Written by: Abdo Ali Fahd

I will try to reach the rabbit before it does, for I am more in need of it than the falcon. I feel hunger and pain together. Here I am, walking, staggering, oh, oh. The falcon is restless. I almost reached it. The falcon has landed on the rabbit. There it has sunk its claws into its back and its beak behind its head. It is preparing to take off with it. I must hurry. I will throw this stone at it. I hit it! There it has left the rabbit and flown away. It is a fat rabbit. I gathered firewood, and with stones, I lit a fire. I roasted and then ate. I found a rocky cave. I furnished it with grass. I carved its door from stones. I took shelter in it, and it was a fine dwelling. At times, ferocious predators would attack me. I cut branches from a shauhat tree and made spears from them, sharp and pointed. I placed them in my cave to defend myself. On a dark night, I was awakened by panting and snoring. I looked, and there was a lion at the entrance of my cave, its mouth open, its fangs bared. I took my spear, held it with both hands, aimed it at its open mouth, and then thrust with all my might. It pierced its throat and came out from behind its head. The shaft slipped from my hands, remaining stuck in its throat. The lion kept hitting its head against the rocks, to the right and to the left, to no avail. It became limp like a snake. I kept looking at it, watching it cautiously, holding the other spear in my hand. It remained thrashing for a while, then fell dead. I struck some stones together hard, and sharp pieces broke off. I severed the lion's head and hung it on the cave entrance. Then I ate its liver and heart after roasting them. I remained in this state, not knowing who I was, as the days passed.

The release of the blond daughter

One evening, I sat outside the chamber, inhaling the mist under the moonlight. The sea waves were turbulent. I spotted a floating boat with two riders on board. The boat approached the shore, and a girl dove out of it into the water. The girl continued to struggle and resist until she set foot on land. Most of her body was naked after the masts tore her clothes. Nothing covered her except her hair; she was like a jewel among jewels, delighting the mind and pleasing the eye. She noticed me and hurried towards my path. A hideous creature jumped out after her, wanting to seize her, a rock with inverted lips, with no difference between its face and back. Its teeth and eyes gleamed like hail, studded on black rock. I remained seated in my place, the fire blazing before me. The girl approached the fire, so I lowered my gaze from her naked body. She threw a dagger at me. The giant grabbed her braids, and she screamed a cry for help in a terrifying voice after he pulled her hair horribly with one hand and carried her in his embrace like an infant. She waved her hand towards me and said, "Help me, inhabitants of this place!" I answered the call, and before he waded into the water with her, I shouted at him involuntarily, "Stop!" He continued walking and paid no attention to my command. I approached him and called out, "Leave her, stranger!" He turned towards me and said in a gurgling voice with a snorting nose, "Go away, boy! Do not stand between me and her, for you will not prevail." He continued walking without paying attention, so I threw the dagger at him; it plunged into his back and sank in, with only the hilt remaining visible. He turned towards me, his mouth wide open, as if a pebble had fallen on his back. He returned to the shore and placed the girl down. Blood was flowing from his back. He bit his tongue and bared his fangs, then attacked me with all his might. I entered my den to consider my options, and he followed me. Upon reaching the entrance, he stiffened and froze after looking at the hanging lion's head. Then he turned towards the girl, and I walked behind him. I threw a spark at him. The ember ignited his anger, and he charged at me again. I tricked him and disappeared, circling behind the trees until I reached the girl. I led her away without him noticing, while he stood looking at the lion's head. He turned around and did not find the girl, so panic struck him. He thrashed about, searching for her. Meanwhile, I brought the girl to my den without him knowing. I brought her in and seated her on the skins of predators, then went out. There he was, heading towards me, angry and scowling, with fangs like those of an elephant. I said, "The circles turn against the oppressor!" I struck him with a stick, and it missed. He lunged at me with a kick that sent me flying, and I got caught in a tree branch. He tried to climb, but every time he ascended, he fell back, so he curled up and sat down. The sky rained, accompanied by thunderbolts and lightning. A thunderbolt struck him, and smoke billowed and filled the place. Nothing was found in his place except the dagger, no more and no less. The dagger remained gleaming, without any trace on it. I