{"product_id":"the-tale-of-princess-fatima-warrior-woman-isbn-9780143134268","title":"The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman","description":"\u003cb\u003ePublished in English for the first time, and the only Arabic epic named for a woman, \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Princess Fatima\u003c\/i\u003e recounts the thrilling adventures of a legendary medieval warrior universally known throughout the Middle East and long overdue to join world literature's pantheon of female heroes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Penguin Classic\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA fearsome, sword-slinging heroine who defeated countless men in stealth attacks on horseback, Dhat al-Himma, or Princess Fatima, was secretly given away at birth because she wasn't male, only to triumph as the most formidable warrior of her time. Known alternately as \"she-wolf,\" \"woman of high resolve,\" and \"calamity of the soul,\" she lives on in this rousing narrative of female empowerment, in which she leads armies of more than seventy thousand men in clashes between rival tribes and between Muslims and Christians; reconciles with her father after taking him prisoner; and fends off her infatuated cousin, who challenges her to a battle for the right to marry her. Though her cousin suffers an ignominious defeat, he impregnates Fatima against her will and, when she gives birth to a Black son, disowns his own son, who also grows up to be a great warrior, eventually avenging his mother's honor. The epic culminates in a showdown between Fatima and another formidable warrior woman, and earns Fatima a place alongside the likes of Circe, Mulan, Wonder Woman, Katniss Everdeen and other powerful women.\u003cb\u003eLonglisted for the National Translation Award in Prose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Gripping . . . Introduc[es] a feminist icon to new audiences.” —\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEsquire\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[An] excellent English adaptation of a thrilling Arab epic . . . filled with fabulous characters and adventure . . . The tales are as captivating as they are complex. . . . As electrifying as the original.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eArab News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Highly approachable . . . Magidow has done a remarkable job in making the mediaeval Arab story of Dhat al-Himma available to English-speaking readers.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAl-Ahram Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A fun and exciting read . . . A delightful, action-packed adventure that both entertains and provides insight into the time and culture that birthed it . . . Excellently curated and translated . . . The epic is brimming with as much sense of wonder as \u003ci\u003eThe Odyssey\u003c\/i\u003e, as much storytelling inventiveness as \u003ci\u003eThe Arabian Nights\u003c\/i\u003e, and as much exploration of battle and conflict as \u003ci\u003eThe Iliad\u003c\/i\u003e. . . . [It] deserves to take its place in the pantheon of ancient classics. Penguin Classics are to be applauded for making it available in this approachable form to anglophone audiences.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Fantasy Hive\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A very good and enjoyable little read . . . Consistently engaging . . . The narrative moves at a very quick pace, so it never bogs down in boring battle-accounts. . . . Magidow has certainly succeeded in presenting an engaging series of stories featuring a number of compelling figures―above all, and particularly successfully, that of Fatima, who is, in fact, a much more complex character than just that of a woman who is an outstanding fighter. . . . A useful introduction and then notes make for good (and not overwhelming) supporting material. . . . A neat and welcome addition to what early Arabic fiction is available in English.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Complete Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A narrative that overflows with intrigue, adventure, and political dealings, all held together by the legendary heroine at the story’s center.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWords Without Borders\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[This] popular epic still captivates to this day, with its picture of a female soldier not as a mere foil but in fact the star of the show. . . . By means of a dozen or so well-picked episodes, and in the uncluttered language of oral epic, Magidow’s rendering . . . dare[s] us to think of women as expert fighters as well as wives and mothers.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNewlines Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An absolutely lovely edition . . . A really enjoyable read in addition to something you can use in the classroom . . . and understand how this fits in world literature.” ―\u003cb\u003eM. Lynx Qualey, \u003ci\u003eBulaq \u003c\/i\u003epodcast\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“My book of the year . . . This is a super fun tale. . . . It is really interesting . . . in the ways it plays with gender and race. . . . If you’re looking for a new primary source to get people interested in the Middle Ages in your classes, you really should consider this book. It really has a nice, interesting mix of societal commentary, fun medieval stuff, medieval warfare stuff, and different kinds of things that you couldn’t get in, say, \u003ci\u003eThe Song of Roland\u003c\/i\u003e. . . .