18
THE STORY OF THE FIGHT OF  SHANGERA.
Another time again the 'Ad Takles and the Habab were at enmity with cach other.  That Mahammad, the son of 42.Kantubay Gäweg, after his father's death, was to take vengeance for the death of his father, this it was which for a second time caused enmity between the Habab and the 'Ad Takles.  And with the 'Ad Takles there were the sons of Nauraddin, the brothers of Fekak: Eshaq, Hebtes-Shangab, Hadambas, and Shawes; the head of the 'Ad Takles party was Eshaq wad
Nauraddin.  And the head of the Habab party was Mahammad, the son of Kantebay Gäweg.  And these two parties met at a place between the 'Ad Takles country and the Habab country, called,Shangerä: there they fought and wrought havoc with each other.,  And Eshaq wad Nauraddin said to a slave named Hamad-Nor, son of Gamilay, of the 'Ad 'Amdoy branch, but a slave of the Habab: 'Come hither, thou slave!" But Hamad-Nör replied:  'Do not call me slave, 'Armasis (1,
but call me brave ! (2)"  Formerly their slave, to-day their brave!" Then he and Eshaq broke through the lines making for cach other.  Eshaq struck him with the sword and cut his side open.  But Hamad-Nor with his lungs hanging out of his body cut off both legs of Eshaq, and Eshaq died on the spot.  And even after that Hamad-Nor killed Hadambas wad Nauraddin.  And again, the warriors of the 'Ad Takles pierced Hamad-Nor,with the spear.  But even pierced as he was he killed many people; for he was brave and a clever fighter.  And finally he died on the spot. For this reason do many of the bards in their songs say 'like Hamad-Nor of Shangera." And even until the present day they speak of a brave and strong man like Hamad-Nor of Shangera."  And these two parties destroyed each other: there were more dead on the Habab side, but the 'Ad Takles had lost their leaders.  And until the present day their tombs are in this place.  Thereupon when the
two parties had returned home, the Habab said: "It is the 'Ad Takles who have wronged us, and therefore we have become enemies." Temaryam wad Gerub, a man of 'Ad Takles, sang when he heard of the talk of the Habab, the following
little song:

"Are they of guilt afraid or not afraid, the Bet-Asgade (3) of their guilt ?"
Upon us have they put [the blame for] all the blod-shed of Sangerä.
Since they have killed our brothers, since we have seen their blood,,
There is no one to give us milk, when we [now] enter their village. (4)
The noble ones are no more our brothers, nor are the bondmen our bondmen.
Our beast of burden is our shoulder, [we carry] a small measure (5) journey after journey.
Of [all] the camels no camel is ours, of [all] the donkeys [no] donkey (6):
We and the Bet Asgäde have become like a cleft rook."
Besides this, the 'Ad Takles used always to split up into parties among themselves and to ruin each other with sword and spear.  Once they split and were divided into two parties: the party of Geme' wad Derar was the one; and the other was the party of Galaydos wad Ezaz.  And these two parties met at a place of their country called Laba; and there they wrought havoc with each other.  And at another time they destroyed each other's cattle at Cha'amur. And again at another time two parties of them destroyed each other at Ede-Atba.  And again at Habaro two parties
of them destroyed  each other.  Therefore they were always food for the sword and the spear, and everywhere they slaughtered each other.  Since the (establishment of the) rule of Egypt, however, they have become people that are safe from each other and have also made, peace with all [others].

(1) The surname of Eshaq.
(2) In Tigre: do not call me slave (gaber), but mountain (daber).
(3) Here = Habab; all the Mefles are, properly speaking
(4) Gargis or Degge Gargis is the name of the main village with the 3 Maflas.
(5) An 'ebela equals about 2 ½ kilograms.
(6) Helela is the mature male donkey.

