uch bloodshed; the punishment
of heaven for which will be recorded against my name." Reflecting on
this, he quite alone, taking merely his life with him, fled and hid
himself in a cave in the mountains. When the news of _Hatim's_ flight
reached _Naufal_, he confiscated all the property and dwellings of
_Hatim_, and proclaimed publicly, that whoever would look out for him
and seize him, should receive from the king's treasury five hundred
pieces of gold. On hearing this [proclamation], all became eager,
and began to make diligent search for _Hatim_.

"One day, an old man and his wife, taking two or three of their young
children with them, for the purpose of picking up wood, strayed near
the cave where _Hatim_ was concealed; and began to gather fuel in
that same forest. The old woman remarked, 'If our days had been at all
fortunate, we should have seen and found _Hatim_ somewhere or other,
and seizing him, we should have carried him to _Naufal_; then he would
give us five hundred pieces of gold, and we should live comfortably,
and be released from this toil and care,' The old woodman said,
'What art thou prating about? it was decreed in our fate, that we
should pick up wood every day, place it on our heads, and sell it in
the _bazar_, and [with its produce] procure bread and salt; or one
day the tiger of the woods will carry us off: peace, mind thy work;
why should _Hatim_ fall into our hands, and the king give us so much
money?' The old woman heaved a cold sigh, and remained silent.

"_Hatim_ had heard the words of the two [old people], and conceived it
unmanly and ungenerous to conceal himself to save his life, and not
to conduct those helpless ones to the object of their desire. True
it is, that a man without pity is not a human being, and he in whose
heart there is no feeling is a butcher.

'Man was created to exercise compassion,
Otherwise, angels were not wanting for devotion.'

In short, _Hatim's_ manly mind would not allow him to remain concealed,
after what he had with his own ears heard [from the woodman]; he
instantly came out, and said to the old man, 'O friend, I myself
am _Hatim_, lead me to _Naufal_; on seeing me, he will give thee
whatever amount of money he has promised.' [198] The old woodman
replied, 'It is true that my welfare and advantage certainly consist
in doing so, but who knows how he will treat thee; if he should put
thee to death, then what shall I do? This, on my part, can nev