It was a camel, named Solimin. He was of a rare and valuable
breed, known as "herie," or coursers, because they are so much swifter
than ordinary camels. Solimin's master, Ahmed, was a poor man. He never
could have afforded to buy a full-grown camel of this rare breed; and
Solimin had become his through a piece of good fortune. When a little
foal, Solimin was found in a lonely place in the desert, standing over
the dead body of his mother, who had fallen and perished by the way.
Led to the brown tent which was Ahmed's home, the orphan baby grew up
as a child of the family, lay among the little ones at night, and was
their pet and plaything all the day. The boys taught him to kneel, to
rise, to carry burdens, to turn this way and that at a signal. The
girls hung a necklace of blessed shells around his neck, saved for him
the best of the food, sang him songs (which he was supposed to enjoy),
and daily kissed and stroked his gentle nose and eyes. As he grew big
and strong, the pride of his owners grew with him. Not another family
of the tribe possessed a herie. Once and again, Ahmed was offered a
large price for him, but he rejected it with disdain.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102