Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/71

42 upon horseback, and I upon the ground. Give me thy word that thou wilt not kill me until I shall have mounted my horse.' So I gave him my word. Then he came forth from the place where he was, and accoutred himself with his sword-belts, and sat down on the ground. Upon which I exclaimed, 'What is this ?' And he said, 'I am not mounted on my horse, and I will not fight with thee; and if thou breakest thy plighted word, thou knowest what happens to the man who breaks his faith.' So I left him, and passed on. And he, O Commander of the Faithful! was the most crafty man I have ever seen.

"And I went out yet once again, until I came to a place about the roads of which I lay in wait to rob. But I saw no one. So I galloped my horse right and left, and lo! I perceived a horseman. And when he came near to me, behold! he was a comely youth. The hair on his cheeks grew in greater beauty than I had ever seen among even the handsomest of young men. And verily he came from the direction of el-Yemâmah. And as he approached he saluted me, and I returned his salutation, and asked, 'Who art