my clothes.” “From whence?”
“From behind me.” “Where art
thou going?” “Before me.” “Upon
what dost thou travel?” “Upon the earth”
Hyjauje, vexed at the pertness of the youth, exclaimed,
“Quit this trifling, and inform me whence thou
comest.” “From Egypt.”
“Art thou from Cairo?” “Why askest
thou?” said the boy?” “Because,”
replied Hyjauje, “her sands are of gold, and
her river Nile miraculously fruitful; but her women
are wanton, free to every conqueror, and her men unstable.”
“I am not from thence, but from Damascus,”
cried the youth.” “Then,” said
Hyjauje, “thou art from a most rebellious place,
filled with wretched inhabitants, a wavering race,
neither Jews nor Christians.” “But
I am not from thence,” replied the youth, “but
from Khorassan.” “That is a most impure
country,” said Hyjauje, “whose religion
is worthless, for the inhabitants are of all barbarians
the most savage. Plunderers of flocks, they know
not mercy, their poor are greedy, and their rich men
misers.” “I am not of them,”
cried the youth, “but of Moussul.”
“Then,” exclaimed Hyjauje, “thou
art of an unnatural and adulterous race, whose youths
are catamites, and whose old men are obstinate as
asses.” “But I am from Yemen,”
said the boy. “If so,” answered the
tyrant, “thou belongest to a comfortless region,
where the most honourable profession is robbery, where
the middling ranks tan hides, and where a wretched
poor spin wool and weave coarse mantles.”
“But I am from Mecca,” said the boy.”
“Then,” replied Hyjauje, “thou comest
from a mine of perverseness, stupidity, ignorance,
and slothfulness; for from among its people God raised
up his prophet, whom they disbelieved, rejected, and
forced away to a strange nation, who loved, venerated,
and assisted him in spite of the men of Mecca.
But whence comest thou, youth? for thy pertness is
become troublesome, and my inclination leads me to
punish thee for thy impertinence.” “Had
I been assured that thou durst kill me,” cried
the youth, “I should not have appeared before
thee; but thou canst not.” “Woe to
thee, rash boy,” exclaimed Hyjauje; “who
is he that can prevent my executing thee instantly?”
“To thee be thy woe,” replied the youth:
“he can prevent thee who directs man and his
inmost thoughts, and who never falsifieth his gracious
promises.” “He it is,” cried
the tyrant, “who instigates me to put thee to
death.” “Withhold thy blaspheming,”
replied the youth; “it is not God, but Satan
that prompts thy mind to my murder, and with God I
hope for refuge from the accursed: but know,
that I am from the glorious Medina, the seat of religion,
virtue, respectability, and honour, descended of the
race of Bin Ghalib, and family of Ali, son of Abou
Talib, whom God has glorified and approved, and will
protect all his posterity, which you would extirpate;
but you cannot root it out, for it will flourish even
to the last day of the existence of this world.”