Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/327

280 But Barakat says:—

Barakat and Risk now fight. Every time Barakat lifts his hand to strike his father, his hand is kept back; when suddenly Shiha, who is with Risk as 'Amarie (misleading woman), knows her brother, and says: Cursed be the Sheikh who brought you up; this is your father. Risk says: What is the trouble; do you want to become a bad woman,, as your mother? But, she says, this is my brother; every time he could strike you, he withdrew; and if he is not my brother, you can cut off my head. But listen, she says, take this sign; bring three apples, and we will throw them to him; if he catches them on the point of his spear, it is my brother from father and mother; and if not, cut off my head. I know my brother is at Za'hlan's. They take three apples. They throw: the first he catches with his spear; the second he catches in his stirrup, and the third in his hand. Whereupon Shi'ha utters a cry of joy,. Barakat listens, till she tells him that she is his sister, and that he is fighting his father. Barakat throws himself down, rubs his nose with dog's grass,, till it bleeds, and then runs to his mother and falls down; whilst Khadra goes to assemble the maidens to wail over him, saying:—

Barakat now rises slowly, astonished, and says: Is it true mother? Is Risk my father? She answers in the affirmative. Whereupon he asks why he is here. She now tells him the whole story, and asks him to bind his father and bring him alive. He goes out to fight again and captures him. When Risk sees Khadra, whom he always loved, he