 heart for fight and strife
and fray?” Said he, “Verily, my steadfastness in battle-van is as the
steadfastness of the stake in bran.[9]” And he improvised and said:—

 O Miriam thy chiding I pray, forego; ✿ Nor drive me to death or
    injurious blow:
 How e’er can I hope to bear fray and fight ✿ Who quake at the croak of
    the corby-crow?
 I who shiver for fear when I see the mouse ✿ And for very funk I bepiss
    my clo’!
 I love no foin but the poke in bed, ✿ When coynte well knoweth my
    prickle’s prow;
 This is rightful rede, and none other shows ✿ Righteous as this in my
    sight, I trow.

Now when Miriam heard his speech and the verse he made, she laughed and
smilingly said, “O my lord Nur al-Din, abide in thy place and I will
keep thee from their ill grace, though they be as the sea-sands in
number. But mount and ride in rear of me, and if we be defeated and put
to flight, beware of falling, for none can overtake thy steed.” So
saying, she turned her lance-head towards foe in plain and gave her
horse the rein, whereupon he darted off under her, like the stormy gale
or like waters that from straitness of pipes out-rail. Now Miriam was
the doughtiest of the folk of her time and the unique pearl of her age
and tide; for her father had taught her, whilst she was yet little, on
steeds to ride and dive deep during the darkness of the night in the
battle tide. When the King saw her charging down upon them, he knew her
but too well and turning to his eldest son, said, “O Bartaut,[10] thou
who art surnamed Ras al-Killaut,[11] this is assuredly thy sister Miriam
who chargeth upon us, and she seeketh to wage war and fight fray with
us. So go thou out to give her battle: and I enjoin thee by the Messiah
and the Faith which is no liar, an thou get the better of her, kill her
not till thou have propounded to her the Nazarene faith. An she return
to her old creed, bring her to me prisoner; but an she refuse, do her
die by the foulest death and make of her the vilest of examples, as we