returned to my den, dazed, and found the girl sitting, having covered her nakedness with a hide. After reassuring her of his demise, I asked her, "Tell me what you have, explain your story." She replied, "I am from the Mountain of the Moon, the daughter of the blond king, no more and no less." "I will not tell you my story until I return to my people. Will you help me? Otherwise, I will return on the boat alone!" I replied, "I will! Leave haste aside!" "But how can I get you to your people?" She replied, "We must find the boat, for it contains wonders and marvels." She went down alone and dived. After a while, she returned, having put on clothes, and said, "And now! Hurry and ride, if you wish to accompany me!" "Here, take your dagger!" "No! It is from me to you, your reward." We boarded the boat and sailed into a turbulent sea with crashing waves. Sometimes we ascended towards the horizons, and sometimes we descended towards the depths. We did not interfere in steering the boat, nor did we know in which direction it was going. Several days passed. I asked her, "In which sea are we among the seas? When will we reach your island?" She smiled and said, "Do not be so inquisitive!" I stretched out as usual on the wooden planks of the boat. On a dark night, while I was looking at the stars in the sky, the wind intensified, and the sea raged. The waves tossed the boat, and we clung to the masts. The waves were fierce. They threw me out of the boat after it capsized. At that moment, I lost consciousness... I awoke in the morning and found myself lying on a coastal cliff, alone, with the dagger hanging around my neck. I found no trace of the girl. I walked towards the land and found myself on the shore of a vast island, teeming with various kinds of trees bearing ripe fruit. I ate what was delicious and good, entered a rocky cave, and slept a deep sleep... Sounds of laughter and screaming awakened me. I looked! What is this I see? A large gathering of bears and baboons. I will continue walking; perhaps I will find the girl. What are these sounds coming from the opening of this valley? Should I change my course? But perhaps they are the sounds of the girl's people! I must go in to see! Oh, the wonder! Various kinds of humans, hanging from tree branches in hideous shapes, their faces in their chests. Barefoot and naked, I did not understand their language; sunken eyes and protruding fangs, each with a horn on its head. Are they calling out to me to break their bonds? I grew fond of them despite their ugliness. I will try to free them! I will start by climbing the trunk of this tree! "Stop! Stop!" Where is this voice coming from? I turned around, and there was the girl standing behind me! "Where did you appear from, girl? And how did you survive?" She replied, "I clung to a piece of wood from the boat, and here I am urging you to fulfill my request!" I said, "Tell me, who are these hanging people?" She replied, "They are from the inhabitants of the Devil's Island. My father imprisoned them in this place, so they cannot leave it throughout time." "What crime did they commit?" She replied, "They are rebellious, stubborn spirits. Each is punished for what his hands have committed. My father imprisoned them, and no one but him has the power to pardon them." "They disobeyed his command; they refused to attack the ships of travelers and plunder what they carried of goods and provisions, and bring the corpses and bones of the dead." "Do you agree with your father in what he does?" "No! The blond one is the source of evil; he feeds on the blood of humans, and he has servants who bring him news in the blink of an eye." We took a winding path towards the summit and entered a cave to seek shade. We smelled carrion, and there it was filled with human bones and skulls, and mosquitoes and weevils were gnawing at them. "What is this abomination and these foul odors?" She replied, "These are those whom the sea devoured in the ships of travelers, so the diving jinn brought them here to be food for them for several years!" "Stop! Ha! I have caught you! Have you forgotten that you are my wife! And that your father married you to another, and you are still under my care!" The girl froze, unable to move or speak! I asked her, "Who is this giant?" She did not answer! I looked at her, and there she was, her mouth open, her color changed, her eyes frozen. I turned towards the giant and asked him in a resonant voice, "What are you saying! I have granted this girl safety until I deliver her to her blond father's palace, and you have no authority over her. Perhaps what you are saying is false and slander!" He looked at me with disdain and shouted, "Oh, servants! Seize them both, bind them with shackles!" They rushed upon us quickly, led us away bound, and threw us into a fortified prison. So I said to the girl, "Here we are, bound and imprisoned in this room. Tell me, girl, about the truth of what this creature said. Whose fault is it?"

