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return to him, whenas I have appointed them a guardian.” En Numan had compassion on him and said to him, “If a man will be surety for thee of those who are with us, [I will let thee go], and if thou return not, I will put him to death.” Now there was with En Numan his vizier Sherik ben Amrou; so the Taï[1] looked at him and said,
Sherik ben Amrou, what device avails the hand of death to stay? O brother of the brotherless, brother of all th’ afflicted, say.
Brother of En Numan, with thee lies an old man’s anguish to allay, A graybeard slain, may God make fair his deeds upon the Reckoning-Day!
Quoth Sherik, “On me be his warranty, may God assain the king!” So the Taï departed, after a term had been assigned him for his coming.
When the appointed day arrived, En Numan sent for Sherik and said to him, “Verily the first part of this day is past.” And Sherik answered, “The king hath no recourse against me till it be eventide.” When it evened, there appeared one afar off and En Numan fell to looking upon him and on Sherik, and the latter said to him, “Thou hast no right over me till yonder fellow come, for belike he is my man.” As he spoke, up came the Taï in haste and En Numan said “By Allah, never saw I [any] more generous than you two! I know not whether of you is the more generous, this one who became warrant for thee in [danger of] death or thou who returnest unto slaughter.” Then said he to Sherik, “What prompted thee to become warrant for him, knowing that it was
- ↑ i.e. he of the tribe of Tai.
