[484]. See vol. iii., p. [239]. The system is that of the Roman As and Unciæ. Here it would be the twenty-fourth part of a dinar or miskal; something under 5d. I have already noted that all Moslem rulers are religiously bound to some handicraft, if it be only making toothpicks. Mohammed abolished kingship proper as well as priestcraft.
THE MOSLEM CHAMPION AND THE CHRISTIAN DAMSEL.
The Commander of the Faithful, Omar bin al-Khattáb (whom Allah accept!), once levied for holy war an army of Moslems, to encounter the foe before Damascus, and they laid close siege to one of the Christians’ strongholds. Now there were amongst the Moslems two men, brothers, whom Allah had gifted with fire and bold daring against the enemy; so that the commander of the besieged fortress said to his chiefs and braves, “Were but yonder two Moslems ta’en or slain, I would warrant you against the rest of their strain.” Wherefore they left not to set for them all manner of toils and snares and ceased not to manœuvre and lie in wait and ambush for them, till they took one of them prisoner and slew the other who died a martyr. They carried the captive to the Captain of the fort, who looked at him and said, “Verily, to kill this man were indeed a pity; but his return to the Moslem would be a calamity.”—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the enemy carried their Moslem captive before the Captain of the fort, the Christian looked at him and said, “Verily to kill this man were a pity indeed; but his return to the Moslem would be a calamity. Oh that he might be brought to embrace the Nazarene Faith and be to us an aid and an arm!” Quoth one of his Patrician Knights, “O Emir, I will tempt him to abjure his faith and on this wise: we know that the Arabs are much addicted to women, and I have a daughter, a perfect beauty, whom when he sees, he will be seduced by her.” Quoth the Captain, “I give him into thy charge.” So he carried him to his place and clad his daughter in raiment, such as added to her beauty and loveliness. Then he brought the Moslem into the room and set before him food and made the fair girl stand in his presence, as she were a handmaid obedient to her lord and awaiting his orders that she might do his bidding. When the Moslem saw the evil sent down upon him, he commended himself to Allah Almighty and closing his eyes, applied himself to worship and to reciting the Koran. Now he had a pleasant voice and a piercing wit; and the Nazarene damsel presently loved him with passionate love and pined for him with extreme repine. This lasted seven days, at the end of which she said to herself, “Would to Heaven he would admit me into the Faith of Al-Islam!” And the tongue of her case recited these couplets:—
Wilt turn thy face from heart that’s all thine own, ✿ This heart thy ransom and this soul thy wone?
I’m ready home and kin to quit for aye, ✿ And every Faith for that of sword[[485]] disown:
I testify that Allah hath no mate: ✿ This proof is stablished and this truth is known.
Haply shall deign He union grant with one ✿ Averse, and hearten heart love-overthrown;
For ofttimes door erst shut, is opened wide, ✿ And after evil case all good is shown.