Sire of Sires.

* * * * * Author's Note: Have you ever read the older Black Stallion books and wondered what was Ziyadah really like and did he have the same speed as his firstborn son The Black have? In this story, I'll delve into Ziyadah's past, his sire and dam's names(which are made up names I have created since Walter Farley didn't state his sire or dam's names or did he? If anyone knows their names, please send me an e-mail so I may correct it.) and his mysterious 'death' and his hiding area before Alec, Henry and the Black found him in the book The Black Stallion Mystery. As always, this story is not in any ways stealing from the Farley family, I'm only borrowing the names for this story. Please read and review. Thank you. * * * * *

The Sire of Sires.

Ziyadah's story of his life and death.

The great mountains of Arabia held a mystery of mysteries, the Sire that created a great line of horses were created there. A lone Bedouin stood watch over a small herd of mares all fat with foals. A song was sung towards the mares praying to Allah to watch over the mares as they give birth to healthy foals that night. The lone Bedouin prayed fervently to one flaxen chestnut mare which her coat looked black in the night she held a prize foal within her.

"Oh mighty Allah, grant us a colt from Zahirah so we may replace Zafir the sire of my father's hopes and dreams will live on in him." prayed the Bedouin, as he gazed at the mare.

He recalled the breeding of that mare Zahirah, she was of the purest Arabian mare in the whole herd, she had outshined her other sisters for the right to be bred to Zafir. The chestnut stallion was prancing in front of Zahirah as was she.

"Father, it's time." Abu Ben Ishak said, looking at his father. His father nodded and the stallion was given his freedom and the mare's hers. The two met up in the middle of the breeding ring and quickly mated.

Right after the mating happened the stallion collapsed. Abu Ben Ishak and his father raced to the side of the stallion and looked at each other as Abu's father shook his head.

"Zafir is dead!" Abu Ben Ishak cried out. Years of careful breeding went down the drain by the death of this one stallion.

"All is not lost, my son. If Zahirah is pregnant and with a colt then the line that our family created will not be totally lost by Zafir's death. His son shall carry on the line that we have created for a long time to come." Abu's father said gently.

"But what if the foal is a filly?"

"Then, we will have to accept what Allah gives us. Just pray that Allah grants us a colt." Abu's father said as he walked back to the house that overlooked the valley.

Three months later, Zahirah was checked by Abu's father and the news was favorable. The mare was pregnant. Abu's father was relieved that she was as if she hadn't accepted the seeds of life from Zafir, the line of his father's work of getting a great Arabian strain would be ended forever.

Nine months later, Zahirah was now in the paddock with the other pregnant mares. Abu Ben Ishak watched the mares with passion in his eyes, praying that the foal would be a colt and a prize color too. Zafir's coat color was chestnut and Zahirah's was a flaxen chestnut. The color would probably be a shining chestnut or a golden chestnut color. He didn't really know which to expect when the foal was born. But he prayed that the foal would be a colt with the speed of a mountain cat.

He watched as the mare laid down in the sand and started to give birth to the foal that was within her womb. Abu Ben Ishak walked to the mare and placed his hand on her belly and watched as she gave birth.

"A colt! Praise Allah! The foal is a colt!" cried Abu Ben Ishak, as he stroked the mare's wet skin. He kissed the mare's forehead, went back up to the ridge and fired off his rifle three times which to his brethren marked the mare's birth of a colt.