The Literature of Arabia: With Critical and Biographical Sketches by Epiphanius Wilson
General
The Literature of Arabia: With Critical and Biographical Sketches by Epiphanius Wilson
Arabic literature
Hadifah quickly learned the return of Antar, and knew that the hero was
encouraging King Cais to run the race. Haml, Hadifah's brother, had also
heard the news, and in the distress which he felt remarked to Hadifah,
"I fear lest Antar should fall upon me, or some one of the family of
Beder, and kill us, and thus render us disgraced. Give up this race, or
we are ruined. Let me go to King Cais, and I will not leave him until he
promises to come to you and cancel the contract." "Do as you please,"
answered Hadifah. Thereupon Haml took horse, and went immediately to
King Cais. He found him with his uncle Assyed, a wise and prudent man.
Haml approached Cais, saluted him by kissing his hand, and after saying
that he was the bearer of an important message, added: "Kinsman, you
know that my brother Hadifah is a low fellow, whose mind is full of
intrigues. I have spent the last three days in trying to persuade him to
cancel this wager. At last he has said: 'Very good, if Cais comes to me,
and wishes to be released from the contract, I will annul it; but do not
let any Arab think that I abandon the bet through fear of Antar.' Now
you, Cais, are aware that the greatest proof of attachment between
kinsmen is their willingness to give way to one another. So I am here to
beg that you will come to the dwelling of my brother Hadifah and ask him
to give up the race, before it causes trouble, and the tribe be utterly
driven away from its territories." At this address of Haml, Cais became
flushed with shame, for he was trusting and generous. He at once arose,
and leaving his uncle Assyed in charge of his domestic business, he
accompanied Haml to the land of Fazarah. When they were midway on their
journey Haml began to utter lavish praises of Cais to the latter's face,
and to blame his own brother's faults, in the following terms: "O Cais,
do not let your wrath be stirred up against Hadifah, for he is verily a
man headstrong and unjust in his actions. O Cais, if you persist in
holding to the bet, great disasters will follow. Both you and he are
impulsive and passionate, and this is what causes me to feel anxiety
about you, Cais. Put aside your private feelings, be kind and generous,
and it will come to pass that the oppressor himself will become the
oppressed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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