There is a tale told of a sheik of the Beni Khalids who was the father of but one son. Despite the smallness of his family, he counted himself blessed by Allah, for the boy was strong and well-formed. The sheik enjoyed the respect of other men for many years.

But as time passed, other leaders emerged, and the sheik watched his influence diminish. "I cannot remain here," he told his wife, "not when my people choose not to honor me." And so he left to search for a new place to live, and found rich pastures far from the Beni Khalids.

Another man had come to that place, also searching for a pasture for his herd. "Be welcome," said the Khalidi, "for in this place, God has provided enough for us both. I am of the Beni Khalids."

"Since I am a Shammari, by all rights we should be enemies," smiled the stranger. "But there is no need for that here, away from all other men."

And in the course of their conversation, the Shammari said that he been blessed with only one daughter. "I, too, have a daughter," the Khalidi lied. For he did not want to frighten his new neighbor, and make him fear for his daughter's honor.

That night he went to his son, Husam. "I have found a fine pasture, and an honorable man with which to share it," he said. "But I told him that my child was a girl, so that he would not fear for his own daughter. So you must dress as a girl, and we shall call you Halima, which is what the Shammari's daughter is called."

"I will do as you command," Husam promised, and put on the long robe and scarf and jewelry his father bought. His mother cut the hair above his brow like a girl's, and braided black silk into the back so that it looked as long as any girl's.

As soon as the Shammari's daughter Halima met her neighbor, she kissed Husam. She had feared that she would have no friends in this new home her father had found. From that moment forward, the two were seldom apart, performing tasks for their aged parents and enjoying the other's companionship.

Halima did not suspect that her friend was not a girl, but there were some things that troubled her. While she often kissed here friend in greeting, the gesture was never returned. And though Halima slept naked, she noticed that her friend never removed her clothing. "Perhaps she is shy," Halima's father said. "I do not doubt the affection she feels for you."

And so it was without guile that Halima one day suggested that they bathe together before returning home for their evening meal. "Very well," Husam said, "but we must race to the water." Husam knew he was a faster runner than Halima, and had bathed and dressed himself before she arrived. Yet he still nearly betrayed himself: when he saw Halima's naked form, in the full light of the afternoon, he fainted. Halima, worried that the heat had overcome her friend, sprinkled water upon Husam's face until he came to himself.

Halima did not have long to puzzle over her friend's strange behavior. As they returned home, they spied raiders driving off their camels, and shouted for their fathers. The two old men rode forth to confront the raiders. "We shall die if you take them all! What of the uqla?" For it was traditional for thieves who did not wish to become murderers to leave behind a portion of the herd.

"Very well, take ten camels," the raiders' leader said, and the old men protested. "We have two daughters! Will you condemn them to death?"

"No--though I may carry them off as well, if you wish to keep arguing," said the raider. "Sixteen camels, for the sake of the girls--but no more! We have families as well, and we cannot return home empty-handed. Accept what we offer you, or fight us for possession of the camels."

"Very well," the two old men agreed, and prepared to fight.

Husam heard this exchange, and ran into his tent, stripping the women's clothing from his body. "My son," his mother said with pride, giving him his sword and cloak, and hurrying to saddle his foal.

"Who shall ride that foal?" Halima asked.

"The rider will appear soon enough," Husam's mother said, and then he came forth from the tent.

"It is for your sake that I ride forth," he said to Halima. "For though I was your friend, I also love you as a man loves a woman."

And Halima recognized her playmate, and her heart sang with joy. She let down her hair and ululated in praise of Husam. He rode to meet the raiders, and unhorsed four of them before they retreated. Proudly, he led their captured mounts back to camp, and presented them to Halima.

Though he was grateful that the camels had been saved, Halima's father burned with anger. "Why did you deceive me, and dress your son in women's clothing?" he demanded of his friend. "He slept in the same tent as my daughter!"

"Forgive me--I did not want to risk frightening you away. That is why I lied," said the Khalidi. "As for Husam, he is an honorable man; I would have killed him myself, had he touched your daughter Halima.

But the Shammari could not accept this apology. That night, while Husam and his family slept, he led his own family far away.

Husam could not bear this, and his father worried for him. "We shall return to our people; perhaps the sight of other girls and boys will restore your happiness." And so they returned to the Beni Khalids, but now they were richer than they had been before. They widened the size of their house, greeted more and more guests, and soon Husam's father was again held in high regard.

