60 HISTORY OF THE 



mules, and, I am told, you have loads of silver 

 and gold. Now', added he, ' you want my 

 mare, but you shall not have her for all you 

 have got.' ""^ 



** An Arab sheick, or chief, who lived within 

 fifty miles of Bussorah,.had a favorite breed of 

 horses. He lost one of his best mares, and 

 could not for a long while discover whether 

 she was stolen or had strayed. Some time after, 

 a young man of a different tribe, W'ho had long 

 wished to marry his daughter, but had always 

 been rejected by the sheick, obtained the dam- 

 sel's consent and eloped with her. The sheick 

 and his followers pursued, but the lover and 

 mistress mounted on one horse, made a won- 

 derful march, and escaped. Upon this the old 

 chief swore that the fellow was either mounted 

 upon the devil, or the favorite mare he had lost. 

 After his return, he found the latter was the 

 case ; that the lover was the thief of his mare, 

 as well as of his daughter, and that he stole the 

 one to enable him to carry off the other. The 

 sheick was quite gratified to think he had not 

 been beaten by a mare of another breed ; and 

 was easily reconciled to the young man, in order 



* Malcolm's Sketches of Persia, vol. 1, p. 41. 



