The sheriff Hussein ben Reyyan relates that the Khalif Omar ben Khettab was sitting one dayattended by his chief counsellorsjudging the folk and doing justice between his subjectswhen there came up to him two handsome young men，haling by the collar a third youthperfectly handsome and well dressedwhom they set before him. Omar looked at him and bade them loose him；thencalling him near to himselfsaid to them'What is your case with him？'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered they'we are two brothers by one mother and known as followers of the truth. We had a fathera very old man of good counselheld in honour of the tribespure of basenesses and renowned for virtueswho reared us tenderly，whilst we were littleand loaded us with favourswhen we grew up；in finea man abounding in noble and illustrious qualitiesworthy of the poet's words：
'Is Abou es Sekr of Sheiban ？'they questioned of me；and 'No，'I answered'my life upon it！ But Sheiban's of himI trow.
How many a father hath ris'n in repute by a noble sonAs Adnanby God's Apostleto fame and glory did grow！'
He went forth this day to his gardento take his pleasure amongst its trees and pluck the ripe fruitswhen this young man slew him and swerved from the road of righteousness；wherefore we demand of thee the retribution of his crime and call upon thee to pass judgment upon himaccording to the commandment of God.'
The Khalif cast a terrible look at the accused youth and said to him'Thou hearest the complaint of these young men；what hast thou to say in reply？'Now he was stout of heart and ready of speechhaving doffed the wede of faint-heartedness and put off the apparel of affright；so he smiled and after paying the usual ceremonial compliment to the Khalifin the most eloquent and elegant wordssaid'O Commander of the FaithfulI have given ear to their complaintand they have said sooth in that which they avouchso far as they have set out what befell；and the commandment of God is a decreed decree. But I will state my case before theeand thine be it to decide thereon.
Know thenO Commander of the Faithfulthat I am a very Arab of the Arabsthe noblest of those that are beneath the skies.
I grew up in the dwellings of the deserttill evil and hostile times fell upon my tribewhen I came to the utterward of this townwith my children and good and household. As I went along one of the paths between the gardenswith my she-camelshigh in esteem with me and precious to meand midst them a stallion of noble race and goodly shapea plenteous getterby whom the females bore abundantly and who walked among themas he were a crowned king，--beholdone of the she-camels broke away and running to the garden of these young men's fatherbegan to crop the branches that showed above the wall. I ran to herto drive her awaywhen there appearedat a breach of the wall，an old manwhose eyes sparkled with angerholding a stone in his right hand and swaying to and frolike a lion preparing for a spring. He cast the stone at my stallionand it struck him in a vital part and killed him. When I saw the stallion drop dead beside melive coals of anger were kindled in my heart；so I took up the stone and throwing it at the old man，it was the cause of his end： thus his own wrongful act returned against him and the man was slain of that wherewith he slew.
When the stone struck himhe cried out with a terrible great cryand I hastened from the spot；but these young men hurried after me and laying hands on mecarried me before thee.'
Quoth Omar（may God the Most High accept of him）'Thou hast confessed thy crime and acquittal is impossible；for [the law of] retaliation is imperative and there is no time of escape.'
