cowardly man you have ever met with; and of the most crafty; and of the most courageous." To this ʾAmr replied, "Willingly, O Commander of the Faithful!" and began as follows:
"I went out once in quest of spoil; and as I journeyed, lo! I came upon a horse fully caparisoned, and a spear planted in the earth. And behold! a man, girt about with belts for bearing his sword, and looking like the mightiest of men, was sitting on the ground close by. So I cried to him, 'Beware! for I am about to slay thee;' upon which he inquired, 'And who are though?' 'I am ʾAmr-ibn-Maʾady-Kárib, ez-Zabîdy,' I replied. Then he sobbed one sob and died. And he, O Commander of the Faithful! was the most cowardly man I have ever seen.
"And I went out once again, until I arrived at a certain place, when lo! I found a horse caparisoned, and a spear planted in the ground. And behold! the master of the horse was in a hollow hard by. So I cried out to him, 'Beware! for I am going to slay thee.' Then he asked, 'And who art thou ?' so I informed him concerning myself. And he said, 'O father of a Bull,[1] thou actest unjustly towards me! Thou art
- ↑ The surname by which ʾAmr was known amongst the Arabs.
