man and helped him into the boat. I pushed the boat quickly into
the river while the soldiers started shooting at us. Arrows hit the
boat, but with God’s help we weren’t hurt! At last we got to the
other side. Dirty, wet and tired, we ran back home. Your mother and
sisters cooked us a wonderful meal that we enjoyed silently. The next
morning I learned the name of my guest. It was the great Zengi
himself! His army lost the battle the day before and all his soldiers
were dead or prisoners. He wanted to hurry back to Mosul to make
sure that the town was safe so I gave him new clothes and my best
horse. Riding away, he said, ‘I’ll never forget your help and will
always be a true friend to you and your family.’
‘What was the horse like, Father?’ asked Yusuf.
‘All you think about is horses, Yusuf,’ said Turan Shah.
‘He was the brother of the wind. It’s good to give with open
hands. Zengi has been our friend since then. I’m Governor of
Baalbek and we’re safe and comfortable here because of him.’