Princess Sultana's Circle

Skillfully, they directed the flow of the water directly
into their throats without splashing a single drop on their
lips.
    When Tahani began to tell a
Bedouin love story, Ali interrupted her, scoffing at such
sentiments.
    Much to my dismay, Tahani
fell silent immediately.
    Ali looked toward the
youngest children, sternly saying, “These tales of love will bend
your mind in the wrong direction. The most important lesson of all,
is to be learned from the story I am about to tell you.”
    I exchanged a glance with
Sara, but remembering my promise to Kareem that I would not fight
with my brother while on this trip, I attempted to feign
interest.
    Even surrounded by so many
women of his own family, my brother could not control his deep bias
against women! Ali’s hatreds fueled his story! He had the nerve to
tell the tale of a young Bedouin man, who, after being viciously
attacked by members of a rival tribe, and grievously wounded, had
his life saved by a woman who was a stranger to him. That young man
had been so revolted to discover an unknown woman’s hands on his
body that he had spat in the woman’s face, and called out for her
to be stoned! Ali looked at his young sons and nephews, and,
confident in his exalted role as a wise elder, he told the
impressionable young men and boys that it was better to die at the
hands of male attackers than to be saved by a strange
woman!
    My mouth fell open at the
audacity of my brother! To keep from speaking up, I was forced to
hold my tongue between my teeth.
    Ali’s story met with
disapproval from every corner, but everyone was far more polite
than Ali deserved, and to my disappointment, no furor of criticism
fell on his ears.
    The female faces were still
sullen when Kareem cleared his throat and offered a final story. My
heart went out to my husband, for it was apparent to me that he
wanted our young children to retire to sleep with other ideas in
their minds than Ali’s perverse tale.
    Kareem directed his
attention to the children and young adults. “Dear children, the
most desirable trait any person can claim is generosity and
hospitality. And, it is my pleasure to tell you about an Arab man
who was the most generous man ever to live.”
    My husband then told a
popular Bedouin story that touches the heart of every Arab, for
nothing impresses us more than stories of great
generosity.
    “ It is said that all great
men are born in small tents. And, this was the case with Sheik
Hatim. He was born in a small tent, but through hard work, raised
himself to be one of the richest Sheiks who pastured their herds in
the great desert.
    “ This Sheik’s name was in
every man’s mouth, not because of his wealth, but due to that great
Arab virtue, generosity, which he practiced more faithfully than
any man alive. Sheik Hatim gave to all who asked, and never
questioned the need of anyone. He refused no one’s request, not
even his enemies. Once four hundred starving men, women, and
children traveled from drought-scorched hills to this Sheik’s tent.
What did he do? He killed and roasted fifty camels to supply them
with meat.
    “ The Sultan of Roum,
hearing about this Sheik, was certain that his generosity was a
pretense, that it was a way of advertising himself and the things
he had for sale. The Sultan decided to send his men to ask Sheik
Hatim for his most prized possession, a precious stallion known
throughout the land, to see if the Sheik was as generous as people
said.
    “ This stallion, named
Duldul, was the finest horse in all of Arabia. He had been raised
with Hatim’s children, and had shared in all the joys and sorrows
of Hatim’s household. The horse was so loved that he had never
known the touch of a whip or heard an unkind word.
    “ Well, the Sultan’s men got
lost along the way in a great storm, and when they arrived, they
were half-starved and almost dead. They were surprised to see only
three small tents, and no herds of animals, although Sheik Hatim
met them on his beloved steed, Duldul.
    “ The Sultan’s men saw
plainly that the Sheik was not expecting guests, yet he greeted
them with warmth and great hospitality. Seeing his guests in such
pitiful condition, the Sheik declared that he would prepare a
feast.
    “ After witnessing the bare
grazing land, those men were surprised when they later sat down to
a meal of delicious meat, which had been broiled, and roasted, and
made into soups and savory dishes. The hungry men declared that
they had never been