’Ali had been some time seated at the meal, when he, knowing they had no means of procuring it, looked steadily on Fatima, and inquired where she had secreted this delicious food; at the same time recurring to the two days’ fast they had endured.  “Rebuke her not, my son,” said Mahumud; “Fatima is the favoured of Heaven, as was Myriam[22] (Mary), the mother of Esaee[23] (Jesus), who, living in her uncle Zechareah’s[24] (Zachariah’s) house, was provided by God with the choicest of fruits.  Zechareah was poor, and oft he hungered for a meal; but when he entered Myriam’s apartment, a fresh supply of rare fruits was wont to greet his eye.  Zechareah asked, Whence had ye these precious gifts?  Myriam answered, An angel from God places the fruit before me; eat, my uncle, and be satisfied."’

The writer thus leaves the story of the miraculous food to Fatima’s prayer, and goes on as follows:—­

’At another season of the fast, this family of charity endured a severe trial, which was miraculously and graciously rewarded.  Fatima had a female slave, who shared with her equally the comforts and the toils of life.

’The food allotted to every member of Ali’s family was two small barley cakes for each day; none had more or less throughout the family.  The labour of domestic affairs was shared by Fatima with her female slave, and each took their day for grinding the barley at the chuckee,[25] with which the cakes were made.

’On the—­day of Rumzaun, the corn was ground as usual, the cakes made, and the moment for opening the fast anxiously anticipated, by this abstemious family.  The evening arrived, and when the family had fulfilled their prayer-duty, the party assembled round the homely dustha-khawn with thankful hearts, and countenances beaming with perfect content.  All had their allotted portions, but none had yet tasted of their cakes, when the voice of distress caught their ears.  “Give me, oh, give me, for the love of God! something to relieve my hunger and save my famishing family from perishing.”  Fatima caught up her barley cakes, and ran out to the supplicant, followed by her husband, the two children, and the slave.  The cakes were given to the distressed creature, and as they comprised their whole stock, no further supply awaited their returning steps, nor even a substitute within the bare walls of their cottage; a few grains of salt had been left from cooking the barley cakes, and each took a little of the small quantity, to give a relish to the water they now partook of freely; and then retired to sleep away the remembrance of hunger.

’The next day found them all in health, and with hearts at peace; the day was passed in useful occupation, and when evening drew nigh, the same humble fare was ready for the fasting family, whose appetites were doubly keen by the lengthened abstinence.  Again they meet to partake in gratitude the great gift of Divine goodness, wholesome sustenance; when, lo! the sound of sorrowing distress, petitioning in the holy name adored by these pious souls,—­“For the Love of God!”—­arrested their attention.  An appeal so urgently made carried with it a command to their devout hearts, and the meal so long delayed to their own necessities was again surrendered to the beggar’s prayers.