Two Souafa were brothers. Separating one day one said to the other: "O my
brother, let us marry thy son with my daughter." So the young cousins were
married, and the young man's father gave them a separate house. It happened
that a man among the Touareg heard tell of her as a remarkable woman. He
mounted his swiftest camel, ten years old, and went to her house. Arrived
near her residence, he found some shepherds.
"Who are you?" he said.
"We are Souafa."
He confided in one of them, and said to him: "By the face of the Master of
the worlds, O favorite of fair women, man of remarkable appearance, tell me
if the lady so and so, daughter of so and so, is here."
"She is here."
"Well, if you have the sentiments of most men, I desire you to bring her
here, I want to see her."
"I will do what you ask. If she'll come, I'll bring her. If not, I will
return and tell you."
He set out, and, arriving at the house of the lady, he saw some people, and
said "Good-evening" to them.
"Come dine with us," they said to him.
"I have but just now eaten and am not hungry." He pretended to amuse
himself with them to shorten the night, in reality to put to sleep their
vigilance. These people went away to amuse themselves while he met the
lady.
"A man sends me to you," he said, "a Targui, who wants to marry you. He is
as handsome as you are, his eyes are fine, his nose is fine, his mouth is
fine."
"Well, I will marry him." She went to him and married him, and they set out
on a camel together. When the first husband returned, he found that she had
gone. He said to himself: "She is at my father's or perhaps my uncle's."
When day dawned he said to his sister, "Go see if she is in thy father's
house or thy uncle's." She went, and did not find her there. He went out to
look for her, and perceived the camel's traces. Then he saddled his own
camel.
The women came out and said: "Stay! Do not go; we will give thee our own
daughters to marry."
"No," he replied, "I want to find my wife." He goes out, he follows the
tracks of the camel, here, here, here, until the sun goes down. He spends
the night upon the trail. His camel is a runner of five years. When the sun
rises he starts and follows the trail again.
About four o'clock he arrives at an encampment of the Touareg, and finds
some shepherds with their flocks. He confides in one of these men, and says
to him: "A word, brave man, brother of beautiful women, I would say a word
to thee which thou wilt not repeat."
"Speak."
"Did a woman arrive at this place night before last?"
"She did."
"Hast thou the sentiments of a man of heart?"
"Truly."
"I desire to talk to her."
"I will take thee to her. Go, hide thy camel; tie him up. Change thy
clothing. Thou wilt not then be recognized among the sheep. Bring thy sabre
and come. Thou shalt walk as the sheep walk."
"I will walk toward you, taking the appearance of a sheep, so as not to be
perceived."
"The wedding-festival is set for to-night, and everybody will be out of
their houses. When I arrive at the tent of this lady I will strike a stake
with my stick. Where I shall strike, that is where she lives."
He waits and conceals himself among the flocks, and the women come out to
milk. He looks among the groups of tents. He finds his wife and bids her
come with him.
"I will not go with thee, but if thou art hungry, I will give thee food."
"Thou'lt come with me or I will kill thee!"
She goes with him. He finds his camel, unfastens him, dons his ordinary
clothing, takes his wife upon the camel's back with him, and departs. The
day dawns. She says:
"O thou who art the son of my paternal uncle, I am thirsty." Now she
planned a treachery.