\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eIt’s something I think that people will want to read just in the same way that people like to read these Norse epics, like \u003ci\u003eEgil’s Saga\u003c\/i\u003e or even the chivalric romances. . . . I’ve read it twice now, and I’ve really enjoyed it.” ―\u003cb\u003ePeter Konieczny, \u003ci\u003eMedievalists.net\u003c\/i\u003e podcast\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A gift and a wonder, deftly capturing the nuance and flavor of these tales for a new generation. As someone who’s waited untold years to read these stories: thank you, thank you, thank you.” ―\u003cb\u003eJason Porath, author of \u003ci\u003eRejected Princesses\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In her beautiful translation, Melanie Magidow captures the forceful yet melodic language of this epic. It is an epic that reveals the wisdom of women through the centuries while tackling issues of gender, color, race, beauty, courage, and war that are pertinent to our times. Indispensable to any library, it should be taught to generations of readers all over the world. One has to be grateful to Magidow for editing and translating it: not only does it contribute to the knowledge of humanity and promote acceptance and tolerance, but it is also a page turner and really fun to read.” ―\u003cb\u003eReem Bassiouney, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Pistachio Seller\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This powerful epic with its all-conquering heroine brings the world of Arab chivalry to blazing life, in a wonderful translation with a very informative introduction.” ―\u003cb\u003eHumphrey Davies, award-winning translator of Naguib Mahfouz, Elias Khoury, and Alaa Al-Aswany\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“By combining delightful, accessible prose with painstaking research and academic rigor, Melanie Magidow has brought medieval Arab history and its narrative traditions to life for a contemporary audience.” ―\u003cb\u003eNancy Roberts, award-winning translator of Naguib Mahfouz, Salwa Bakr, and Ibrahim Nasrallah\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman, Fiend of Bani Tayy, Paragon of Ambition, bursts from the pages of this book in glorious splendor, in this timeless tale of a woman’s unwavering commitment to her ideals and beliefs in a hostile and patriarchal world. Throughout her epic battles against Arab tribesmen and Byzantine armies, this unconquerable warrior proves unwavering in her adherence to her code of conduct. Congratulations to Melanie Magidow, her intrepid translator, for such a deft, pacy, intelligent, and fresh translation.” ―\u003cb\u003eJames E. Montgomery, University of Cambridge\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An emotive, dynamic rendering that exquisitely captures the spirit of the original text, the variety of its characters, and the versatility of its messages. \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Princess Fatima\u003c\/i\u003e has much to tell us about what it has meant—in different times and places—to be a hero.” ―\u003cb\u003eRachel Schine, University of Colorado Boulder\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The iron Valkyrie Princess Fatima joins a whole cast of female champions out for blood and honor in this fluidly translated epic that is part battlefield saga, part \u003ci\u003echanson de geste,\u003c\/i\u003e part family drama, and all heroine’s journey, one worthy of inclusion with the great warrior women classics.” ―\u003cb\u003eKevin Blankinship, Brigham Young University\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Melanie Magidow’s eminently readable translation brings to life the excitement and adventure of this female hero from the early medieval Islamic world. Fatima is a nuanced heroine who composes poetry, fends off potential rapists, wins battles, tricks villains, and governs her kingdom in a turbulent world. \u003ci\u003eThe Arabic Epic of Dhat al-Himma\u003c\/i\u003e provides us with a warrior, mother, politician, and strategist for the ages.” ―\u003cb\u003eMary Dockray-Miller, Lesley University\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This engaging and reader-friendly translation brings to life a very important moment in world history, capturing through epic proportions the timeless social issues of race, gender, and class.” ―\u003cb\u003eHeidi Morrison, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dr. Magidow’s selection and translation of this timeless Arabic epic is a watershed event in the history of Arabic literature in the west. The translation is a work of art unto itself. And going against the grain of stereotypes and orientalism, the translation turns the perennial problem of patriarchy and hypermasculinity on its head and reverberates with themes in Shahrazad’s stories, the poetry of Hujayja of the Banu Shaban, Rabi'a al-Adawiyya, and Wallada bint al-Mustakfi. Readers are generously rewarded as they witness the intrepid spirit of Fatima.” ―\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eSamer Ali, University of Michigan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMelanie Magidow\u003c\/b\u003e (editor\/translator) is an independent scholar and professional translator with a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of Texas at Austin. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Fulbright Commission. She lives in Rhode Island.\u003cp\u003eAncestors: The Opening Episode of the Epic\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Harith (Fatima's great-great-grandfather) was a legendary leader of the Bani Kilab tribe. He led a brave life of hunting in the rugged Yemeni deserts, steppes, and river valleys in the days of the seventh-century caliph Abd al-Malik bin Marwan. One day, in the process of capturing some ferocious men and looting a camp, he saw a girl named Al-Rabab, and he fell in love. The girl's father, emotionally attached to her, cried when Al-Harith approached. Al-Harith asked the father, \"Why are you crying, Shaykh?