Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/49

 created things and turned her soul to the Recompenser and the Avenger, and her prayer was not hidden from the Maker of the Earth and from Him who upholdeth the skies. And she prayed with her arms extended. And the Princess Alia did not cease from her prayer to her Lord until Sahel had drawn his sword from his sheath and was pressing on her to seize her.

And she cried out: "To my help, O Arabs! To my help, O strangers!" And suddenly a semblance and a form swooped down on them from above, as it were the coming of a lion from the tree. And behold, one with a drawn sword exceeding sharp, who cried, "Haass! Haass! Hold off from her, thou base born of the Arabs!" And when Sahel saw him his understanding left him and he was as one dazed and Zohwa with him, and they trembled. But Alia rejoiced, though she knew not from whence this champion had come down to her. And Abu Zeyd struck Sahel ibn Aaf so that his head fell back behind him, And the girl too he took and slew, and cast their bodies into a hollow place that the beasts of the field might devour them. And when he had done this he returned to Alia and undid her hands. And he bade her return to her tent and tell no man what had happened to her, of her people.

And the Narrator once more singeth:

Saith the hero Abu Zeyd Salame Helali:

For that which befell that night have my tears flowed unceasing,