e
grew to such a pitch that feeling her heart completely lost to him, she
spoke to her mother and said: "O mother, should my cousin leave without
taking me in his company, I shall die of grief at his absence." Then her
mother was touched with pity for her, and uttered no reproaches, feeling
that they would be in vain. "Djaida," she said, "conceal your feelings,
and restrain yourself from grief. You have done nothing improper, for
your cousin is the man of your choice, and is of your own blood. Like
him, you are fair and attractive; like him, brave and skilful in
horsemanship. Tomorrow morning, when his mother approaches us, I will
reveal to her the whole matter; we will soon afterwards give you to him
in marriage, and finally we will all return to our own country."

The wife of Zahir waited patiently until the following morning, when the
mother of Khaled arrived. She then presented her daughter, whose head
she uncovered, so as to allow the hair to fall to her shoulders. At the
sight of such charms the mother of Khaled was beyond measure astonished,
and exclaimed: "What! is not this your son Djonder?" "No! it is
Djaida--she the moon of beauty, at last has risen." Then she told her
all that had passed between herself and her husband, and how and why
they had concealed the sex of their child. "Dear kinswoman," replied the
mother of Khaled, still quite surprised, "among all the daughters of
Arabia who have been celebrated for their beauty I have never seen one
more lovely than this one. What is her name?" "I have already told you
that it is Djaida, and my especial purpose in telling you the secret is
to offer you all these charms, for I ardently desire to marry my
daughter to your son, so that we may all be able to return to our own
land." The mother of Khaled at once assented to this proposal, and said:
"The possession of Djaida will doubtless render my son very happy." She
at once rose and went out to look for Khaled, and communicated to him
all she had seen and learned, not failing to extol especially the charms
of Djaida. "By the faith of an Arab," said she, "never, my son, have I
seen in the desert, or in any city, a girl such as your cousin; I do not
except the most beautiful. Nothing is so perfect as she is, nothing more
lovely and attractive. Make haste, my son, to see your uncle and ask him
for his daughter in marriage. You will be happy indeed if he grants your
prayer: Go, my son, and do not waste time in winning h