He picked the child up, while I went to the little girl and tried to calm her; by Allah, the two of them did not quiet down until a lull had set in during the night. We then turned to the other boy and soothed him until he too fell silent—though only barely. After that we spread out a thick-piled Syrian blanket (1) of ours, laid the children upon it, and he and I lay in a corner with them between us. He began coaxing me to sleep, and I understood what he meant, so I pretended to doze.
He said, “What is wrong—have you fallen asleep?” I remained silent.
Then he murmured, “It seems she has dozed off, while I cannot sleep.”
When the night grew pitch-black, the stars sank deep (2), every sound hushed, and all footsteps ceased, one side of the tent was suddenly lifted.
He called, “Who is there?” and the person withdrew. When I thought to myself, “We must be at the very brink of dawn,” he called again, “Who is there?”
She answered, “Your neighbor, so-and-so, O Abū ʿAdī. I found no reliance save in you. I have come from children who are howling like wolves from hunger.”
He said, “Bring them to me at once.”
Nawār continued: I leapt up and exclaimed, “What have you done?! (3) By Allah, your own children have been wailing and I have found nothing with which to soothe them (4); how will you manage with her and her children?”
He replied, “Be quiet. By Allah, I shall satisfy you—and them (4)—God willing.”
She came carrying two of them while four walked at her sides, like an ostrich surrounded by its chicks. He went to his horse, plunged his spear into its chest (5), struck flint and kindled a fire, fetched a knife, skinned the animal, and then handed the knife to the woman, saying, “Here you are.”
He added, “Send for your children,” so she sent them.
Then he exclaimed, “Shame on you! Will you eat while the whole encampment (6) goes hungry?” He proceeded to make the rounds until the people roused themselves and gathered around him. Wrapping himself in his cloak, he lay down to one side watching us. By Allah, he did not taste so much as a morsel (7), though he was the one most in need of it. By morning nothing of the horse was left on the ground but bone or hoof (8).
al-Dāraqutnī said: The judge Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Muḥāmilī related to me; ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Saʿd narrated to us; ʿUthaym ibn Thawābah ibn Ḥātim al-Ṭāʾī narrated to us, from his father, from his grandfather, who said:
The wife of Ḥātim said to him, “O Abū Saffānah, I long to eat a meal with you alone, one that no one else shares.” So he ordered her to move her tent a farsakh away from the people, had food prepared, and she lowered its curtains on all sides. When the food was nearly done, he uncovered his head and recited:
Do not cook my pot while its veil hides what is inside;
For anything you cook in such secrecy is forbidden to me.