19
THE STORY OF  KANTEBAY  SALLIM  AND  OF ALI WAD MA'O.

A nan named Kantebay Sallim with his farmly had built his village on the top of a mountain.  And another [man] named 'Ali wad Ma'o was abiding with his village in Daset (1). And Kantebay Sallim betrothed his son to the daughter of Ali wad Ma'o.  Thereupon when the "constellation" (2) was near, Kantebay Sallim requested the wedding of 'Ali wad Ma'o.  And 'Ali wad Ma'o replied: "Marry then, I have granted (thy request), come to me!" But in his village he sent a message about speaking thus: «Now the nuptial cortege of Kantebay Sallim is on the way towards us.  Give them no wood, and even when the [people of the]  cortege wish to gather wood themselves tell thern: "It is forbidden; the wood of Dasit is not to be burned; do not break any of it (3)" And all of them accepted his plan.  Thereupon the nuptial cortege of Kantebay Sallim arrived in the evening and halted at the nuptial bower.  And the people of the village greeted the cortege and gave them rnats. 'Ali wad Ma'o brought barren cows for the cortege and said to thern: 'These are your dinner." So the people of the cortege accepted the cows from him, killed them, skinned them and prepared them [for the rneal].  Thereupon they asked water and wood and fire from the people of the village.  They said to them "Water and wood and fire, all of this we shall not give [to You].  Take water and fire only!  For wood is forbidden; the wood of Daset is not to be burned." And even, when the people of the cortege wished to gather [it] themselves; they said to them: 'It is forbidden; the wood of Daset is not to be burned.  Do not break a piece of its wood!" Then the people of the cortege said to Kantebay Sallim: 'What shall we do?  They have refused us wood.  We have found nothing where with to cook the meat." He said to all the people of the cortege: 'Take the points of your spears and cook the meat with the shafts, then eat your meal.  And he who has a saddle, let him break it, then have your meal with it!" And after they had done thus, they ate their meal.  And the next morning they took their bride and went to their village. .And when they had entered the village, they found at once that the bride was pregnant with a bastard.  Kantebay Sallim heard that his son's wife was with child; and he returned the dowery that had come with the bride and the bride mounting her on a beast, to her father. 
And after this Kantebay Sallim rose in a storm with all those of his men that were good for work, to overrun and plunder Daset, the village of 'Ali wad Ma'o.  But at that time 'Ali wad Ma'o was not at home; for he used to pass little time at home being a restless wanderer.  Then Kantebay 5allim attacked the village of Dasét with his army swarming on all sides, and destroyed its people and its cattle.  And his men pierced the bride, the daughter of 'Ali wad Ma'o with a broad pointed lance, so that her embryo and her kidneys became visible.  And Kantebay 5allim having destroyed what he destroyed and having.taken what he had gathered together returned to his village.  When 'Ali wad Ma'o after his walking about came to his village he found his village totally desintegrated and forsaken, and his daughter only met him with her embryo almost outside of her body.  Then she told him that Kantébay Sallim had annihilated them; thereupon her soul left [her].  When 'Ali was looking at his daughter's body he sang thus: "Fatna, thy father's plan has wronged thee, That he would not have a piece of wood broken of all Daset. [Now] the embryo is moving out of the open flank (4) Between me and thee is (only) the afternoon of this day." (5)
When 'Ali saw the destruction of his village and the cruel death of his daughter, fire began to burn within him.  For all this had come to pass through his own decision: first he had ordered that the wood be refused to the people of the cortege; then he had  married his daughter knowing that she was with child; therefore he felt a most poignant grief.  He had left his weapons in his house, and the robbers had taken them; now as he sought some weapon he did not find (any).  But afterwards he found an Arabian razor. that he took, made a cut in his calf and hid the razor in it.  Then he went to the village of Kantebay Sallim.  When he arrived there, he went straightway to the council-place.  The men of the council said to each other by themselves: 'This new-comer resembles 'Ali wad Ma'o." But some of them said: "Is 'Ali wad Ma'o not dead and his village destroyed?" However, which they saw that he was without arms, they said: "Even if it is he, what [are we to fear] that he might do? This one here is a man without arms." And when 'Ali came to them he greeted them: 'Peace be upon you!" And they answered him: 'Welcome!" And 'Ali said to Kantebay Sallim: "Kantebay, rise (and come] to me; we have some business apart." And Kantebay Sallim rose (and came) toward him, but the people of the council said to him: 'Do not go to him!" But Kantebay Sallim replied to them:  'What weapons has he wherewith to kill me?  And if he bites me, ye will help me." And he went to him-, and after they had gone a little beyond the council-place, they sat down.  'Ali said to Kantebay Sallim: 'What is there that thou hast done and I have not done?  I am the guilty one.  And now allow me to live in this your country under your rule!" He spoke thus to him deceitfully.  Kantebay Sallim was very fat and his beard was long.  Now 'Ali seized him by his beard-and taking his razor out of his calf he cut him with it and made his entrails to come out.And when the people of the council saw their wrestling, they stood up and sprang upon them.  But they found that Kantebay Sallim had given up the ghost. Saying: 'With what has he cut him?", they looked closely, and afterwards they saw the razor.  Then they said: 'Since he has killed the Kantebay, with what
and in what way shall we kill him?", and they took council about him.  Thereupon they decided, in the same way as he had
done to the Kantebay, to cut his belly and to make his entrails come out.  And then when tliey had cut him open, fire came out of his inside, and it burnt those that had cut him; and afterwards it spread all over the village and burnt down everything.  And in this way, at first Kantebay Sallim destroyed the village of 'Ali wad Ma'o; and then, on the other hand, the fire that came out from 'Ali wad Ma'o ruined the village of Kantebay Sallim: and they both died in each other's presence.  And the mountain on which the village of Kantebay Sallim had been is called "Kantebay Sallim" or "Mount Kantebay  Sallim;" and on the top of the mountain there are, as they tell, until the present day the ruins of the walls of the village. And in the village of 'Ali wad Ma'o, in Daset, there are the tombs of those who died. And those who left the village fleeing, are called Dagdage, and they are (now) to be found everywhere.

