"Did he swear it?"
"Ay, by the bones of the Three in the Tomb of the Prophet."
At another fire, the following:
"Yes, I have chosen my palace already. It is on the hill over there in the west."
And again:
"Tell us, O son of Mousa, when we are in the town what will you look for?"
"The things I most want."
"Well, what things?"
"May the Jinn fill thy stomach with green figs for such a question of my mother's son! What things? Two horses out of the Emperor's stable. And thou—what wilt thou put thy hand to first?"
"Oh, I have not made up my mind! I am thinking of a load of gold for my camel—enough to take my father and his three wives to Mecca, and buy water for them from the Zem-zem. Praised be Allah!"