ons alone," cried his wife, and, in order to persuade her
husband to take this course, she recited verses from a poet of the time,
which dissuade a man from tolerating an insult even at the hands of his
parents.

Zahir assented to the advice of his wife. He made all preparations for
departure, struck his tents, loaded his camels, and started off on the
road towards the camp of the Saad tribe, with whom he was in alliance.
Yet in spite of all, he felt a keen pang at separating himself from his
brother--and thus he spoke: "On starting on a journey which removes me
from you, I shall be a thousand years on the way, and each year will
carry me a thousand leagues.... Even though the favors you heap upon me
be worth a thousand Egypts, and each of these Egypts had a thousand
Niles, all those favors would be despised. I shall be contented with
little so long as I am far from you. Away from you, I shall recite this
distich, which is worth more than a necklace of fine pearls: 'When a man
is wronged on the soil of his tribe, there is nothing left him but to
leave it; you, who have so wickedly injured me, before long shall feel
the power of the kindly divinity, for he is your judge and mine, he is
unchangeable and eternal."

Zahir continued his journey, until he reached the Saad tribe, when he
dismounted from his horse. He was cordially received and was pressed to
take up his abode with them. His wife was at that time soon to become a
mother, and he said to her: "If a son is given to us, he will be right
welcome; but if it be a daughter, conceal her sex and let people think
we have a male child, so that my brother may have no reason to crow over
us." When her time came Zahir's wife brought into the world a daughter.
They agreed that her name should be actually Djaida, but that publicly
she should be known as Djonder, that people might take her for a boy. In
order to promote this belief, they kept up feasting and entertainment
early and late for many days.

About the same time Moharib, the other brother, had a son born to him,
whom he named Khaled (The Eternal). He chose this name in gratitude to
God, because, since his brother's departure, his affairs had prospered
well.

The two children eventually reached full age, and their renown was
widespread among the Arabs. Zahir had taught his daughter to ride on
horseback, and had trained her in all the accomplishments fitting to a
warrior bold and daring. He accustomed her to the seve