talked about difficult problems with wise men. He thought
about their words and took time to find the right answer.
After three months, the governor saw that Yusuf learned
quickly. People liked the boy because he was friendly to
everyone. His thin face usually looked sad when he was alone,
but when he spoke to people, he had a kind and happy smile.
He also always tried to help anyone with troubles. Nuradin
began to talk to the boy about the problems of the castle, the
town and the army. The governor also talked to Yusuf about
his great hope:
'One day soon I want to make all the Muslim people stop
fighting each other. We must work together to take Jerusalem
back from the Franks. Palestine isn’t their land after all.
Nothing is more important than this, and we must all fight to
make it happen!'
Now Yusuf wanted to fight the Franks too. It was wrong
that they held the holy places. He also understood that Franks
sometimes made friends with some Muslims and together they
fought against other Muslims and took their houses, land and
animals. Nothing was safe. It was also very hard for Muslims to
go on pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah. The road was too
dangerous because of all the Frankish castles near it.
‘I must get into Nuradin’s army! But how can I do it when
Uncle Shirkuh thinks that I’m too weak? I’ll have to learn clever
ways to win against stronger men. I know that the Franks are
good fighters. Their horses are bigger, their soldiers wear a lot of
armour, and they have many castles. But I know that we’ll win