They embraced each other and separated. The desolate girl wandered, weeping, from mountain to mountain, while the boy took the garment that had been dipped in lamb’s blood, and returned all the [[189]]long way to the Hejaz and gave it to his father, saying:
“Here, my father! Receive the bloody garment of your daughter, which I have brought in fulfillment of your command.”
“Now shall my house be saved from the tongue of slanderers!” were the only words of the father as he received the token which meant, to him, the death of his only daughter.
Let these remain here while we return to the wandering girl.
After walking and walking from one mountain to another, she came upon a spring, beside which grew a tree. She drank of the delicious water, then sat down in the shade of the tree to rest. But it was evident that wild animals were upon the mountain, and with the coming of evening the helpless girl wondered what she should do. As she looked about her, the tree seemed to lean down its branches as if in invitation. Taking this as a sign, she climbed near to its top and remained there that night.
Now, it so happened that the son of the king of that country had been hunting for ten days and nights. Upon the morning he came to the spring, dismounted, and led his horse down to drink. The horse was about to touch his lips to the water when [[190]]he saw the reflection of the young girl upon the surface, drew back suddenly, and would not be persuaded to drink. All the urging of his master was of no avail, although the prince knew that the poor creature was much in need of water.
The surprised young man glanced about him in wonder at the strange occurrence, when he caught sight of the girl, sitting in breathless fear of being discovered.
“Are you a maiden or a fairy?” he asked, his heart beating.
“I am only a maiden.”
“That is much better. May it please you to descend. And if you will do me the honor to accompany me to my father’s palace, this will be my ‘bag’ for to-day.”