"'In God's name, then, welcome! Silence there, curs!'
"Abd el Hakk approached.
"'God bless thee, my mother, and repay thee a thousand-fold!'
"But Záïdah herself was poor. Her property consisted only of a hut and some fowls. She set before him eggs—two, hard-boiled,—bread also. He thanked God. He ate.
"'Yes, God will repay,' she said.
"Next day Abd el Hakk passed on to Marrákesh. There God blessed him. Years passed on; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Abd el Hakk[page 165] was rich. Melûdi the lawyer disliked him. Said he to Widow Záïdah—
"'Abd el Hakk, whom once thou succouredst, is rich. The two eggs were never yet paid for. Hadst thou not given them to him they would have become two chickens. These would each have laid hundreds. Those hundreds, when hatched, would have laid their thousands. In seven years, think to what amount Abd el Hakk is indebted to thee. Sue him.'
"Widow Záïdah listened. What is more, she acted. Abd el Hakk failed to appear to rebut the claim. He was worth no more.
"'Why is the defendant not here?' asked the judge.
"'My lord,' said his attorney, 'he is gone to sow boiled beans.'