• What he said is true! But let me give you some clarification!
• Let me explain briefly, I can't stand it anymore!
• This is the King of the Camel Mountain; a hybrid creature between fire and clay, sometimes appearing in the form of a human, and other times appearing in the form of smoke.
• Forget the looks, where's the problem?
• Hold on! My tongue is stuck in my mouth from being so scared, that's why I'm stuttering.
  This king had an extremely beautiful sister. My father fell in love with her and asked to marry her. Her brother made a condition with my father that he would marry me to him in exchange for his sister. My father forced me to accept, so I married him reluctantly. My father made a binding condition with him: he would let me live in one house, and he would live in another, and he would not consummate the marriage with me until his sister bore my father a son!
• Huh! Go on, I'm running out of patience!
• Take it easy, don't rush; then my stepmother got pregnant and gave birth to a boy.
• The condition has been met. Did you go to his house, or did he come to yours?
• No! He didn't come! And I didn't go!
• So what happened?
• A dispute broke out between him and my father.
• What did they disagree on?
• The gist of the dispute is that the newborn who was born was stillborn, showed no sign of life, so the king imposed a siege on me, and prevented me from leaving the house! The news reached my father, who revolted, and sought help from the wicked and evil men, and stipulated that he would marry me to whoever would bring me to him, carried on his shoulders. A fierce fight broke out, the wicked stormed my house, and one of the wicked men carried me on his shoulders and took me to my father at the end of the road. My father gave me to him as a wife, so he carried me on the boat, and destiny brought us to you, and now you see how my marriage has become more wondrous than wonders! You are not to blame, girl, your father is the reason, and his love was the source of his affliction. Why didn't you tell me your story when I saved you from the jinn? I was afraid that he would covet me, and would refrain from helping me.

The killing of the King of Jabal al-Nuq

Now come closer to me!
: Here you come!
She opened her mouth, bit the hilt of the dagger, took it out from my neck, and said: I will cut your chain!
: But how can this dagger cut iron?
: Forget your curiosity, do what I say!
: Your chain is broken, come closer, tear my shackles…
Then break the shackles, what remains are the door locks!
: Give me the dagger, I will open the doors! . Here are the doors opened, do you know the passage outside the house?
: It is midnight, only the entrance guards remain, follow me, Hamam, with your poison dagger!
: Here is the first guard standing up.
: Where are you going, Princess Balq, at this late hour, and who is this boy walking behind you?
: We will circle the guards! Maybe someone was overcome by drowsiness! . And this is my brother.
: We didn't know that you had a tall brother, with a proud head, strong muscles and arms, and a wheatish complexion, like this! . But excuse me! The king forbade you from going out!
: We have reconciled and we have become husbands as we were, and he set us free, and untied our chains as you can see!
: Please pass through, we are filled with joy and happiness.
She said: We have passed through the doors, we must hurry, before the king wakes up!
: Did you say wake up?
: Yes! He will follow us.
: We will not let him wake up forever, we will return to his bedchamber, and we will extract his soul, and you will become queen in his place.
: I wish that, but how! : It became easy and did not require thinking, after our tricks fooled the guards, no one would object to our passage, come on girl…: This is his bedroom, give me the dagger, I will take my revenge, stay straight at the door, if you hear a knock on a wall, know that his head has flown off. I entered and remained standing, I heard a fight taking place, so I entered quickly, I found him tightening the noose on the girl, placing the dagger around her neck and it was rattling, I hid behind the sheets, I surprised him from behind him while he was standing, I snatched the dagger from his hand and severed his head from his body. The girl carried his head and paraded it around the guards, and I walked behind her defiantly brandishing my dagger, everyone declared obedience and loyalty, so she became queen after her husband. The blond man received the news of the king’s murder at the hands of his daughter, so he sent delegations, asking to annex her kingdom to His kingdom.
Balq was upset by her father's shameful behavior, and said: You saved me from the unbearable giant, and from the giant king of the camel mountain.
All that remains for you is to save me from my blond father, for he is the source of evil,
and his crimes and actions are countless and unforgivable!
