Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/34

 a string and make settings for precious stones. And at once he set him to his work, and the young girl watched him. And he asked of her concerning the tents of her people and concerning the country where she lived. And she told him that the tents were set in three camps apart, and the first camp was for Fadel the Agheyli Jaber, and the second was for his daughter the Princess Alia and for the daughters of the Princes, and the third camp was for the mare. And she praised the worth of the mare and of her owner. And he said to her, "In this mare are there four qualities, and three of the four are for joy, but one is for joy and sorrow."

And when she heard this word the girl was very wroth, and she turned upon him and said, "Of a truth thou art no honest guest, but even a spy and a traitor, and for this purpose art thou come hither, to pry into that which is hidden."

And the Emir Abu Zeyd fled to the desert, and to himself he said, "When they of the camp shall be sleeping, then will I return and steal the mare and flee with her away." And night fell, and he sat him down beneath a tree.

Then once more the Narrator singeth:

Saith the hero Abu Zeyd Salame Helali:

"Save me, O Lord, from hurt and the contradiction of evil.

Take me, O Lord, by the hand, O Thou who hast power almighty,