One day, Hatim saw a black snake and a weasel engaged in a deadly battle. He asked them, “Why are you fighting?” The snake replied, “This weasel killed my father.” The weasel said, “Snakes are our natural food; thus I killed his father and now I will kill him so that I may feed my brothers.” Hatim said to the weasel, “If it’s just food that you need then take my flesh and leave the snake to go back to his family.” He then said to the snake, “If it’s just revenge that you want then kill me instead of this weasel.” Hatim then took out his knife to strike himself. When the snake and the weasel saw this, they both shouted together, “Brave Hatim, do not harm yourself on our behalf. We are not what we look; we are genies.” And they turned into fine, young men, leaving Hatim speechless.
The Black Snake and the Weasel
