The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate

"We must stay here until dark," said Bessas, "when the bees go to sleep."

Hours dragged by. Several more of the fugitives were stung. When the dimming of the outer light marked the end of the day. Bessas went out to scout. He returned to say:

"The bees are all tucked into bed. Three of the Akulangba failed to get away; their bodies lie on the next rise. There is no sign of the rest, so I think we may come out."

The explorers began to crawl out of the cave and stretch their cramped limbs. Salimat shrieked: "My father!"

Bessas gently lifted the old man out of the cave and set him on the bank of the stream. Although conscious, Zayd was breathing in gasps.

"My heart pains me," he croaked. "Let me rest for a while and I shall be well. I have had these before."

"Are the Akulangba likely to return?" Myron asked Bessas.

"I hope not, but one never knows."

After a while, the shaykh roused himself. "Good people," he said, "I must speak with my clansmen on gentile matters. So, if the rest of you love me, pray withdraw beyond hearing."

The non-Arabs withdrew and sat on the edge of the bank, munching their meager repast in the dusk, until Salimat called Bessas, Myron, and Phyllis back to the council.

"Hear my father," she said.

"O Bessas of Zariaspa," said the old man, "is it still your wish to wed my daughter?"

"Aye, sir, if she be willing."

"She has made up her mind that she will gladly be your wife, on one condition. This is that at the same time you wed her friend Phyllis the Macedonian. For Salimat wots that Phyllis is sore assotted with you. And Phyllis is her dearest friend, from whom she would not be parted."

Bessas swallowed like a man nonplused and glanced at Myron. "Ah—strictly speaking, Phyllis is Myron's slave."

Myron felt a slight pang—not exactly of unrequited love, though he was fond of Phyllis in a fatherly way. It was more a twinge of jealousy, that Bessas should garner both girls, by virtue of his youth, strength, and godlike vitality, while Myron's superior wisdom and learning should count for nothing.

But Myron stiffened his spirit. He could have done what he pleased with Phyllis, and he had chosen to let matters take care of themselves. Anyway, the girl was a bit of a bore.

"I shall be happy to manumit Phyllis and give her to you as your wife," said Myron. "That is, if she wishes it."

"May the gods rain blessings upon you, master," said Phyllis. "I am more than willing."

"I, too, have a condition to impose," said Zayd. He was now sitting up and his voice had become stronger. "Sickness and battle have slain my sons; Salimat is my only remaining child. When I am gone, the Banu Khalaf will have no shaykh. In our clan, it is the custom for the shaykh, or his family if he die of a sudden, to present one of his sons or nephews or sons-in-law to the gentile assembly as a nominee for his successor. If the assembly reject this choice, the shaykh may make one more. If that, too, be rejected, then any man may propose himself for election.

"I have taken counsel with Salimat and Labid and Abras and Umayya. Because of our great love and esteem for you, we want you for shaykh of the Banu Khalaf after I am gone."

"But—" said Bessas.

"True, you are not a Khalafi; not even an Arab. But you speak our speech, albeit not well, and you understand our ways. I can adopt you, and you can perfect your Arabic. My men will witness this adoption and nomination. When you return to the Fifty-League Oasis, they will present your name to the clan. How say you?"

"You know that I must return to Persepolis," said Bessas.

"What of that? We are accustomed to thousand-league journeys. A Khalafi thinks nought of leaving the clan for a year's journey on some trading venture and then returning to take his place in the tents. So long as you regard the clan as your home, to which you will return, you will be one of us."

"Let me think," said Bessas. For several ush he paced the banks of the stream with measured tread. At last he turned to the Arabs. "I will do it!"

"Tayyib! Summon the others to witness these deeds ... Now, to make a marriage binding amongst us, you must pay me a bridal price. It should be in camels, but, as we have no camels here, anything will do."

Bessas brought out the waist cloth in which he carried his few remaining darics. He handed one to Zayd, who said:

"I, Zayd ibn-Harith, in return for this gold, do hereby give unto you, Bessas son of Phraates, my daughter Salimat, to be your wife. Love and cherish her and, if you take other wives, treat her as well as you do any of the others, giving her a fair share of your company by day and by night. May al-Ilah and al-Ilat send you many strong and fearless sons. Now repeat after me: 'Before these witnesses ...' "

Bessas said: "Before these witnesses, ... I, Bessas son of Phraates, ... take Salimat bint-Zayd to be my wife, ... I will love and cherish her and treat her well, . • . not favoring any other wives before her."

"Now, then," said Zayd, "before these members of the Banu Khalaf, I do adopt you, Bessas, as my son, and nominate you to be the next shaykh of the Banu Khalaf in my place." He looked into the faces of his Arabs. "Is it well?"