: Or lead me to him, on the condition that you do not shed tears over him.
: You can do that, follow me with your dagger!
: Why did you give me the dagger?
I will not answer you this question, until your hopes are fulfilled, whether the time is short or long.

Killing the blond king

We walked until we reached the edge of the mountain. There, a hill confronted us, with a chasm in between, from whose depths surged lava and tongues of flame. I stood upright! I smelled the reek of fat and watched the tossing lava. Then I turned towards her and said, "There is no bliss after this hell. What lies beyond is destruction, not your father's palace!" She replied insistently, "Behind this hill is my father Muzahim al-Ashqar's palace. If we cross this passage, we will overcome the danger." I said, "Girl, perhaps we will perish. Could you tell me your name? Is it truly Bilqis?" She replied, "Yes! My name is Bilqis." "And now, how can we cross this furious gap?" "But before we cross, I want you to give me a fatwa on several matters." "I haven't seen you drink water or complain of thirst! Why does your mouth not swallow food, and your eyes not close in sleep?" She replied, "My inner being has forbidden sustenance, and my eyes have forsaken sleep, except after I deliver humanity from the oppression of al-Ashqar! So I have relied on you to kill my father Muzahim, because of the courage I have seen in you. I will not disappoint your expectations! My path from today is your path, after I saw justice radiating from your eyes and righteousness flowing from your lips. Tell me! How will we cross this hell?" "What do you see on the opposite side?" "Two wooden beams erected with a rock between them." "Do you notice the shape of the rock?" "Yes! It is carved in the shape of an elephant's trunk." "This elephant's trunk is the key. If it bends downwards, the two wooden beams will extend, allowing people to cross. If the trunk rises upwards, the two beams will stand upright, and the passage will be cut off. And this is the secret to fortifying my father's palace against the arrival of enemies!" "Is there another passage?" "No! This is the only way." "Is there a trick or a means?" "We must wait for the merchants of incense and perfumes, and then squeeze ourselves into their boxes in disguise. These merchants come to my father's palace twice a year." "But don't you see that this requires us to stay here for a long time!" "Yes! There is nothing we can do!" "Tell me, how is the elephant's trunk raised and lowered?" "Look at the chain below the trunk. Two strong elephants come and pull it backward, so the two wooden beams stand upright, and the passage is cut off. The chain is secured to another rock in the back. And when the trade caravans or the messengers of neighboring kingdoms arrive, the guards convey the news to my father, and he orders the release of the fastening, so the rock's trunk descends, the two wooden beams extend, and the passage opens. But why all these questions and inquiries, and here I see you standing, bewildered and confused!" "Tell me! Can you bring a carpenter and some wood?" "Yes! But what you are thinking of doing is impossible! Building a crossing bridge requires heavy-lifting cranes and long timbers, in addition to rock carvers and chain blacksmiths. Accomplishing that would take ages, and the observers might see it and inform the king!" "Forget that! Go quickly and fulfill my request, urgently, to the other side of this hill!" She looked at him in astonishment, and he noticed anger on her face. She left, accompanied by some assistants... She returned, as usual, and had brought two skilled carpenters and a number of beechwood planks. Then she said, "Here, I have fulfilled the request. Now, let me go to attend to some of my needs. I will return in a few days, by which time you will have completed the tasks you intend to do." "Don't be gone long! The work might be completed in a short time!" Bilqis reached her fortress and found her husband's sister had ascended her throne and killed her supporters. As soon as she stood at the palace gate, the guards seized her and imprisoned her in revenge for her brother. The carpenters completed their assigned work. Several days passed, and the blond one's daughter did not return. He grew anxious and was overcome by paranoia. He did not wait but placed some guards on the equipment and set off quickly towards the fortress. News reached him of what had happened and transpired. He