"One night I could not sleep, so as soon as the morning broke, I got up, mounted on my horse and went for hunting. A few people asked me where I was going, I said - "I am going for hunting." They said - "We will also go with you." So we all fared together. Once we tried to follow an ostrich but she disappeared and we could not find it again. We found the heat was scorching us, so we looked around in search of water and found a meadow where a tent was pitched and a spear was planted beside it, its head up and shining. So we headed towards the tent. We came to a spring, but I was caught in a foolish curiosity and I went up to the door of the tent. I saw a young man, without beard, and a young maid sitting beside him. Seeing that maid I got love-stricken. I saluted the youth and asked him - "Who are you and who is this maid sitting beside you?"

He asked me - "Tell me first who are you and who are these horsemen with you?" I said - "I am Hammad, son of al-Fazaaree, the renowned knight (owning 500 horses). We were out for hunting, but found nothing. Now we are all thirsty so came to your door to get some water." He asked the maiden to bring some water and food whatever was ready. She went inside and came back with a silver bowl of cold water and another bowl of milk and dates together with some meat. I was so much in love with her, that I could neither eat nor drink but just read two couplets for her.

After that I ate and drank, and I said to the youth - "O Chief of Arabs, I have told you about me, now you tell me about yourself." The young man said - "This is my sister." Hearing this I said to him - "It is my desire that you give her to me as my wife, otherwise I will kill you and take her by force." He said - "It is good that you are a man of honor. If you will slay me and take her by force it will be a stain on your honor. As you look like a warrior, give me some time to be ready for fight, then we will fight. If I conquer you, I will kill you; or if you kill me, this maiden is yours." "Fine."

So I went to my companions and told them everything. They all consented this and came with me armed to the place where we found the young man ready for fight. But his sister ran to him weeping. He consoled her and said - "When I fall, let nobody possess you." The maiden said - "O Brother, Do you expect that after I have seen you laid down, I will give myself to your enemy?" The youth withdrew her veil, kissed her on her forehead, bade her farewell and came in the field. Then he called out one of us. A rider proceeded to fight with him, he said to him - "Tell me your name and your father's name, because I have taken a vow not to slay anyone whose name tallies with my name, and whose father's name is like my father's name. And if this will be the case, I will give this maid to you."

He told his name and it was different from his, so he fought with him and killed him. Thus the youth went on killing whoever went forward to fight with him. Seeing this, I thought, "If I fight with him, I will not be able to win him, and if I run away it will be a shame for me." But at the same time the youth came and hurdled me and I fainted on the ground. He wanted to kill me, when the maiden came, being happy at the victory of her brother and saved me from him. He asked her to take me in and look after me hospitably because I was his dependent now.

I was ashamed on my condition of being captive, then I thought that that maiden was the cause of all this. I looked at her beauty and admired it. Then she brought some food for her brother and asked me to eat with him. Then I got assured that I would not be slain. After eating he asked me - "Do you know who I am?" I said - "No." He said - "O Hammad, My name is Abbaad bin Tameem bin Saalaabaah." Then we drank wine and he swore me that I would never betray him. Then he asked his sister to bring me 10 suits of silk and gave them to me. This dress which I am wearing now is one of them. Then he got me one of his best she-camel and a horse and gave them to me.

I stayed there for three days and he gave me many gifts. They all are with me till now. Fourth day he said to me - "My Brother, Now I will sleep and I trust my life to you, but if you see horsemen here, you should know that they are of Baanoo Saalaabaah seeking to wage war on me." So he slept keeping his sword under his pillow. When he had slept, I was tempted to slay him. So I arose and taking out the sword from under his pillow, I cut his head. His sister came and wept bitterly at his corpse. Then she said to me - "What you have done to him, when he wanted to return you to your native land with provisions and to marry me to you?" And she planted a sword in the ground, its point up, and threw herself on it, till its blade passed through her chest.

I wept and wept, took some things from there which I could carry and ran away from there without caring for the corpses."

End of Story No 76