A literary history of Persia

AL-FAKHRJ'S NARRATIVE 199possessions were plundered, and the Persians, stricken with panic,sought the fords of the Tigris that they might pass to the easternshore. But Sa'd pursued them, and crossed the fords, and inflictedon them another great slaughter at Jaliila,and plundered theirpossessions, and took captive a daughter of the Persian King's. 1" Then Sa'd wrote to 'Umar to inform him of the victory. Andduring these days 'Umar was anxiously on the watch for tidings ofthe army, so that every day he used to go forth outside Madina onfoot seeking for news, that perchance one might arrive and informhim of what had happened to them. So when he who brought thegood tidings from Sa'd arrived, 'Umar saw him and calledFromto him,''Whence comest thou ?What of' 'answered he.'Iraq,'Sa'd and the army?' inquired 'Umar. Said the other, 'God hath'rendered them victorious over all this ;and 'Umar was walking bythe side of the man as he rode on his camel, not knowing that thiswas 'Umar. But when the people gathered round him, salutinghim as Commander of the Faithful, the Arab recognised him andsaid, Why ' did'st thou not tell me (may God be merciful to thee)that thou wert the Commander of the Faithful ? O ' ' my brother/Then 'Umar wrotereplied 'Umar, 'thou hast done naught amiss.''to Sa'd, Stay where thou art ; pursue them not, but be satisfiedwith this ;and make for the Muslims a place of refuge and a citywherein they may dwell, and set not a river betwixt me and them.'So Sa'd made for them Kiifa, and traced out therein the plan of theMosque, while the people marked out their dwellings and he made;it the capital of the province. And thus he obtained control overal-Mada'in a (Ctesiphon), and got possessionstores.of its treasures and"Mention of some quaint incidents which happened at this time." Amongst these was that an Arab got possession of a bag filledwith camphor, and broughtit to his companions, who, supposing itto be salt, 3 put it in the food which they were cooking, and founditlacking in savour, not knowing what it was. Then one whoknew what it was saw it, and boughtit from them for a raggedshirt worth a couple of dirhams." And amongst these was that an Arab of the desert got possessionof a great ruby worth a large sum of money, and knew not its value.And one who knew its value saw it and boughtit from him for athousand dirhams. Then afterwards the Arab discovered its value,1See pp. 130 et seqq. supra. See n. i on p. 132 supra.3 Cf. al-Baladhuri, p. 264.