Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/73

44 veil over my head, and cried, 'Take this to thyself as one, O ʾAmr! And but that I abhor the slaughter of such as thee, surely I had slain thee.'

"Then, O Commander of the Faithful! I appeared despicable unto myself, and death was dearer to me than what I had experienced. And I cried to him, 'By Allâh! only one of us shall quit this spot.' And he repeated to me his former speech. So I said to him, Place thyself at a distance from me. And he retired. Then I thought I had him in my power, and I pursued him until I imagined I had thrust my spear between his shoulders. But lo! he had bent himself down like the breast-band of his horse, and then leant towards me, and again veiled my head with his spear, and cried, 'Take this, the second, O ʾAmr!'

"So I despised myself exceedingly, and said, 'By Allâh! only one of us shall quit this spot.' Then he retired from me again, and I thought that I could thrust my spear between his shoulders. But he sprang from his horse, and lo! he was upon the ground, and I missed my aim. Then he vaulted on to his horse, and pursued me, until once more he veiled my head with his spear, and cried, 'Take this, the