shoulders. Antar was struck with surprise, and Ibla, as soon as she knew
that he had seen her, fled and left him with his eyes fixed abstractedly
on her disappearing form.

It was from this incident that the love of Antar for the daughter of his
uncle took its origin. He saw how Ibla shone in society, and his passion
grew to such an extent that he ventured to sound her praises, and to
express the feeling she excited in him by writing verses which, while
they gained the admiration of the multitude, incurred also the envy of
the chieftains. Moreover his father could not pardon the presumption of
Antar, who, born a slave, had dared to cast eyes on his free-born
cousin.

When therefore he slew a slave who had slandered him, his father ordered
him to be flogged, and sent away to watch over the cattle in the
pastures. He had now before him a fresh opportunity for exhibiting his
prodigious strength and invincible courage. A lion attempted to attack
the herds committed to his care. He killed it at the very moment that
his father Shedad, enraged against him, had come, accompanied by his
brother, to do him ill. But a mingled feeling of admiration and fear
held their hands, and in the evening, when Antar returned from the
pastures, his father and his uncle made him seat himself at dinner with
them, while the rest of the attendants stood behind them.

Meanwhile King Zoheir was called upon a warlike expedition against the
tribe of Temin. All his warriors followed him; the women alone remained
behind. Shedad entrusted them to the protection of Antar, who pledged
his life for their safety. During the absence of the warriors, Semiah,
the lawful wife of Shedad, conceived the idea of giving an entertainment
on the bank of the lake Zatoulizard. Ibla attended it with her mother,