أَلا مَن مُبلِغٌ فِتيانَ فَهمٍ

بِما لاقَيتُ عِندَ رَحى بِطانِ

O you who can inform the perceptive youths,

Of what I met at the mill of the qirān,

بِأَنّي قَد لَقيتُ الغولَ تَهوي

بِسَهبٍ كَالصَحيفَةِ صَحصَحانِ

That I met a ghoul rushing

With a gazed like parchment being shaken.

فَقُلتُ لَها كِلانا نِضوُ أَينٍ

أَخو سَفَرٍ فَخَلّي لي مَكاني

So I said to her, both of us dismount;

A traveler's brother, so make room for me.

فَشَدَّت شَدَّةً نَحوي فَأَهوى

لَها كَفّي بِمَصقولٍ يَماني

She came at me aggressively, so I struck

At her with my Yemeni sword, polished and keen.

فَأَضرِبُها بِلا دَهَشٍ فَخَرَّت

صَريعاً لِليَدَينِ وَلِلجِرانِ

I struck her without hesitation, and she fell

Vanquished by the blows of my hands and elbows.

فَقالَت عُد فَقُلتُ لَها رُوَيداً

مَكانَكِ إِنَّني ثَبتُ الجَنانِ

She said, “Let me go,” and I said, “Stay still,

This is your place, for I am resolute.”

فَلَم أَنفَكُّ مُتَّكِئً لَدَيها

لِأَنظُرَ مُصبِحاً ماذا أَتاني

I did not stop leaning over her

To see what the morning would bring me,

إِذا عَينانِ في رَأسٍ قَبيحٍ

كَرَأسِ الهِرِّ مَشقوقِ اللِسانِ

When two eyes in an ugly head appeared,

Like the head of a cat with split tongue.

وَساقا مُخدَجٍ وَشَواةُ كَلبٍ

وَثَوبٌ مِن عَباءٍ أَو شَنانِ

And legs with elephantiasis and dog paws,

Wearing a cloak or rough garment.