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Then said I to him, ‘O Otbeh, I have brought with me great store of wealth, wherewith I desire to succour men of merit; and by Allah, I will lavish it before thee, so thou mayst come to thy desire and more than thy desire! Come with me to the assembly of the Ansaris.’ So we arose and went, till we came to their assembly, when I saluted them and they returned my greeting on goodly wise. Then said I to them, ‘O assembly, what say ye of Otbeh and his father?’ And they answered, saying, ‘They are of the chiefs of the Arabs.’ Quoth I, ‘Know that he is smitten with the calamity of love and I desire your furtherance to Es Semaweh.’[1] And they said, ‘We hear and obey.’ So they mounted with us and we rode till we drew near the place of the Benou Suleim.
When Ghitrif heard of our coming, he hastened forth to meet us, saying, ‘Long life to you, O nobles!’ ‘And to thee also!’ answered we. ‘Behold we are thy guests.’ Quoth he, ‘Ye have lighted down at a most hospitable and well-furnished abode.’ So saying, he alighted and cried out, ‘Ho, all ye serving folk, come down!’ So the slaves came down and spread rugs and cushions and slaughtered sheep and cattle; but we said, ‘We will not taste of thy victual, till thou have accomplished our need.’ ‘And what is your need?’ asked he. Quoth we, ‘We demand thy noble daughter in marriage for the illustrious and well-born Otbeh ben Hubab ben Mundhir.’ ‘O my brethren,’ said he, ‘she whom you demand is her own mistress, and I will go in to her and tell her?’ So he arose in anger and went in to Reyya, who said to him, ‘O my father, why do I see anger apparent on thee?’ And he answered, saying, ‘Certain of the Ansaris have come to demand thy hand of me in marriage.’ Quoth she, ‘They are noble chiefs; the Prophet, on whom be the most excellent of blessings and
- ↑ Semaweh (hod. Semeva), a place on the left bank of the Euphrates, about midway between Cufa and Bassora.
