The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman: The Arabic Epic of Dhat al-Himma

The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman: The Arabic Epic of Dhat al-Himma

Published in English for the first time, and the only Arabic epic named for a woman, The Tale of Princess Fatima 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. A Penguin Classic A 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. Longlisted for the National Translation Award in Prose “Gripping . . . Introduc[es] a feminist icon to new audiences.” — Esquire “[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.” ― Arab News “Highly approachable . . . Magidow has done a remarkable job in making the mediaeval Arab story of Dhat al-Himma available to English-speaking readers.” ― Al-Ahram Weekly “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 The Odyssey , as much storytelling inventiveness as The Arabian Nights , and as much exploration of battle and conflict as The Iliad . . . . [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.” ― The Fantasy Hive “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.” ― The Complete Review “A narrative that overflows with intrigue, adventure, and political dealings, all held together by the legendary heroine at the story’s center.” ― Words Without Borders “[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.” ― Newlines Magazine “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.” ― M. Lynx Qualey, Bulaq podcast “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, The Song of Roland . . . . It’s something I think that people will want to read just in the same way that people like to read these Norse epics, like Egil’s Saga or even the chivalric romances. . . . I’ve read it twice now, and I’ve really enjoyed it.” ― Peter Konieczny, Medievalists.net podcast “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.” ― Jason Porath, author of Rejected Princesses “In her beautiful translation, Melanie