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I'm crying because you're taking my daughter by force. If you didn't take her against her will, then I would not cry. If you really want her, then marry her properly. It's to your advantage, ultimately, to follow the prophet's example.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Harith readily released the elderly man, his daughter, and all their people, giving the man one thousand she-camels and a hundred gold dinars as dowry. After ensuring that the marriage was legitimate and respectable, Al-Harith and Al-Rabab moved on into the wilderness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was not long before Al-Rabab became pregnant. One night near the end of her pregnancy, she saw in her dreams that she was in a desert, surrounded by plains. As she neared a tall hill, her hem lifted and fire came out from beneath it in incandescent colors. When it reached the ground, it burned everything both near and far. She whirled around, and she too was engulfed in flames.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Rabab started in her sleep in sheer terror. Al-Harith asked, \"What's wrong, dear?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I saw something terrible and had such a fright,\" and she told him her dream from start to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Tomorrow I'll get a diviner. I'll bring you someone knowledgeable. You can tell him the dream and see what he says.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt daybreak, Al-Harith rode to the scholar's camp. There he exchanged greetings and introduced himself, and the men of the camp invited him to sit with them before asking what he needed. He explained, \"Gentlemen, I come to you in need. I have seen you defer to this shaykh, and I understand that he is incredibly wise.\" Then Al-Harith sat closer to the shaykh, greeted him, and recounted his wife's vision.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe shaykh replied, \"I see that yours is a special situation, and so the interpretation will also be uncommon. For if I am correct, based upon my knowledge of the holy books of all the great peoples, this woman will give birth to an extraordinary child, unmatched in his time for greatness, ethics, and good looks. Yet I fear that the mother will die when he appears safely in this world.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Harith found the news generally positive. \"The important thing is that he will live. His mother and I have seen much, and death comes for rich and poor alike.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Harith returned to his camp with the shaykh and took him to meet his wife. He told her what the shaykh had said and asked her to recount her dream. Turning to the shaykh, she spoke in verse:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eO Shaykh, by the Sacred Family,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy Mina, Zamzam, and the Maqam of Abraham,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI had an astonishing dream\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHear my words, and interpret my vision\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI saw that I was in a great desert,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpacious prairies surrounding me.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeneath me was a tall sand dune,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy hem lifted, and my tears fell,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd from within me there came a fire\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt flared and burned\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn many colors, including black\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt spread, burning the tent,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBurning the tribes and campsites\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt turned, lighting up the darkness, and\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI was terrified and afraid:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat is what happened to me in the dream.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe shaykh replied in kind:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI tell you the meaning of the dream,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd what you saw in the dark,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYour child nears, full of fury,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe will be long remembered.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe will arise, a brave and heroic warrior,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStirring up enemies among every people\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe will be raised an orphan, lacking both father and\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMother, and he will travel far and wide\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom him there will come a valiant leader\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpposing enemies with the sword\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the sign I have from my studies\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn interpretation of your dream.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThen he recorded the dream and the baby's genealogy, put it in a tiny silver case, and gave it to Al-Rabab as an amulet for the baby.