Who is this that hath guarded my honour and whose honour I have
violated, and who hath protected my harem, whilst I have enslaved
his?' 'Ghanim ben Eyoub,' replied she; 'for by thy munificence, O
Commander of the Faithful, he never approached me by way of
lewdness nor with evil intent!' Then said the Khalif, 'There is
no power and no virtue but in God! Ask what thou wilt of me, O
Cout el Culoub, and it shall be granted to thee.' 'O Commander of
the Faithful,' said she, 'I ask of thee my beloved Ghanim ben
Eyoub.' The Khalif granted her prayer, and she said, 'O Commander
of the Faithful, if I bring him to thee, wilt thou bestow me on
him?' 'If he come,' replied the Khalif, 'I will bestow thee on
him, the gift of a generous man who does not go back on his
giving.' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' said she, 'suffer me to
go in quest of him: it may be God will unite me with him.' 'Do
what seemeth good to thee,' answered he. So she rejoiced and
taking with her a thousand dinars, went out and visited the
elders of the various religious orders and gave alms for Ghanim's
sake. Next day she went to the merchants' bazaar and told the
chief of the market what she sought and gave him money, saying,
'Bestow this in alms on strangers.' The following week she took
other thousand dinars and going to the market of the goldsmiths
and jewellers, called the syndic and gave him the money, saying,
'Bestow this in alms on strangers.
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