entered the fortress at night, disguised, through a secret door. He silenced the guard, pounced on the jailer, released the girl, and they headed towards the king's chamber. They found her deep in slumber. They did not allow her to awaken, severed her neck with the dagger, and placed her head in the passage. Then he released her supporters, and her throne was restored to her. "And now that I have regained my throne, tell me! Have you completed what you resolved to do?" "Yes! Had it not been for your absence, your father's fate would have been sealed!" "Rather, had it not been for your presence and rescue, my head would have been severed!" "Let us return and see what you will do, and what marvel you have created!" "Here we have arrived. We will move this oar to the edge of the hill!"... "And here we have brought it. Show me what you will do!" "Come on! Aim the oar at the elephant's trunk! Place the stone blocks on it! Throw the stones at the elephant's trunk!" "Hurry! Repeat! It's about to break! Throw!" "Stop! The elephant's trunk has bowed downwards after breaking. Look! The two wooden beams have fallen, extended, and the passage has opened." She said, "Long live the hero!" "Hurry, follow me across!" "How much further until we reach your father's palace?" "It is behind that valley. Stay here in hiding. I will go to my father! I may return, and I may not! Do not let go of your dagger, for in it is your salvation!" Al-Ashqar received her, with a rooster's comb on his head. He asked her, "Why did you bring the human to us, knowing that he is one of our enemies? Why did you give him the dagger? You have endangered my life! Where is the runaway thief who killed the giant?" She replied, "The giant slave betrayed, so I sought refuge with the inhabitants of the place, and a human gave me refuge and granted me safety." He replied, "Go before my wrath descends upon you. Bring this human before me!" Bilqis returned to me, her eyes blazing. She said, "The time has come! Follow me!" She led me to al-Ashqar, who was pacing back and forth between the towers, surrounded by servants and assistants. A snake coiled around his neck, and a serpent around his waist. We stood before al-Ashqar, with two braziers burning fiercely between us. The girl bowed, while I remained upright. He pointed at me and said, "I see you did not kneel! How dare you, intruder, transgress against the elephant's trunk? How do you tread on my kingdom after killing my daughter's husband? Why did you take her dagger after capturing her? Come, answer without hesitation!" I looked right and left and saw hideous figures; some had horns on their heads, some had tails, and some had a single eye and foot. They were being served cups filled with blood. I remained silent. "Why don't you answer? Tell us your story before we drink your blood!" I kept looking around, without uttering a word. Al-Ashqar grew anxious and said, "Ask him, Bilqis, perhaps he will speak!" She replied obediently, "Oh king of humans and jinn! Do you permit me to answer for him? He is deaf and cannot hear, and mute and cannot speak!" He replied in astonishment, "How can one who has no ears conquer the fortresses of the jinn!" "You are right in that, my father, but let me give you some facts. Despite this creature's deafness and muteness, he possesses some extraordinary abilities." "Tell us, Bilqis! Tension and anxiety have gripped us!" "Here are some examples: This deaf creature stands on the peaks of summits and sees gold in the depths of rocks, and sees pearls embedded in the shells at the bottom of the seas, and identifies the gaps and passages of fortresses and strongholds, and the enemy's equipment and supplies before his foot treads the edges of the borders. If that is so, then we need him, but what proof is there for what you say?" "The obvious proof, my protected father, is visible to all eyes. Here he killed the giant in the blink of an eye after spotting him before his feet touched land, so he prepared and was ready. Moreover, he killed the king of the Mountain of the She-Camels in his fortress and bedroom, bypassing all his guards, assistants, and jailers. And finally, here he commanded the elephant to open the passage before he had even arrived. Are you not taking heed of these lessons?" The king consulted with those around him, and they all agreed to test him. Al-Ashqar assigned him a place of residence and appointed one of his servants to serve him. Bilqis entered upon