"
"Well, Chira, tell me where Redah lives. Is it at the city of the stones or
in the garden of the palms?"
"Redah dwells in the city. Her father is the Sultan. Seven kings have
fought for her, and one of them has refreshed his heart. He is named
Chalau. Go, seek the large house. You will be with Redah when I see you
again."
Ahmed sets out, and soon meets the wife of the shepherd, who comes before
him and says, "Enter, be welcome, and may good luck attend you!" She ties
his horse, gives him to drink, and goes to find dates for Ahmed. She takes
care to count them before serving him with them. He takes out a pit, closes
the date again, puts them all together, and puts down the pit. He ate
nothing, and he said to the woman: "Take away these dates, for I have eaten
my fill." She looks, takes up the tray, counts the dates again, and
perceives that none of them has been eaten. Nevertheless, there is a pit,
and not a date missing. She cries out:
"Alas! my heart for love of this young man
Is void of life as is this date of pit."
Then she heaved a sigh and her soul flew away.
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