full of magic. She moves; I should
say it was the branch of the Tamarisk that waves its branches to the
southern breeze. She approaches; I should say it was the frightened
fawn, when a calamity alarms it in the waste_.

When Ibla heard from Antar this description of her charms, she was in
astonishment. But Antar continued in this state for days and nights, his
love and anguish ever increasing.

[Antar resolves to be either tossed upon the spear-heads or
numbered among the noble; and he wanders into the plain of
lions.]

As soon as Antar found himself in it, he said to himself, Perhaps I
shall now find a lion, and I will slay him. Then, behold a lion appeared
in the middle of the valley; he stalked about and roared aloud; wide
were his nostrils, and fire flashed from his eyes; the whole valley
trembled at every gnash of his fangs--he was a calamity, and his claws
more dreadful than the deadliest catastrophe--thunder pealed as he
roared--vast was his strength, and his force dreadful--broad were his
paws, and his head immense. Just at that moment Shedad and his brothers
came up. They saw Antar address the lion, and heard the verses that he
repeated; he sprang forward like a hailstorm, and hissed at him like a
black serpent--he met the lion as he sprang and outroared his bellow;
then, giving a dreadful shriek, he seized hold of his mouth with his
hand, and wrenched it open to his shoulders, and he shouted aloud--the
valley and the country round echoed back the war.

[Those who were watching were astonished at his prowess, and
began to fear Antar. The horsemen now set off to attack the
tribe of Temeem, leaving the slaves to guard the women.]

Antar was in transports on seeing Ibla appear with the other women. She
was indeed like an amorous fawn; and when Antar was attending her, he
was overwhelmed in the ocean of his love, and became the slave of her
sable tresses. They sat down to eat, and the wine-cups went merrily
round. It was the spring of the year, when the whole land shone in all
its glory; the vines hung luxuriantly in the arbors; the flowers shed
around ambrosial fragrance; every hillock sparkled in the beauty of its
colors; the birds in responsive melody sang sweetly from each bush, and
harmony issued from their throats; the ground was covered with flowers
and herbs; while the nightingales filled the air with their
softest notes.

[While the maidens were singing and sportin