Granada (15 page)

"
'Watch
over
me,
my
companion,
for
I
must
rest
awhile.'
He
removed
his
coat
of
mail
and
placed
his
sword
close
to
his
chest.
In
a
swoon
of
fatigue,
he
fell
asleep.
But
when
he
felt
the
vibrations
of
the
horse's
tapping
on
the
ground,
Khalid
awoke.
Alarmed,
he
put
his
feet
into
the
stirrups,
mounted
his
horse,
and
balanced
himself
securely
onto
the
saddle
. . . He
saw
a
thou
sand
horsemen
advancing
toward
him
.
.
.
giving
their
horses
free
rein
as
they
brandished
their
swords
in
the
air.
"

Abu Ibrahim sang on about the encounter between the knight and the horsemen, how the sharp swords glistened and the colors of their clothing turned a dark, crimson red as the horses neighed in the tumultuous confusion of battle.

"But
they
surrounded
Khalid
and
captured
him
and
tied
him
in
ropes.
The
king
said,
'Take
his
horse,
slaughter
and
skin
it.
Then
put
him
into
the
skin
and
tie
him
to
a
tree.
Prepare
the
firewood,
and
tomorrow
we'll
roast
him,
thus
burning
the
heart
of
Abu
Qasim,
¹
and
one
of
the
pillars
of
the
Hejaz.'

"Such
was
the
condition
in
which
Khalid
remained.
When
night
fell,
he
raised
his
eyes
to
the
heavens
and
looked
at
the
stars.
When
the
world
closed
its
eyes
and
no
one
and
nothing
stirred
except
the
Creator
who
never
sleeps,
a
breeze
from
the
west
blew
in
his
direction,
and
he
began
to
chant
. . ."

1. "Abu Qasim" is a nickname of the Prophet Muhammad.

Abu Ibrahim raised his voice and sang his sad song while the crowd listened in rapture, never taking their eyes off of him. They wondered where such a voice had come from. Was he not mortal like themselves, one who walks through the marketplace and feeds his children like every man? So what was it about this voice that stirred their souls in such a way? Their roving eyes tried to conjure images for this voice. Their faces, like the waters of the river that flow in ripples, were shiny mirrors that reflected at once the sunlight and their own reflected images.

"It
was
Al i
who
heard
the
voice
and
who
came
to
save
Khalid.
It
was
the
young
Ali
who
took
up
his
sword,
Dhul-Fiqar,
and
mounted
his
stal
lion,
Sarhan,
and
raced
on
to
Khalid's
rescue.
He
followed
the
sounds
of
his
cries
for
help
until
he
found
him.
He
shook
the
tree
from
which
he
was
hanging.

"
'Who
is
it
that
shakes
my
gallows?'

"
'O
Khalid,
God
stands
by
the
destitute.'

"Ali
plucked
out
the
tree
from
its
roots
and
Khalid
came
tumbling
down
into
his
arms
without
hitting
the
ground.
Ali
pulled
out
a
dagger
he
was
carrying
and
cut
the
rope
that
bound
him.
He
carried
him
over
to
the
river
and
washed
off
the
scraps
of
skin
and
blood
of
his
slaughtered
horse.
Ali
then
took
one
of
his
robes
and
tore
his
head
scarf
in
half
and
gave
them
to
Khalid.
When
God
blessed
them
with
an
awakening
to
a
benevolent
morn
ing,Ali
and
Khalid
reached
the
top
of
the
mountain
as
the
day
had
broken
and
the
sun
shone
bright.
All
of
creation
was
astir
and
the
accursed
enemy
was
on
the
march,
as
the
horses,
the
military
command,
and
the
infantry
and
cavalry
followed
King
Muhalhal
in
procession.
Then
Ali
spurred
his
horse
and
sprinted
toward
them
as
though
he
were
an
eagle
descending
from
heaven.When
the
insignia
of
his
Hashemite
lineage
was
revealed,
Muhalhal
addressed
him:

"
'OAli,
not
everything
white
is
the
purely
driven
snow,
nor
everything
black
is
coal.
Whatever
appears
green
isn't
necessarily
sweet
basil,
nor
is
every
horse
fit
for
battle.'

"
'O
Ali,
I
am
King
Muhalhal
Ibn
EI-Fayyad.
No
woman
has
ever
given
birth
to
the
likes
of
me.
If
you
wish
to
save
yourself
from
a
fate
worse
than
death,
then
I
will
give
you
what
will
save
you.'

"
'What
do
you
want,
accursed
enemy
of
God?
'asked
Ali.

"
'Dismount
from
your
horse,
kiss
my
stirrups,
and
pay
me
great
hom
age
before
my
men.'

"Ali
dashed
toward
his
horse
shouting,
'O,
my
horse,
May
God
give
you
the
strength
and
power
to
move
quickly.'
He
balanced
himself
securely
on
its
back
and
switched
his
sword
from
the
right
hand
to
the
left.
With
both
arms
he
swung
his
sword
just
beneath
the
armpit
of
the
enemy
of
God
and
plucked
him
from
the
saddle
like
a
tiny
bird
in
the
clutches
of
an
eagle.
He
threw
him
to
the
ground
and
dealt
him
a fatal
blow
with
his
sword.

"At
that
moment
Al i
went
back
to
Khalid
crying
out
his
thanks
to
God.
Then,
like
a
pair
of
ferocious
lions,
they
went
on
the
attack,
each
from
one
side,
as
the
infidel
enemy
fell
in
droves.
The
sun
was
still
shining
that
day
when
the
last
of
the
enemy
ceased
to
stand."

A long, resounding, robust ululation exploded from inside the house. The men looked in its direction and the women turned their heads. It was Umm Jaafar, standing in the interior courtyard, who was making that joyous trilling sound.