Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/270

Rh "And a slave-girl to prepare the game, and cook it for us," continued the other.

"Give him a slave-girl," said es-Saffâh.

Then Abu-Dulâmah said, "These, O Commander of the Faithful! form a family, and without question they must have a house to live in."

"Give him a house which will hold them all," said es-Saffâh.

Presently Abu-Dulâmah added, "But though they have a house, whence are the means of living to come?"

Es-Saffâh made answer, "Verily I bestow upon thee ten ghamîrât villages in the plains of the children of Israel."

"What is the meaning of ghamîrât, O Commander of the Faithful?" asked Abu-Dulâmah.

"That which is uncultivated," answered es-Saffâh.

"Then," said Abu-Dulâmah, "I bestow upon thee, O Commander of the Faithful! a hundred ghamîrât villages in the plains of the Benu-Saʾad."