Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/109

 "O warriors, have patience until the Sheykh shall be here, and I will then show you the mare and the reason of all. And if I show you not the mare then do with me as ye list." And they consented to his wish. Then brought they to him the Emir Abu Zeyd, and they said to Bedr, " Now is the time for thee to perform thy word, and let us see how thou wilt fare in the business."

And he answered them; " I hear and obey." Then again he took forth the image, and he began to inquire of it what should be.

And the Narrator once more singeth:

Now doth my song return to the Emir Agheyli Fadel,

The while he sat with his tribe at the forenoon hour, the Doha,

And around him stood his people, his mighty men of valour.

In pleasant talk sat they, and brave discourse of heroes.

Until one came to the camp Bedr ibn Saleh the cunning,

Skilled in the sand, a man of power and favoured of fortune,

Bred in youth at Bagdad, his father slain by the spear-points.

Even the spears of Nathahir, and he an orphan among them.

And when the tribesmen saw him, " Good luck," said they "attendeth."

And they cried " Salaam aleyk, O Bedr, searcher of secrets."