It is related that al-Mutalammis once fled from al-Nu'uman bin Munzir and was absent so long that folk deemed him dead. Now he had a beautiful wife, Umaymah by name, and her family urged her to marry again. But she refused, for she loved her husband al-Mutalammis very dearly. However, they were urgent with her because of the multitude of her suitors and importuned her until at last she consented, though reluctantly, and they espoused her to a man of her own tribe. Now on the night of the wedding, al-Mutalammis came back and, hearing in the camp a noise of pipes and drums and seeing signs of a wedding festival, asked some of the children

The Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and Queen Zubaydah. 75 what was the merrymaking, to which they replied, "They have married Umaymah, wife of al-Mutalammis, to such a man, and he goes in to her this night." When he heard this, he planned to enter the house amongst the throng of women and saw the two seated on the bridal couch. By and by, the bridegroom came up to her, whereupon she sighed heavily and, weeping, recited this couplet:

Would Heaven I knew (but many are the shifts of joy and woe) In what far distant land you are, my Mutalammis, oh!"

Now al-Mutalammis was a renowned poet, so he answered her, saying:

Right near at hand, Umaymah mine! whene'er the caravan Halted, I never ceased for you to pine, I would you know."

When the bridegroom heard this, he guessed how the case stood and went forth from among them in haste, improvising:

I was in bestest luck, but now my luck goes contrary: A hospitable house and room contain your loves, you two!"

And he returned not but left the two to their privacy. So Al-Mutalammis and his wife abode together in all comfort and solace of life and in all its joys and happiness until death parted them. And glory be to Him at whose command the earth and the heavens shall arise! And among other tales is that of