Many the warriors, noon-journeying, who, when night fell, journeyed on and halted at dawning— Keen each one of them, girt with a keen blade that when one drew it flashed forth like the lightning— They were tasting of sleep by sips, when, as they nodded, thou didst fright them, and they were scattered. Vengeance we did on them: there escaped us of the two houses none but the fewest. And if Hudheyl[5] broke the edge of his[6] sword-blade— many the notch that Hudheyl gained from him! Many the time that he made them kneel down on jagged rocks where the hoof is worn with running! Many the morning he fell on their shelter, and after slaughter came plunder and spoiling! Hudheyl has been burned by me, one valiant whom Evil tires not though they be wearied— Whose spear drinks deep the first draught, and thereon drinks deep again of the blood of foemen. Forbidden was wine, but now it is lawful: hard was the toil that made it lawful! Reach me the cup, O Sawád son of ´Amr! my body is spent with gaining my vengeance. To Hudheyl we gave to drink Death’s goblet, whose dregs are disgrace and shame and dishonour. The hyena laughs over the slain of Hudheyl, and the wolf—see thou—grins by their corpses, And the vultures flap their wings, full-bellied treading their dead, too gorged to leave them. The contempt which the Arab, with a few noble exceptions, felt for the gentler virtues is seen in these lines:— Had I been a son of Mázin, there had not plundered my herds the sons of the Child of the Dust, Dhuhl son of Sheybán! There had straightway arisen to help me a heavy-handed kin, good smiters when help is needed, though the feeble bend to the blow: Men who, when Evil bares before them his hindmost teeth, fly gaily to meet him, in companies or alone. They ask not their brother, when he lays before them his wrong in his trouble, to give them proof of the truth of what he says. But as for my people, though their number be not small, they are good for nought against evil, however light it be; They requite with forgiveness the wrong of those that do them wrong, and the evil deeds of the evil they meet with kindness and love; As though thy Lord had created among the tribes of men themselves alone to fear Him, and never one man more. Would that I had in their stead a folk who, when they ride forth, strike swiftly and hard, on horse or on camel borne!