Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/281

252 Then he turned towards Ibrahîm, and asked, "Art thou acquainted with the dialect of thy people?"

He replied, "Yes."

"Then what is the name of the eye?" asked Khâlid.

"The observer," said Ibrahîm.

"And what is the name of the tooth?"

"The labourer," he answered.

"And what is the name of the ear?"

"The listener," said he.

"And what is the name of the fingers?"

"The holders," answered Ibrahîm.

"And what is the name of the beard?"

"The thick hair," he replied.

"And what is the name of the wolf?"

"The avoider," he made answer.

Then Khâlid asked him, "Art thou a believer in Allâh's book?"

"I am," said Ibrahîm.

"But," continued Khâlid, "of a truth the Most High says, 'Verily We have caused to descend the Arabian Kurân, that perchance ye may be instructed.' And the Most High speaks in the plain Arabian tongue, and He says, 'We have not sent a