Love and Compassion
El Hi Ani © All Rights Reserved

It was a time of great instability in Land of Maghreb. The king ruled in the city while the opposition’s control over the outskirts increased day by day. And rumors spread that Seha, the prime minister, conspired with his father-in-law, the head of treasury, to get rid of the king and re-establish order in the country.

As usual in such cases, arrests followed rumors and death penalty was certain to come thereafter. But Seha had a loving wife and as soon as the arrests took place, she rushed to the king to plead on behalf of her father and husband.

‘My husband and father are innocent,’ Seha’s wife said. ‘Rest assured, compassionate king, my husband and father remain your loyal servants. The plot is for sure a fabrication to undermine your government.’
‘There must be some truth to the rumors,’ replied the king. ‘At least one man must be guilty, your father or your husband. Who shall I spare?’
‘Spare my father, O compassionate king, a father cannot be replaced. As to my husband, though I love him dearly and he remains innocent, I could always wed a new one!’

Convinced the king said: ‘your love for your father equals your husband’s innocence; their lives shall be spared for your sake.’ Ever since it has been known in Land of Maghreb that love breeds compassion, and royal misjudgment brings their downfall.