Teaser
Here is a tiny teaser excerpt from my Work in Progress translation of the epic Sirat al-Amira Dhat al-Himma/سيرة الأميرة ذات الهمة from Arabic to English. (This translation project is funded by a grant from the NEA.) Note: I’m playing with the name of the main character. She was born Fatima, but is known as Dhat al-Himma in Arabic. It’s a mouthful in English, so I’m calling her Valor for now. Let me know if you have opinions about this!
For a full year, the Fiend of Bani Tayy conducted raids on the lands of Bani Kilab. Valor came and went with no trace, hunting on their lands, until one day she raided a clan allied to Bani Kilab (by her parents’ marriage, unbeknownst to her). Some of the people who had been tending the livestock came to inform Mazlum, and he called out to his men to make haste. They lept up like ferocious lions, seized swords and spears, and set out. Mazlum was in the lead, wearing iron armor and chain mail. Meanwhile, Valor had just reached a stretch of flat, unprotected land when she heard horses neighing, bridles clattering, blades hissing, and warriors whooping in pursuit. Mazlum shouted, “You bastard! No matter which sky shades you or which bit of earth upholds you, you are going down!”
“Shit!” Valor hefted the spear in her hand, and called to Marzuq, “Cover my back, brother!” She left the men who rode with her to look after the herds as she raced toward her pursuers. She saw that Mazlum was in the lead, and he saw her approaching and knew her to be the Fiend of Bani Tayy.
