g, lo! on a sudden
appeared a cloud of dust walling the horizon, and a vast
clamor arose. A troop of horses and their riders, some
seventy in number, rushed forth to seize the women, and made
them prisoners. Antar instantly rescues Ibla from her captors
and engages the enemy.]

He rushed forward to meet them, and harder than flint was his heart, and
in his attack was their fate and destiny. He returned home, taking with
him five-and-twenty horses, and all the women and children. Now the
hatred of Semeeah (his stepmother) was converted into love and
tenderness, and he became dearer to her than sleep.

[He had thenceforward a powerful ally in her, a fervent
friend in Prince Malik, a wily counselor in his brother
Shiboob. And Antar made great progress in Ibla's heart, from
the verses that he spoke in her praise; such verses as
these:--]

_I love thee with the love of a noble-born hero; and I am content with
thy imaginary phantom. Thou art my sovereign in my very blood; and my
mistress; and in thee is all my confidence_.

[Antar's astonishing valor gained him the praise of the noble
Absian knights, and he was emboldened to ask his father
Shedad to acknowledge him for his son, that he might become a
chief among the Arabs. Shedad, enraged, drew his sword and
rushed upon Antar to kill him, but was prevented by Semeeah.
Antar, in the greatest agony of spirit, was ashamed that the
day should dawn on him after this refusal, or that he should
remain any longer in the country. He mounted his horse, put
on his armor, and traveled on till he was far from the tents,
and he knew not whither he was going.]

Antar had proceeded some way, when lo! a knight rushed out from the
ravines in the rocks, mounted on a dark-colored colt, beautiful and
compact, and of a race much prized among the Arabs; his hoofs were as
flat as the beaten coin; when he neighed he seemed as if about to speak,
and his ears were like quills; his sire was Wasil and his dam Hemama.
When Antar cast his eye upon the horse, and observed his speed and his
paces, he felt that no horse could surpass him, so his whole heart and
soul longed for him. And when the knight perceived that Antar was making
toward him, he spurred his horse and it fled beneath him; for this was a
renowned horseman called Harith, the son of Obad, and he was a
valiant hero.

[By various devi