said: 'Which maidservant do you choose from them? Take her, may Allah bless her for you.'

He cast his eyes upon one of the maidservants and took her. I ordered her belongings to be brought, and they were brought. I vacated a place for them in the house and put them in it. They remained in the place until that became apparent to my brother. He sent me a note blaming me for what I had done and wrote him a note summoning him.

We went out to him, and he asked about what had happened between us. He told him the story without decreasing or adding to it. My brother said to him: 'It was not así that you should have acted. Now you have opposed me, and I do not choose to assist you or be near you. If you need anything to assist you in your affair, go to the chest containing the money and take what you like from it.'

Then he ordered me to bring the maidservant, all her belongings, and everything I had given him. I brought everything and gave it to him. He went to the chest and took all that was in it. My brother summoned for him something to ride and something to carry the maidservant. Everything was brought, it was loaded, and he traveled. I bid him farewell and returned to my house, my heart occupied with him and my brother.

I spent my night in that state. In the morning, when the day had risen high, the maidservant suddenly arrived, and the man was not with her. When I saw her, I was terrified and said to her: 'Woe to you! What has happened to you both?' She said to me: 'O my master, we traveled until evening overtook us, and we stayed in a lodging. When morning approached, we were loaded and we traveled. While we were traveling, a man appeared to us and said: "Leave this maidservant alone!" The man refused, so the stranger threw a stone at his face; his tongue was cut out, his molars and teeth fell out, and he fell dead. I returned, and no one followed me, nor did I see the man who appeared to him.'