him smiling, hovering, swirling like a buoy with no fixed place on land. He stood up, his face accusatory towards her. "You master lying with eloquence, and lying contradicts the attribute of justice. I fear you are a scorpion!" "I spoke only the truth! Am I not the one who killed the giant, eliminated the behemoth, and crushed the elephant's trunk!" "Speaking the truth is what saved you from destruction after your veins froze and your tongue dried up." "I wanted to offer him a duel, but you interrupted." "There is no need for argument. Listen to what is said!" "I will return to my fortress. You stay here and watch my father. Whenever I have dealt with him, I will put on these sandals. You will find me standing before you immediately." I remained residing in the room that the king had allocated to me. The servant brought me my needs: water, food, and drink. The serpent and the viper stood as an obstacle in my path, their terror gripping my body. I decided to start searching for a way to eliminate them. I noticed a slave entering my room and ascending to the roof of the palace through an opening in the ceiling via a ladder, then descending carrying pigeon eggs and a bottle of water. This was repeated every day. I decided to observe where the slave took them. I followed him cautiously until he reached the king's chamber. He placed the eggs and the bottle inside the viper and serpent's cage. They devoured the eggs and drank the water. I returned to my den in disguise and said to myself, "If I put poison, it will be of no use, for they are poison themselves." I was guided to wine. I replaced the water bottle with a bottle of wine. The slave came as usual, took the eggs and the bottle in the evening, and went with them to the king's chamber. The king's custom was not to sleep except with the serpent and the viper on the bed, guarding him from any malice or scheme. As soon as they devoured the eggs and drank the wine, they attacked the king in bed, biting and stinging him. The guards arrived after hearing the screaming, but the viper and serpent attacked them in a drunken state, and they fled. Day broke, and the assistants entered and found the king had passed away, and the viper and serpent were dizzy. I put on the sandals, and Bilqis appeared immediately. She took the rooster's comb from her father's crown, placed it on her head, and became queen in her father's place. Those who were around him from the assistants scattered, and the work of observation ceased. She released those who were bound in the plains and mountains. After that, she accompanied me to the edge of the mountain and said, "Look at the sources of the Nile! How does it swim above this foul sea?" I watched her walk on the surface of the sea, weaving threads of mixture, then enter under the mountain and emerge from the other side of the mountain, where a raging torrent had gathered.

Belq takes revenge for her father One day, she stopped me beside her, surrounded by her servants. She asked: "What is your name, human?" I remained silent—for I did not know my name! I had no idea how I came to be, and I had taken refuge by the shore, with no one calling me but her! She turned and said: "You did not reveal your name, O Humam. You have no place here. You must leave before the spirit of vengeance and revenge overtakes me. You are the one who killed my father, and I must not keep you by my side!" "Take him, O servants, exile him beyond the seas!" They blindfolded me and tied it tightly. They led me for days and nights, then threw me onto a boat. They said: "Know that you are on a boat, drifting in a turbulent sea. Now you have been told what lies ahead." They removed the blindfold from my eyes and disappeared. I sailed for three days, without food or water, until I landed on a barren shore, in the pitch-dark night. I walked with determination, not knowing where the path would lead. I found myself in a desert, and before dawn, a storm rose—a fierce one. Sand blasted me, and I collapsed to the ground. I awoke to find myself in a plain between hills, wind whipping at me, and grains of sand pelting my face. With difficulty, I pulled half of my body out of the sand. I felt for my dagger—and there it was, hanging from my neck. The sun was blazing overhead. I saw what fate had brought, and despair overwhelmed me. I said to myself: "Belq is the most wicked creature on the Mountain of Nuuq. I saved her from her father—yet she turned against me with hatred."