(1) Daset or Dasit is a district north of Moncullo(Emkullu)
(2) Cf. Below, No 53
(3) Literally: away from it, i.e. the Daset country.
(4) Literally: under the side, i.e. the side part of the chest.
(5) Literally:  evening, which begins after noon. The meaning is: To-night there shall be nothing between us; either we shall
both be dead, or I shall have avenged thee.

20
THE STORY OF KAMEL WAD GABAY AND GAHAD WAD 'AGGABA, OF MÄNSA' BET-ABREHE.
Kamel  wad Gabay and Gahad wad 'Aggaba, were both courageous. Once, they were wayfaring with their companions, and  on their way they met a herd of elephants. And out of the herd one she-elephant sprang upon them, and all of them  fled from her.  But Kamel drew his sword and attacked her: and he cut her trunk off with his sword.  The elephant  fell down on the spot, and then the herd shied and fled.  And the people of Gahad returned to their companion. 
And while they were travelling together, Kamel turned aside in order to urinate.  Now, Gahad sent out of their party  two of his yeomen, and to the one he said: 'Go down to Samhar (1) and tell to him who greets thee and asks thee what thou hast to report: Gahad and Kamel when travelling together were met by a herd of elephants, and Kamel fled, but Gahad killed one of the elephants." And the other one he sent to the Habab country telling him to speak likewise.  And the messengers went, and as they told this to every one that greeted them, the news spread  everywhere.  And whosoever heard [it], wondered and said: 'Kamel has fled!"Afterwards Kamel came back to his  companions, but he did not know of the messengers of Gahad.  And when they all had entered their villages, Kamel  heard of the message which Gahad had sent.  And Kamel sang:
'This drum here sounds [and] keeps us at night from sleeping:
Gahad kept all Haygat (2) down, the son of 'Aggaba, after he had become haughty;'
After Gaffe (3) went to the Habab and after Galam (3) Went down to Samhar."
(1) i.e. the plain at the coast.
(2) The whole Mensa tribe.
(3) The two messangers of Gehad.

21
THE PROVERB THAT GAHAD WAD 'AGGABA MADE.
Gahad was wayfaring with his company.  And while they were travelling, one of the men stumbled and fell down.  And  the others said to him: 'Conquer!" (1) But Gahad said to them: 'Do ye not say-unto him: 'Rise, that thou mayest not die'?   Is he perhaps a conqueror?" That is to say, the man who had fallen down was not brave and courageous.  "It is inipossible  that he conquers", this is what he meant when he spoke thus.  And this has become a proverb until the present day: 'Do  ye not say unto him: Rise' that he may not die?  Is he perhaps a conqueror? said Gahad Ab-Bafta.' [This is what] they
say.