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithin days, Al-Harith fell ill and died. The leader's death, in a time of instability, caused chaos. No longer held back by fear and respect for Al-Harith, nearby tribes sought to claim all that was his. For Al-Rabab, the unrest followed a time of peace made possible by her husband's bravery. She cried hard for the memory of him and composed poetry mourning her loss. In grave danger, she decided to escape with the remaining servant, the others having already fled. Unfortunately, he had remained out of desire for her, which would prove her demise. When Al-Rabab asked the servant for help, he asked what he could do for her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Travel with me by night, so that no horses will come across us, and deliver me to my people or to any of the Arab encampments that will offer us sanctuary. We'll go in plain clothes because I fear that someone might take advantage of me. You know how much your master Al-Harith used to assert himself over the Arabs. I have become a prize. . . . Some hostile leader might demand from me that which men want from women, but I swear by the Victorious, the Almighty Sovereign, I will not give in to any man, good or bad.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"My Lady, I am at your service.\" They rode away at night as refugees, leaving most of the wealth behind. When he swerved away from the path, she followed unknowingly. They had been nearing a camp led by a man named Darim, but the servant saw her beauty and could not resist an attempt to seduce her. Al-Rabab resisted with insults and exhorted him to protect her honor and her person, but he claimed that he had waited long enough. She screamed at him that she had declined the offers of great leaders, so how could she give in to a servant? At the height of their argument, the servant knocked Al-Rabab to the ground, and she began bleeding. The servant backed away and asked, \"What is this blood?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Rabab answered, \"Didn't you know that I was pregnant with Al-Harith's child? You pushed me so hard that I've gone into labor.\" He dragged her to the river to wash, then moved away to think. Al-Rabab sat by the river crying, shaking from the contractions, wishing she could die instead of enduring the pains of labor. A little while later, Al-Rabab gave birth to a boy, like a piece of the moon. She cut the umbilical cord, wrapped him in a piece of her sash and her scarf, and put the silver amulet on him. Then she took him into her lap, and as he began nursing, his eyes opened. Looking down at him, she whispered, \"Where is your father? If only he could gaze on you. . . . But this must be God's will for us. . . .\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe servant, overtaken by frustration after so nearly attaining his desire, blamed Al-Rabab for the timing of the birth. Despite her protestations that the timing was out of her hands, he struck her with a sword, and she slumped to the ground, dead. The servant took what money she had and left her on the sand before escaping to a mountainous area. Al-Rabab lay on her side, the infant in her lap, still latched to her breast.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA man named Darim ruled the valley where Al-Rabab lay. His wife had recently given birth to a son who did not survive. In order to distract him from his grief, he took his people's advice and went out hunting with some of his kinsmen. When a herd of wild animals saw the approaching hunting party, they dispersed and fled. In the chase, Darim was led by fate to the place where he discovered a baby still suckling from the fallen corpse of his mother. Despite the heat, the baby was healthy, and beautiful \"like the moon.\" God had sent a cloud of jundaba locusts to shade him. Darim turned to one of his companions, saying, \"Cousin, look at this murdered girl, the baby at her side, and the cloud of locusts giving him shade. See how the mother is nursing him even though she is dead. Tell me at once: What do you make of this?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe man, who was Darim's adviser and right hand, deduced a story from the scene: \"Sir, such mysteries only God can know fully. If only I had known of her, I could have saved her from this. However, I'll tell you what I imagine happened. This girl was born to a noble family. A ruler asked to marry her, but a servant caught her eye, and she ended up losing her virginity. When her family learned of the relationship, they brought her to this place and killed her when she gave birth. They left the baby at her side and left her as she lays now. That's what occurs to me.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"How dare you insult her! If she had fornicated, she wouldn't be nursing him while dead, and God would not have sent the swarm to shade him.\" Turning to the corpse, he mused in verse,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI wonder who killed you,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWho felled you with his sword?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWere you an innocent victim,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOr were you by fate served?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou are clearly a noblewoman\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd I think virtuous, because of the milk poured . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMay the little one have a bright future,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlessed by the Lord.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I'm sure you're right, Sir. Your son just passed away, and this boy is clearly precious. You should take care of him.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDarim sent a messenger, calling for women skilled in preparing a corpse for burial and for men to dig a grave. He oversaw the funeral, praying over her, and removed his outer garments in order to descend into the grave to lay the body carefully in the ground before covering it with dirt. Then he returned home, the baby in his arms.