Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/128

 Naaman heard that, he said, " Take the mare and return to thy Lord and say he will not listen to thy words, neither will he follow thy counsel." But he said to him, " If thou wilt not do this thing then will I slay thee in the midst of thy Arabs, and destroy thee utterly." But when Naaman heard this he leaped upon his mare and rushed upon Abul Komsan. But Abul Komsan struck him with his spear upon his breast and pierced him through, so that the spear shone beyond him. And he called out to all the men of the tribe, and defied them, saying, "I am your peer, and better than your peer." But they said to him, "Nay, but thou hast done us a service, for this one refused to do according to our counsels." So Abul Komsan bade them bury him. And they buried him. Then he bade them to bring Amer before him, and Abul Komsan made rejoicings for him and placed him upon the seat of authority in the room of his uncle Naaman. And they brought to him also Betina, the daughter of Naaman, and he ordered their marriage. And when he had done all these things he desired to leave them. But they brought him gifts and they led forth for him the mare, and he took her and his leave of them and departed, and returned to his master and told him all the story. And Abu Zeyd rejoiced and gave thanks.

And the Narrator once more began his singing and he said:

Saith the Agheyli Fadel the hero, "O thou, Helali,

O thou man of descent, explain to me this thy coming.