Buthayna, daughter of Hubba ibn Tha'laba, of the Banu 'Udhra. Jamil ibn 'Abdallah ibn Ma'mar loved her to distraction and celebrated her in his poetry, so that he came to be known by her — indeed he is known only as Jamil Buthayna. She was married to a man called Nubayh ibn al-Aswad, yet Jamil went on visit-ing her without any breath of sus-picion. Buthayna was among the most beautiful of women, the most perfect in refinement and grace, and the most delightful in conversation; between her and Jamil there passed many anecdotes, verses, and gallantries, all of them cloaked in chastity and good breeding. Among

them is the cause of Jamil's first attachment to her: one day he came driving his camels until he brought them down to water in a valley called Baghid. He lay down and let his camels graze, and Buthayna's people were then encamped on one side of the valley. Buthayna came with a girl neighbor of hers to fetch water; the two passed by some kneeling camel-calves of his, and Buthayna frightened them off — she was then a little slip of a girl. Jamil abused her, and she returned his abuse and reviled him in her turn. Her railing pleased him, and from that hour he was enamored of her. Of this he says:

The first thing that drew love between us, in the valley of Baghid, O Buthayn, was an exchange of insults; we said a word to her and she returned its like — for every speech, O Buthayn, there is an answer.

Buthayna went out one festival day — women in those days would adorn themselves and gather, drawing near one another and showing themselves to the men at every feast. Jamil came and stopped where Buthayna and her sister Umm al-Husayn stood among women of the Banu al-Ahabb, and saw in them a charming sight. He sat with them and then went his way. With him were young men of the Banu al-Ahabb, and he knew that the people had recognized in his gaze his love for Buthayna and had taken it ill of him; so he left her — and composed love verses about her.

When Buthayna heard that Jamil had sung of her, she swore by God that he should never come to her

in private but she would go out to him, and that she would never hide herself from him. So he would come to her when the men were off their guard and converse with her and her sisters, until word of it reached her menfolk. They were jealous men, and they lay in wait for him with a band. He came on al-Sahba, his she-camel, and stopped before Buthayna and Umm al-Husayn as the two talked with him. While he was thus, the men sprang upon him; he loosed the camel's rein, and she shot out from among them like an arrow.

One day she promised Jamil that they would meet in a certain place, and he came at her appointment. A Bedouin arrived seeking the people's hospitality; they lodged him and entertained him, and he said to them: 'I have seen in the bed of this valley three men, scattered and hiding among the trees, and I fear for you lest they carry off some of your camels.' They knew it was Jamil and his two companions, so they set a guard over Buthayna and prevented her from keeping her promise. When morning broke, he went away downcast, thinking ill of her, and returned to his people. She met him after a long estrangement, and they exchanged reproaches at length; her father and her brother overheard her reproaches, and in them her noble and chaste love, and so they left the two to themselves. But when Buthayna's people learned of her repeated meetings, they swore together to kill him, and the Caliph declared his blood forfeit to them. The world grew narrow for Jamil; he would climb the sand dunes by night and breathe in the