Memory recovery

I walked, and suddenly—dust rose, clashing sounds and drumbeats filled the air. As I got closer, I found a fierce battle raging. I stayed watching until the end of the day. The fighting stopped, and each side withdrew, dragging their wounded and dead behind them. I moved toward a hill, hoping to understand what was going on. What is this?! This collapsed mountain—it's the same place! Right here is where I stood, when the rocks came crashing down, burying me beneath them. I am the son of Sultan Hawash... but who pulled me out from under the rubble? How did I end up on the coast? There—a knight is approaching! "Who are you, boy? And what are you doing here?" "A passing stranger. I saw the dust of battle, so I kept away from its field." "Perhaps you're a spy for Sultan Hawash!" "No! I'm from the Mountain of the Moon." "We’ve never heard of the Mountain of the Moon. Where is it?" "Near the Mountain of Nuq." "And where is this Mountain of Nuq?" "The Kingdom of Ashqar." "If you're not lying, then madness is written all over you. Leave now before I cut off your head!" I walked away quickly, stumbling over rocks and holes, until I reached the edge of the mountain. I sat and remembered… and the memories began to flood me: Hawash, Hawash... Hawash, my father, Sultan Hawash! I am Nattah, son of the Sultan! Who are these invaders?! They shall not rise again, nor shall they sleep again! Where are you, Belq?! This is serious—here's her sandal at my waist! I shall wear it. "What do you want? Why did you call me, you..." "My name is Nattah, son of Sultan Hawash!" "So you've regained your memory. It was from this very spot that I snatched you as the rocks were falling on your head." "And now, what do you want?" "Nothing but your mighty strength… to wipe out those vile invaders who attacked Sultan Hawash!" "Their time has come. Let’s go, Nattah!" We ambushed them in the dark, pulled out their stakes, burned their tents, and the brave warriors emerged with blades wrapped around their waists. My dagger pierced their sides and bellies. Belq finished off the rest, slaying their necks. Belq left, while Nattah remained, standing over their corpses. Anyone who groaned from pain—he silenced forever. Morning broke—it was time to fight. Hawash’s cavalry appeared, galloping fiercely. They neared the enemy’s camp—only to find no one. By midday, they saw eagles and ravens landing on corpses. The knights reported back to Hawash. He ordered a raid on the camp to uncover the truth. The knights entered the headquarters and found corpses scattered everywhere. None left alive… except one warrior, walking among the dead like a ghost. They called out—he turned to them. They shouted, "Nattah!" Then dropped to the ground and fled, leaving a trail of dust behind. They told Sultan Hawash, "Your Majesty, none of the enemies remain—except your son Nattah, wandering over the corpses, finishing off the dying." The Sultan stood frozen, unable to grasp what he heard. He ordered Nattah to be brought to him. The news spread like wildfire. The whole tribe came out to welcome him. Those who saw him fell in awe, saying, "Glory to the One who revives the dead!" Nattah stood before his father and said: "Forgive me, Father… my absence was beyond my control." The Sultan stared at him for a moment and asked: "If you are truly Nattah, tell me the names of those standing to my right and left." "On your right—my brother Farraj. On your left—my brother Matar." "If you are Nattah, tell us who was with you when the rocks buried you—and where are they now?" I said, "I remember that evening. It was me, the horseman Nizar, and the shepherd Julhum. We were searching for camels near the mountain when we heard rocks tumbling. We looked up and saw stones crashing down with dust and smoke. After that—I remember nothing." "If you are Nattah, tell us: Who is the girl you loved and wanted to marry? What are her parents’ names?" My body trembled. I said, "None but Far’ah—the twirling, soaring, stormy one. Daughter of Arfaj. Is she still true to her promise?" "Who is your mother?" "You know—she died giving birth to me." "Where were you the last three years?" "I spent them in war and battle, slaying heroes—with Belq." "Who is Belq?" "Belq—the most wicked creature on the Mountain of Nuq!" "What possessions do you keep in your bedroom?" "A fine sword, a sacred box, a shining spear, a silver cup… and a golden one." "Let us now declare joy and celebration— for the return of our buried son!" "But before that—tell us who destroyed the enemy camp." "The one you saw standing over the corpses—that was the one who destroyed them." "Where is Far’ah?" "Go, knights—tell Far’ah to prepare for her long-awaited wedding!" 🎉 The swords clashed, the drums played. It was a grand wedding—unmatched through the ages, attended by both humans and jinn. And amid the joy and celebration— Belq appeared, dressed in a unique robe, with a cap on her head, flanked by beautiful maidens and armed knights. Hawash approached Nattah and asked, "Who is this lady and her entourage?" "She is Belq, daughter of the Ashqar King, ruler of the Mountain of the Moon." Nattah reunited with Far’ah after a long absence. She asked him, "Who is Belq?" He replied, "Enjoy the rain before you hear the storm of Belq’s story." "You must tell me—who is Belq?" "Belq—the most wicked creature on the Mountain of Nuq. Forget her—there’s blood between us. I killed her father." "Then how did she come to your wedding?" "She tried to kill me—but couldn’t. From now on, stay alert. She may come back for revenge…" The End....