THE EXCELLENCE OF THE ARAB HORSE 115 



a common animal, as was customary, but a courser 

 of the highest distinction, which was a misfortune, 

 but the will of Allah, and they were forced to resign 

 themselves. 



Then Zy-ben-Zyan continues : ' After the evening 

 prayer my father . . . came to me, and said, " Ben- 

 Zyan, art thou thyself to-day ? Wilt thou leave thy 

 father in a strait, or wilt thou make red his face?" 

 " I am nothing but your will, my lord," I replied. 

 " Speak, and if your commands are not obeyed, it 

 will be because I am vanquished by death," ' 



And when the father sends him off, the narrator 

 continues : * Without answering a word I kissed my 

 father's hand, took my evening repast, and quitted 

 Berouagnia. ... I pushed forward for a long 

 time, fearing to be pursued, but Mordjana continued 

 to pull at her bridle, and I had more trouble to quiet 

 her than to urge her on. When two-thirds of the 

 night had passed, and a desire to sleep was growing 

 upon me, I dismounted, and, swinging the reins, 

 twisted them round my wrist. . . . An hour after- 

 wards I roused myself ; all the leaves of the dwarf 

 palm had been stripped off by Mordjana. We started 

 afresh. The peep of day found us at Souagin. My 

 mare had thrice broken into a sweat and dried herself. 

 I touched her with my heel. She watered at Sidi- 

 Bou-Zid in the Ouad Ettouyl, and that evening I 

 offered up the evening prayer at Leghrouat. 



' These are not journeys fit for your horses,' 

 said Zy-ben-Zyan in conclusion ; ' for the horses of 



