POEMS OF THE MAGHREB
[Translated by M.C. Sonneck and Chauncey C. Starkweather]
ALI'S ANSWER
[ARGUMENT.--It is related that a young man named Aly ben Bou Fayd, falling in love with a young woman, begged his father to ask her in marriage for him. His father refused. Angered, Aly procured a gun, engraved his name upon it, and betook himself to the chase. His father having claimed this gun he answered:]
You ask the gun I have that bears my name.
I will not give it, save against my will.
How comes it, father, that you treat me thus?
You say, "Bring back the gun to put in pledge."
Now, may God pardon you for acting thus!