amount of the wager--a hundred camels from the tribe of Fazarah, and
that Hadifah should abandon his claims and refrain from all dispute.
Such were the measures taken to extinguish the hostility and disorder
which threatened to burst out among the tribes. Then the different
families retired to their own dwellings, but the hearts of all were
filled with bitter hatred. One whose resentment seemed keenest was
Hadifah, especially when he learned of the slave Dames's death. As for
Cais, he was also filled with mute rage and intense hatred. Yet Antar
tried to reassure him. "King," he said to him, "do not let your heart be
a prey to mortification; for I swear by the tomb of King Zoheir, your
father, that I will cause disgrace and infamy to fall on Hadifah, and it
is only from regard for you that I have up to this time delayed action."
Soon after all returned to their tents.

The following morning Shidoub killed twenty of the camels he had won the
day before, and caused the meat to be distributed among the widows and
those who had been wounded and crippled in war. He slaughtered twenty
others, which he used in entertaining the tribe of Abs, including women
and slaves. Finally, the next day, he killed the rest of the camels and
made a great feast near the lake Zatalirsad, to which he invited the
sons of King Zoheir and his noblest chieftains. At the end of this
banquet, when the wine circulated among the guests, all praised the
behavior of Shidoub. But the news of the camel slaughter and of all the
feasting was soon known to the tribe of Fazarah. All the enraged
tribesmen hastened to seek Hadifah. "What," said they, "while we were
first in the race, slaves and traitorous Absians have eaten our camels!
Send for an equal number of camels, by all means; but if he refuses them
let us make a terrible war upon the Absians."

Hadifah raised his eyes upon his son Abou-Firacah. "Mount horse at