which he held so dear that he went not to his father's Divan,
except he were girt therewith; and his father used to laugh at
him and exclaim, "Mahallah![FN#104] This is a mighty fine sword
of thine, O my son! But thou hast not gone down with it to battle
nor cut off a head therewith." Whereupon the boy would reply, "I
will not fail to cut off with it some head which
deserveth[FN#105] cutting." And Ma'aruf would laugh at his words.
Now when treading in her track, he drew the sword from its sheath
and he followed her till she came to his father's pavilion and
entered, whilst he stood and watched her from the door. He saw
her searching about and heard her say to herself, "Where hath he
laid the seal-ring?"; whereby he knew that she was looking for
the ring and he waited till she found it and said, "Here it is."
Then she picked it up and turned to go out; but he hid behind the
door. As she came forth, she looked at the ring and turned it
about in her grasp. But when she was about to rub it, he raised
his hand with the sword and smote her on the neck; and she cried
a single cry and fell down dead. With this Ma'aruf awoke and
seeing his wife strown on the ground, with her blood flowing, and
his son standing with the drawn sword in his hand, said to him,
"What is this, O my son?" He replied, "O my father, how often
hast thou said to me, Thou hast a mighty fine sword; but thou
hast not gone down with it to battle nor cut off a head. And I
have answered thee, saying, I will not fail to cut off with it a
head which deserveth cutting. And now, behold, I have therewith
cut off for thee a head well worth the cutting!" And he told him
what had passed. Ma'aruf sought for the seal-ring, but found it
not; so he searched the dead woman's body till he saw her hand
closed upon it; whereupon he took it from her grasp and said to
the boy, "Thou art indeed my very son, without doubt or dispute;