But none of this had the power to cure the pain in Husam's breast. His parents worried for his health, but it was his friend Hussein who diagnosed the problem. "You are in love, my friend."

Husam admited the truth, and told his friend the entire tale. "Come hunting with me tomorrow," Hussein said. "Perhaps this will help to distract you."

And so the next morning they departed, and Husam noticed that Hussein's sister had packed enough provisions for many days of travel. "What we hunt may be far away," Hussein said, and for eight days they traveled. Then they reached the lands of Shammari, who welcomed them as guests. Outside the tents, they heard singing and drumming, and inquired about the cause of the celebration.

"Our kinsman Ali is to marry his cousin Halima," their Shammari hosts said, and Husam's heart fell.

"Do not worry," Hussein said to him. "If she is fated to be yours, then a thousand cousins shall not stand in the way."

Halima was just as unhappy about her impending marriage. She had spent the entire night crying to one of Ali's sisters, and confessed her love for Husam. This cousin of Halima's chanced to pass by the tent where Hussein and the miserable Husam sat, and she recognized Husam from Halima's descriptions of his face and form. She returned to Halima, and told her of this. "How can it be?" Halima exclaimed, knowing how many days of travel separated her home from her beloved's. "I do not know if I shall survive, if it is not true, now that hope is reawakened."

Halima brought her cousin to the tent, and Halima's happy sobs confirmed Husam's identity. "We must hurry to feed them as guests," she said to her cousin. So the two baked bread and cakes, and fed their guests. "I bid you welcome," Halima said to Husam; and, not trusting herself to say more, she fled to the women's quarters.

When he met his guests, Halima's father raged at Husam. "I swear that I would kill you, had you not eaten my food." Hussein intervened, trying to calm the old man. "Nothing evil has occurred, as the groom's sister can tell you."

That evening, the young men celebrated, dancing to the quickening beats of the drum. Husam sought out Halima, and discovered her in the wedding tent. They wept for joy and clung to each other. The Ali came upon them, for this was to have been the night of the bridegroom's entrance. Ali said nothing, but left the tent in silence and returned to the dance. "A sign has told me that tonight is a night of ill omen," was all he said to his friends.

The next morning he went to Halima. "There is much I do not know about you, my cousin, and I do not need to know, unless you wish to tell me. But I choose to renounce my claim to you. If there is anything you wish to ask me, I shall grant it to you, if it is in my power."

Weeping, Halima fell upon him and offered her thanks. "I would be married to Husam," she said, and told him the entire story of how they had met, omitting nothing.

"I shall kill a camel in celebration," Ali promised. "Tomorrow, come to me in the sight of all the tribe, and kiss me, and then ask me to grant you one wish, and I shall do so."

The next day, Halima kissed her cousing as he had asked. "I promise I shall grant your request," Ali said.

"I ask that you grant my heart's wish, and let me be married to the guest Husam," Halima said. And Ali called Husam forth, and presented Halima to him. That night, they were married, and the celebration continued for eight days.

At that time, Hussein suggested that it was time for himself, Husam and Halima to return home. Ali rode out with them, and accepted their invitation to come and stay as a guest of the Beni Khalids. Husam and Hussein agreed that Ali's generosity must be rewarded. Hussein took his best horse, and left it tethered outside Ali's tent, and then went to his sister Hasna. "I have no greater reward to give Ali than you, my sister. If you can win him, he shall be your husband."

Hasna had heard of Ali's act, and loved him before she set her eyes upon him. She spoke to him for a time about his country. "Had you never left it, perhaps I could have been happy," Hasna said. "Then, perhaps I could have imagined that you did not truly exist. But now I have seen you, and spoken with you, and I cannot forget you. Yet you must soon leave." Ali could not eat for love of Hasna, and he took pleasure only in her company.

Soon before Ali was due to return home, Hussein held a great feast for him. There, Husam presented Ali with many rich gifts: lances and saddles and horses of magnificent breeding. "Ali deserves all this and more," the tribesmen called. And then Hussein stood. "Then I shall complete Ali's reward for his noble treatment of my brother Husam. I give him my sister Hasna to be his wife." And, as Ali kissed Hussein's beard in thanks, the tribesmen all agreed that Hasna was a worthy reward. The two were married that very night.

And when Ali returned to his people, he told them of the generosity of the Beni Khalids, and showed them his rich gifts and his most beautiful bride. "You deserve these rewards," they said, and the feasting and celebration lasted for many days.

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