Pagina 130 di 1116

Know-that I am a Jinniyah, and as I saw thee my heart loved thee

by will of the Lord, for I am a believer in Allah and in His

Apostle (whom Heaven bless and preserve!). Thereupon I came to

thee conditioned as thou sawest me and thou didst marry me, and

see now I have saved thee from sinking. But I am angered against

thy brothers and assuredly I must slay them." When I heard her

story I was surprised and, thanking her for all she had done, I

said, "But as to slaying my brothers this must not be." Then I

told her the tale of what had come to pass with them from the

beginning of our lives to the end, and on hearing it quoth she,

"This night will I fly as a bird over them and will sink their

ship and slay them." Quoth I, "Allah upon thee, do not thus, for

the proverb saith, O thou who doest good to him that doth evil,

leave the evil doer to his evil deeds.