Chinese and Arabian Literature - E. Wilson - The Search For Mecca

KHALED AND DJAIDA 19
his uncle farewell, and announced his intention of leaving at
once. " What means this haste ? " cried Zahir. " I can remain
here no longer," answered Khaled, and, putting his horse
to a gallop, he flung himself into the depths of the wilderness.
His mother, after relating to Djaida the conversation she held
with her son, mounted a camel and made her way towards her
own country.
The soul of Djaida felt keenly this indignity. She brooded
over it—sleepless and without appetite. Some days afterwards,
as her father was preparing with his horsemen to make
a foray against his foes, his glance fell on Djaida, and seeing
how altered she was in face, and dejected in spirit, he refrained
from saying anything, thinking and hoping that she would
surely become herself again after a short time.
Scarcely was Zahir out of sight of his tents, when Djaida,
who felt herself like to die, and whose frame of mind was quite
unsupportable, said to her mother : " Mother, I feel that I am
dying, and that this miserable Khaled is still in the vigor of
life. I should like, if God gives me the power, to make him
taste the fury of death, the bitterness of its pang and torture."
So saying, she rose like a lioness, put on her armor, and
mounted her horse, telling her mother she was going on a
hunting expedition. Swiftly, and without stopping, she trav-
ersed rocks and mountains, her excitement increasing as she
approached the dwelling-place of her cousin. As she was dis-
guised, she entered, unrecognized, into the tent where stran-
gers were received. Her visor was, however, lowered, like
that of a horseman of Hijaz. Slaves and servants received her,
offered her hospitality, comporting themselves towards her as
to one of the guests, and the most noble personages of the land.
That night Djaida took rest ; but the following day she joined
the military exercises, challenged many cavaliers, and ex-
hibited so much address and bravery, that she produced great
astonishment among the spectators. Long before noon the
horsemen of her cousin were compelled to acknowledge her
superiority over themselves. Khaled wished to witness her
prowess, and, surprised at the sight of so much skill, he offered
to match himself with her. Djaida entered the contest with
him, and then both of them joining in combat tried, one after
another, all the methods of attack and defence, until the shadows
of night came on. When they separated both were un-