Prevod

She said: It has reached me, O fortunate king, that the maidens came up to Ma‘n carrying three waterskins. He asked them for a drink, and they gave him water. Then he asked his servants for something to give the maidens, but found that they had no money with them. So he gave each maiden ten arrows from his quiver, their heads made of gold. One of them said to her two companions, “Such noble manners could belong to none but Ma‘n ibn Za’idah. Let each of you recite some verses in his praise.” The first said:

He tips his arrows with pure gold, and in his bounty lets them fly at foes, so wounded men may pay to heal their wounds, and those who dwell in graves may buy their shrouds. The second said:

A warrior whose hands are so profuse in gifts, his bounty reaches friend and foe alike. His arrowheads are fashioned out of gold, lest war should keep him from his generosity. The third said:

So generous is he, he shoots his foes with arrows tipped with gold refined and pure, that wounded men may spend it on their cures, and those they kill may purchase shrouds with it. It is also related that Ma‘n ibn Za’idah once rode out hunting with his companions. A herd of gazelles came near them, and they scattered in pursuit. Ma‘n rode off alone after one gazelle, and when he caught it, he dismounted and slaughtered it. Then he saw a man approaching out of the wilderness on a donkey. He mounted his horse and rode to meet him, greeted him, and asked, “Where have you come from?” The man replied, “I have come from the land of Quda‘ah. It has suffered drought for several years, but this year it has grown fertile again. I planted a patch of melons and cucumbers, and it bore fruit out of season. So I gathered the finest cucumbers and set out for the emir Ma‘n ibn Za’idah, whose generosity is renowned and whose kindness is told far and wide.” Ma‘n asked, “How much do you hope to receive from him?” “A thousand dinars,” he answered. “And if he tells you that is too much?” “Five hundred dinars.” “And if he says that is too much?” “Three hundred dinars.” “And if he says that is too much?” “Two hundred dinars.” “And if he says that is too much?” “A hundred dinars.” “And if he says that is too much?” “Fifty dinars.” “And if he says that is too much?” “Thirty dinars.” “And if he says that is too much?” “Then I shall plant my donkey’s hooves in his harem and return to my family empty-handed.” Ma‘n laughed at his words, then spurred his horse until he caught up with his retinue. On reaching his residence, he told his chamberlain, “If a man comes to you on a donkey, bringing cucumbers, admit him to my presence.” An hour later the man arrived, and the chamberlain gave him leave to enter. When he came before the emir Ma‘n, he did not recognize him as the man he had met in the wilderness, such was his imposing dignity and grandeur, surrounded by servants and attendants, seated in state, with retainers standing to his right, to his left, and before him. When the man had greeted him, the emir asked, “What brings you here, brother of the Arabs?” He replied, “I have placed my hopes in the emir and brought him cucumbers out of season.” “How much do you hope to receive from us?” “A thousand dinars.” “That is too much.” “Five hundred dinars.” “Too much.” “Three hundred dinars.” “Too much.” “Two hundred dinars.” “Too much.” “A hundred dinars.” “Too much.” “Fifty dinars.” “Too much.” “Thirty dinars.” “Too much.” The man exclaimed, “By God, that fellow I met in the wilderness was an ill omen! Can it really be less than thirty dinars?” Ma‘n laughed and said nothing. Then the Bedouin realized that this was the man he had met in the wilderness, and said, “My lord, if you will not produce the thirty dinars, there is the donkey tied at the door, and here sits Ma‘n!” Ma‘n laughed until he fell back upon his back. Then he summoned his steward and said, “Give him a thousand dinars, and five hundred dinars, and three hundred dinars, and two hundred dinars, and a hundred dinars, and fifty dinars, and thirty dinars—and leave the donkey tied where it is.” The Bedouin was dumbfounded, and received the two thousand one hundred and eighty dinars. May God have mercy upon them all.