her girdle.
 And I washed and prayed alone, as is ordered by the precept.
 And anon she came again, and in her hand she brought me
 Somewhat that I might eat, meats fit for kings, in dishes.
 And she said, ``O Abu Zeyd, there is time if thou wouldst slumber.
 And she spread a bed before me with her own hands for sleeping;
 And sprinkled it with musk, sweet--scenting all the chamber.
 And she of the plaits returned, and yet again, with coverings,
 Like a gazelle, I deemed, the wild fawn of the desert.
 And her eyes! May God be praised if thou shouldst gaze within them!
 A bird as it flew might fall, from its midmost way beholding.
 And on her cheek a dimple guarded near with roses.
 And wrists and hands how soft! Glory to Him in heaven,
 Who fashioned thus her beauty, this daughter of the great ones.
 At the break of dawn she came, her countenance all shining,
 And she brought me the ewer filled, and I made my supplication,
 And praised the Lord of Might, the Merciful, the Creator.

Said the Narrator:
And when the day broke and Abu Zeyd had made his prayer, and Alia had entered and bidden him good morrow, and had said, ``Thou hast made us glad, O Abu Zeyd, with thy presence,`` and he had answered her, ``God bless thee,`` then came she to him with food and he ate, and he arose. And she set out the couches and put all in order, and commanded that the drums should be beaten to summon her young companions, and she said to them, ``Rejoice with me, and prepare of all things in abundance, for a great happiness hath come to me and the extreme of favour.`` Then sat they all around her and made display of joy, and all care vanished. And when the damsels were complete in their number, then returned she to the Hejazi Salameh and said to him, ``Come, take thy place with me in the Assembly of the daughters of the Arabs.`` But he said to her, ``O Alia, my desire was that I should remain secret, and behold thou wouldst make all things known.`` But she: ``What matter? Fear nothing, for the souls of all of us are thine, and no harm shall befall thee, and we are a ransom for thee.`` So she brought him with her and set him on a throne of gold by her side. And, when the daughters of the Arabs saw that, they looked the one at the other and whispered among themselves. And the Emir Abu Zeyd wept aloud and lamented. And Alia perceived that he was weeping, and asked of him the cause. And he said, ``It is by reason that they speak lightly of us.`` But she said to the damsels, ``This great one hath saved me from an evil death, and ye do not well to laugh. And an honourable man is he, nor would he do aught worthy of blame.`` And at that, the minds of the young girls were set at rest, and they said to her, ``Were we in thy place so would we also do.`` And Abu Zeyd was comforted, knowing that they would keep all things secret.
And the Narrator began to sing:

 Saith the hero Abu Zeyd the Hejazi Salameh,
 When I entered the camp and the tribe, and stood in their midst the dwellers,
 And the day dawned in the heaven, and my prayer had been repeated,
 Then came Alia greeting and bade me a fair morning,
 And I gave her back the salute, the noble daughter of Jaber.
 And she said again, ``Good morrow to thee, O Abu Mukheymer,
 How hast thou done us honour, thou noble prince of the great ones!``
 And Alia sought the pavilion where the thrones were set in order,
 Eighty towards the right and sixty thrones to the leftward,
 And fifty more at the front with stuffs embossed with jewels,
 For there had Alia placed them. And the drums of joy were beaten
 That the Princes` daughters might hear and come forth at her bidding,
 And forth anon came they with trailing robes of saffron,
 And sat them on the thrones of Agheyli, the noble maidens.
 And they asked, ``What mean the drums, O thou our Prince`s daughter?
 What meaneth thy rejoicing?`` And she, ``Rejoice, O Damsels.``
 And Abu Zeyd the while lay close in the tent hidden.
 And she bade the fair ones sit, the daughters of the great ones.
 And she fetched a throne of gold inlaid with crusts of jewels,
 And went to Abu Zeyd and bade him to the Assembly.
 And he reproved her, saying, ``Thou art a Prince`s daughter;
 Have we not sworn an oath to keep this matter secret?
 And wilt thou blazon it round with these tongue--wagging damsels?
 A secret is for two, or four at the most, for keeping.
 But what and where is it laid bare among a thousand?``
 And she bade him cease his doubt nor thus mistrust the damsels.
 And she led me, and I went shamefaced and in amazement,
 The damsels watching near and whispering to each other,
 With their veils drawn to their faces. And Alia stood before them,
 And with her Abu Zeyd, and she bade me straight be seated.
 And she sat down by my side, a wild roe from the desert.
 And we seemed a bridal pair, on thrones of gold, newwedded,
 And we watched the sport and play, the festival of rejoicing.
 And the damsels each at each looked and at us, in whispers
 Asking, and half aloud, ``Who then may be this stranger,
 A prince? a noble born? a man of race and lineage?
 Watch well his garments, ye, his bearing, his demeanour,
 Surely he something hath of king--like in his gesture.``
 And one cried, ``Hearken all, and I will read the riddle.
 This is a holy man, one unacquainted with women,
 Strange to the wearers of plaits.`` And another, ``Nay, I tell ye,
 And let my word be heard, This Sheykh is of the great ones,
 Else or a wise magician, whom Alia entertaineth
 For some occult design--that, or a spy and prowler.``
 And Abu Zeyd was aware of these their words and guessings,
 And his heart within him sank, and his head dropped, and his tears flowed,
 And Alia, when she saw him downcast, ``How now, Salameh,
 Art thou thus faint of heart?`` she cried to her sad lover.
 But he, ``The thing hath come of which I feared, O Lady,
 And these light--minded girls make speech of us for evil.
 This is a Sheykh, saith one, and that, a spy, a prowler.
 But know a sherif am I, my grandsire was Mohammed.
 The truth it is, O Lady, I am of this proud lineage.``
 And she called to them, ``Shame on ye, and shame on your suspicions,
 Ye daughters of my people, ye fair ones light of fancy.
 List, I will tell ye all within my oath`s prescription,
 (Yet were a breaker of oaths but cast away to perish)
 I am the Agheyli`s daughter, the noble born, I Alia.
 And whoso of ye all, ye fair ones, speaketh evil,
 The same hath done me wrong. And which of ye, O damsels,
 Is of my high condition? And which hath longer hairplaits,
 Or is of darker eyes? And when was I blameworthy?
 Where is my fault? Nay, truly, were it but yours to keep it,
 My oath should bind ye too. Speak rather in all plainness,
 And I will hear ye out, for true words are a precept.``
 And they said, ``Thy oath is binding. Thou doest well to keep it,
 And to betray were sin, ay, even the seal of perdition.
 We are thy witness all, thy whole life hath been blameless,
 A luminous life and fair, beseeming thy high lineage:
 Daughter of glorious sires, none might presume to blame thee.
 Only we wondered somewhat to see thee with this stranger,
 For thou treatest him as brother, and thee thyself as sister,
 And we were astonished thereat, and our minds fell in doubting,
 And we talked and questioned still, and argued it together.``
 But she, ``O damsels, hear me. Did ye but know his merit,
 Ye would sell all to possess him, he being of the great ones,
 A prince of noble lineage, a mighty man of valour;
 This is he, the renowned, who made Helal victorious,
 Abu Zeyd Salameh, the Hejazi, and none other.``
 And they answered, ``Fear thou nought. We will keep close thy secret,
 For that which thou hast done we too had surely done it.
 We will be to thee in this to the end of thy heart`s wishes,
 And to him too, to the end. No ear shall learn it of us.``
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