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis wife, Husna, met him at the door, inquiring about why he had needed a corpse washer and what he had found during the hunt. He told her what had happened from start to finish, saying, \"I went hunting for a wild animal, but instead I bring you a wonder. . . . It's a boy!\" He handed her the baby, and the amulet that he had worn. \"Take this amulet, and put it over his head. I feel as if this is the baby we lost. Let's raise him, and may he bring us blessings.\" Husna put the amulet over the baby's head and kept the child.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn old woman accused the baby of illegitimate birth. So Husna asked her husband about the child's parentage when he returned from a meeting and expressed her concern for their reputation. Darim replied, \"Cousin, don't worry about that. People say all kinds of crazy things. This child's mother was the daughter of a great amir. If she had been dishonorable, then the Compassionate would not have indicated her innocence by allowing her dead body to continue nursing her infant. Nor would there have been a swarm of locusts shading the babe. Look, I'll give you ten gold dinars every month, and you feed the baby and take care of him. The Compassionate won't disappoint us if we are patient and do what is right.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"All right, what shall we name him?\" Husna asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Jundaba, because I found jundaba locusts at his head.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHusna took Jundaba in her lap and nursed him until he was full, and she and Darim came to love their new son.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJundaba's Childhood and First Adventure\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt seven, Jundaba attended Quranic school. As he grew up, he rode horses and learned the arts of combat. Through regularly challenging local champions and learning from them, Jundaba gradually developed into a capable rider and a ferocious warrior.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne day, as Darim was riding with his companions, he stumbled upon the land of a woman named Al-Shamta. Not knowing that she was a fierce warrior in her own right, he began to drive her livestock away, as was the custom among rivals. After all, he was accompanied by one hundred warriors. Then he heard a horn blown to alert Al-Shamta of a threat. Al-Shamta mounted her horse and rode to attack him and his companions. She felled many of them before making for him as quickly as water bursting out of the narrowness of a pipe. Realizing his mistake, he attempted to fight her, but she blocked his blows and overcame him, knocking him off his horse. She jumped down from her mount and tied him with his own turban, before slapping his horse on the rump, sending it away. His remaining servants fled from her and returned to his camp, calling out the terrible news of Darim's capture. One of Darim's servants returned with his master's horse, confirming the news.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy this time, Darim and Husna had ten strapping sons in addition to Jundaba, who was away herding animals in the mountains. The sons were knowledgeable about warfare and combat, so the people of Darim's camp appealed to them to rescue their father. They set out on horseback to avenge him, fully armored and carrying spears. When they arrived within sight of Al-Shamta's fortress, and she realized that they were Darim's sons, Al-Shamta rose to meet them like a hungry lioness. She put on her battle dress and went out like a mother protecting her cub. Carrying her spear and moving like a tiger, she entered the square outside and stood in its center. She addressed the young men: \"Sons of Lord Darim, I have come out to you, so finish me off here in this square or be exterminated.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe eldest, like a great lion, approached her and spoke in rhyme,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl-Shamta, I am here to ransom my father.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you bring him out, I'll be no bother.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe replied in kind,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou've sealed your fate. I am Al-Shamta, whom even lions fear.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor you, it is now too late.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe attacked him, baring her teeth. Then she parried, evading him, and said, \"May God give me victory over you all!\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHearing the plural in her words, the eldest son assumed that his brothers had joined behind him to help him attack her. She distracted him, and while he was caught off guard, she grabbed the end of his turban and used the cloth to tie him up. When his brothers saw this, they all wanted to attack her, but forty warriors had joined her in an instant. They could not possibly win a battle at these odds, so the second eldest took his turn in single combat with Al-Shamta. Their exchange did not last long before she had bested him, and then she set to beating each of his brothers in turn.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Classics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300131590373,"sku":"NP9780143134268","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780143134268.jpg?v=1767741775","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-tale-of-princess-fatima-warrior-woman-isbn-9780143134268","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}