all that crowd, like a lion clad in coat of mail. He carried his naked
sword, and his eyes flashed like blazing coals. As soon as he had
reached the middle of the crowd, he cried out with a loud voice, that
struck terror to all hearts: "Hearken, noble Arabian chieftains and men
of renown assembled here--all of you know that I was supported and
favored by King Zoheir, father of King Cais, that I am a slave bound to
him, by his goodness and munificence; that it is he who caused my
parents to acknowledge me, and gave me my rank, making me to be numbered
among Arab chiefs. Although he is no longer living, I wish to show my
gratitude to him, and bring the kings of the land into subjection to
him, even after his death. He has left a son, whom his brothers have
acknowledged, and have set on the throne of his father. This son is
Cais, whom they have thus distinguished, because of his wisdom,
rectitude, and noble heart. I am the slave of Cais, and am his property;
I intend to be the supporter of him whom I love, and the enemy of
whosoever resists him. It shall never be said, as long as I live, that I
have suffered an enemy to affront him. As to the conditions of this
wager, it is our duty to see them observed. The best thing, accordingly,
to do is to let the horses race unobstructed, for victory comes from the
creator of day and night. I make an oath, therefore, by the holy house
at Mecca, by the temple, by the eternal God, who never forgets his
servants and never sleeps, that if Hadifah commits any act of violence,
I will make him drink the cup of vengeance and of death; and will make
the whole tribe of Fazarah the byword of all the world. And you, Arab
chieftains, if you sincerely desire the race to take place, conduct
yourselves with justice and impartiality; otherwise, by the eyes of my
dear Ibla, I will make the horses run the race in blood." "Antar is
right," the horsemen shouted on all sides.

Hadifah chose, as the rider of Ghabra, a groom of the tribe of Dibyan.