The Goat Herder and the Prince | الرَّاعِي وَالأَمِيرُ
"A humble goat herder saves a lost prince and refuses all reward except friendship"
الرَّاعِي وَالأَمِيرُ
The Goat Herder and the Prince
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الغَرِيبُ الضَّائِعُ
Chapter One: The Lost Stranger
فِي أَعالِي جِبالِ الحَجَرِ، كانَ مَسْعُودٌ يَرْعَى مِعْزاهُ كَما فَعَلَ آباؤُهُ مُنْذُ أَجْيالٍ. ذاتَ مَساءٍ، وَجَدَ شابًّا مَجْرُوحًا بَيْنَ الصُّخُورِ، ثِيابُهُ مُمَزَّقَةٌ وَوَجْهُهُ شاحِبٌ.
High in the Hajar Mountains, Mas'ud herded his goats as his fathers had done for generations. One evening, he found a wounded young man among the rocks, his clothes torn and his face pale.
حَمَلَهُ إِلى كُوخِهِ وَعالَجَهُ. سَأَلَهُ: «مَنْ أَنْتَ يا غَرِيبُ؟»
He carried him to his hut and treated him. He asked: "Who are you, stranger?"
قالَ الشَّابُّ: «أَنا مُسافِرٌ ضَلَّ طَرِيقَهُ. اِسْمِي... سَعِيدٌ.»
The young man said: "I am a traveler who lost his way. My name is... Sa'id."
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الصَّداقَةُ الغَرِيبَةُ
Chapter Two: The Strange Friendship
أَقامَ سَعِيدٌ شَهْرًا عِنْدَ مَسْعُودٍ. تَعَلَّمَ كَيْفَ يَرْعَى المِعْزَى وَيَصْنَعُ الجُبْنَ وَيَعِيشُ بَيْنَ الصُّخُورِ.
Sa'id stayed a month with Mas'ud. He learned how to herd goats, make cheese, and live among the rocks.
قالَ: «هَذِهِ الحَياةُ أَجْمَلُ مِمَّا عَرَفْتُ. لا هُمُومَ وَلا مَكائِدَ.»
He said: "This life is more beautiful than what I have known. No worries and no intrigues."
ضَحِكَ مَسْعُودٌ: «الحَياةُ بَسِيطَةٌ إِذا بَسَّطْتَها يا صَدِيقِي.»
Mas'ud laughed: "Life is simple if you simplify it, my friend."
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الحَقِيقَةُ وَالمُكافَأَةُ
Chapter Three: The Truth and the Reward
ذاتَ يَوْمٍ، جاءَ فُرْسانٌ يَبْحَثُونَ عَنِ الأَمِيرِ سَعِيدِ بنِ السُّلْطانِ! فَهِمَ مَسْعُودٌ أَنَّ ضَيْفَهُ كانَ وَلِيَّ العَهْدِ.
One day, horsemen came searching for Prince Sa'id bin Al-Sultan! Mas'ud understood that his guest had been the crown prince.
قالَ الأَمِيرُ: «أَنْتَ أَنْقَذْتَ حَياتِي. اُطْلُبْ ما تُرِيدُ: ذَهَبًا، أَرْضًا، قَصْرًا!»
The prince said: "You saved my life. Ask for what you want: gold, land, a palace!"
هَزَّ مَسْعُودٌ رَأْسَهُ: «لا أُرِيدُ شَيْئًا سِوَى صَداقَتِكَ يا سَعِيدُ. فَالصَّداقَةُ الحَقِيقِيَّةُ أَثْمَنُ مِنْ كُلِّ الذَّهَبِ.»
Mas'ud shook his head: "I want nothing but your friendship, O Sa'id. For true friendship is more precious than all gold."
بَقِيَ الرَّجُلانِ صَدِيقَيْنِ طَوالَ حَياتِهِما، الأَمِيرُ وَالرَّاعِي، يَزُورُ أَحَدُهُما الآخَرَ كُلَّ عامٍ.
The two men remained friends throughout their lives, the prince and the shepherd, each visiting the other every year.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End