yet I brought it out ahead of the others so that I might gauge what you knew.’
Then he opened another compartment and drew from it a piece of black silk. Inside was the image of a man dark-brown, almost black in complexion, with tightly curled hair, deep-set eyes, a piercing gaze, a scowling face, crowded teeth, and thin, drawn lips, as though he were angry. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We replied, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is Moses, peace be upon him.’
Beside him was another image that resembled him, except that the man’s hair was oiled, his forehead broad, and one of his eyes slightly crossed. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He answered, ‘This is Aaron son of ʿImrān.’
He opened yet another compartment and brought out a piece of white silk. In it was the image of a brown-skinned man with straight hair, of medium height, who also looked displeased. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He replied, ‘This is Lot, peace be upon him.’
Next he opened another compartment, produced a white silk cloth, and there appeared the image of a man fair-skinned with a rosy tint, an aquiline nose, light whiskers along the cheeks, and a handsome face. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is Isaac, peace be upon him.’
He opened another compartment and took out a white silk cloth bearing an image that resembled Isaac, save for a mole on the lower lip. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is Jacob, peace be upon him.’
He then opened another compartment and removed a piece of black silk. In it was the image of a fair-skinned man with an attractive face and aquiline nose, well-proportioned in build, upon whose countenance a luminous humility was evident, tinged with redness. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is Ishmael, the forefather of your Prophet.’
Opening yet another compartment, he brought forth a white silk cloth showing an image that looked like Adam himself, his face shining like the sun. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is Joseph, peace be upon him.’
He opened still another compartment and extracted a white silk cloth. Inside was the image of a ruddy man with slender shins, slightly sunken eyes, a large belly, of medium stature, girded with a sword. He asked, ‘Do you recognize this one?’ We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘This is David, peace be upon him.’
Then he opened yet another compartment, drew out a piece of white silk, and there was the image of a man with broad buttocks and long legs, astride a horse. He said: