Page:Gems of Arabic Literature.djvu/68

 Faithful, 'Umar, the son of Al-Khattāb who will allot thee something from the Public Treasury?' Thereupon she answered him, 'May God not spare 'Umar's life, and may He pull down his Standard! for by God! he has oppressed me.' When 'Umar heard these words, he trembled, and said to her, 'O aunt! in what way has the son of Al-Khattāb oppressed thee?' She replied, 'Yes, by God! he has wronged us. Surely a king should inquire into the condition of every one of his subjects; and then, perhaps, he would find among them one who like myself, is in straitened circumstances, having many children and no helper or assistant. It is his duty to supply the poor man's wants, and grant him from the Public Treasury something on which to feed his household, and his children. Then 'Umar said to her, 'How can 'Umar know of thy circumstances, thy poverty, and thy having so many children? It was thy duty to go and inform him of thy condition.' She replied, 'No, by God! surely it is the duty of a good king to inquire into the wants of his subjects one and all. A person in dire poverty may perhaps have been overcome by a sense of shame, and thus prevented from going to the king to inform him of his condition. It is, therefore, rather the duty of 'Umar to inquire into the condition of the poor amongst his subjects, than that the poor man should go to the king to inform him of his condition. Neglect to do this constitutes an act of oppression on the part of a good king. It is the law of God, and whoever transgresses it is surely doing wrong.' Thereupon 'Umar said to her, 'O aunt! thou speakest the truth; but keep the children occupied, and I will return to thee immediately .'

He then went out, and I with him. The last watch of the night remained. We walked on, and the dogs barked at us, but I drove them away, defending him and myself, until we reached the storehouse which he himself opened and entered. He commanded me, and I entered with him;