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[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Iain

Thank you for the this detailed outline Ibrahiim. Your interactions with Madam Ghaya Khalfan al Dhaheri were particularly interesting to read about. This is absolutely the best possible method for conducting field research these days and I am grateful for you taking the time to do this and sharing it with us.

I also look forward to hearing the tale of the Dark Cloud sword!

All the best,

Iain

Salaams Iain, ~Are you sitting comfortably? ~ Then I'll begin ~ Once upon a time ~About 100 years ago~
Rakan Ibn Suroor al Dhahiri, now recognised as a great sword maker on the Buraimi/ al Ain oasis which I believe was called Tawam in those days operated a bellows enhanced forge and using special high temperature burning wood as described. To keep the furnace hot a team of bellows men took it in turns to operate the hand blower system made of animal skins. Rakan was always in trouble at home because once started it took two days non stop work to complete a sword~ an absence which made his wife very angry !
The Sheikh .. Sheikh Zayed The Great .. and his entourage were involved in a sword fight and in his party was Rakan . The Sheikhs sword snapped in half and quickly Rakan handed him his own sword and thus without a weapon withdrew from the afray... fast! Zayed continued the fight finished off the enemy and noticed how fine had been the weapon which though given brutal hammering against the foe... seemed to be unscathed. Later as he handed back Rakans sword he remarked asking who made this fine blade? Rakan said it was he... Rakan the Swordmaker. Zayed was surprised and had heard of the master craftsman but hadnt realised he was in his group ... Rakan asked if he could make a sword for him.... and Zayed agreed.
It took 2 months on the forge to make the blade. Rakans wife would be furious!
When he delivered it to the Sheikh he was asked by Zayed... how is the blade?... to which he replied that it was an excellent edge and very strong to which he had given it the name Dark Cloud . Zayed The Great remarked that it had better be good because if it wasn't he would come back and test it on Rakan...
Soon after there was a meeting of all the leaders and a feast ensued ... preceeded by the slaughtering of a camel for the feast. An ideal opportunity to test the blade! The sheikh drew his sword and in one fell swoop cut the beast entirely in half!
Dark Cloud had spoken... In later years when the leader died the sword passed to the sons who fought and killed each other til finally Khaliffa took the weapon and hid it somewhere in the desert so it could not kill again.

Thus the story of Dark Cloud passed into folklore of The UAE.

Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.