“O generous man!” was the reply, “give ear to me, for I know that the generous are concealers of secrets. Perhaps in this country thou knowest Hātim, who is of lofty mind and noble qualities. The king of Yaman desires his head, though I know not what enmity has arisen between them. Grateful shall I be if thou wilt direct me to where he is. This hope from thy kindness do I entertain, O friend.”
The youth laughed and said: “I am Hātim; see here my head! strike it from my body with thy sword. I would not that harm should befall thee, or that thou shouldst fail in thy endeavour.”
Throwing aside his sword, the man fell on the ground and kissed the dust of Hātim’s feet. “If I injured a hair on thy body,” he cried, “I should no longer be a man.” So saying, he clasped Hātim to his breast and took his way back to Yaman.
“Come,” said the king as the man approached, “what news hast thou? Why didst thou not tie his head to thy saddle-straps? Perhaps that famous one attacked thee and thou wert too weak to engage in combat.”
The messenger kissed the ground and said: “O wise and just king! I found Hātim, and saw him to be generous and full of wisdom, and in courage superior to myself. My back was bent by the burden of his favours; with the sword of kindness and bounty he killed me.”
When he had related all that he had seen of Hātim’s generosity, the king uttered praises upon the family of the Arab chief and rewarded the messenger with gold.
Story Illustrative of Misdirected Kindness
A certain man, in the ceiling of whose house some bees had built their hives, asked his wife for a butchers’ knife so that he might destroy them. “Do not so,” the woman said, “for the poor creatures will be greatly distressed when turned out of their homes.”
Accordingly, the foolish man left the bees in peace.