Mo&cced;ilama said to him: `Speak, and may thy words be true.'

And the other one said: `Tomorrow morning erect outside the city a tent of coloured brocades, provided with silk furniture of all sorts. Fill the tent afterwards with a variety of different perfumes, amber, musk, and all sorts of scents, as rose, orange flowers, jonquils, jessamine, hyacinth, carnation and other plants. This done, have them placed there several gold censers filled with green aloes, ambergris, net and so on. Then fix the hangings so that nothing of these perfumes can escape out of the tent. Then, when you find the vapour strong enough to impregnate water, sit down on your throne, and send for the prophetess to come and see you in the tent, where she will be alone with you. When you are thus together there, and she inhales the perfumes, she will delight in the same, all her bones will be released in a soft repose, and finally she will be swooning. When you see her thus far gone, ask her to grant you her favours; she will not hesitate to accord them. Having once possessed her, you will be freed of the embarrassment caused to you by her and her goum.'

Mo&cced;ilama exclaimed: `You have spoken well. As God lives, your advice is good and well thought out.' And he had everything arranged accordingly.

When he saw that the perfumed vapour was dense enough to impregnate the water in the tent he sat down upon his throne and sent for the prophetess. On her arrival he gave orders to admit her into the tent; she entered and remained alone with him. He engaged her in conversation.

While Mo&cced;ilama spoke to her she lost all her presence of mind, and became embarrassed and confused.

When he saw her in that state he knew that she desired cohabitation, and he said: `Come, rise and let me have possession of you; this place has been prepared for that purpose. If you like you may lie on your back, or you can place yourself on an fours, or kneel as in prayer, with your brow touching the ground, and your crupper in the air, forming a tripod. Whichever position you prefer, speak, and you shall be satisfied.'

The prophetess answered, `I want it done in all ways. Let the revelation of God descend upon me, O Prophet of the Almighty.'

He at once precipitated himself upon her, and enjoyed her as he liked. She then said to him, `When I am gone from here, ask my goum to give me to you in marriage.'

When she had left the tent and met her disciples, they said to her, `What is the result of the conference, O prophetess of God?' and she replied, `Mo&cced;ilama has shown me what has been revealed to him, and I found it to be the truth, so obey him.'

Then Mo&cced;ilama asked her in marriage from the goum, which was accorded to him. When the goum asked about the marriage-dowry of his future wife, he told them, `I dispense you from saying the prayer aceur (which is said at three or four o'clock). Ever from that time the Beni-Temim do not pray at that hour; and when they are asked the reason, they answer, `It is on account of our prophetess; she only knows the way to the truth.' And, in fact, they recognized no other prophet.

On this subject a poet has said:

For us a female prophet has arisen;
Her laws we follow; for the rest of mankind
The prophets that appeared were always men.

The death of Mo&cced;ilama was foretold by the prophecy of Abou Beker (to whom God be good). He was, in fact, killed by Zeid ben Khettab. Other people say it was done by Ouhcha, one of his disciples. God only knows whether it was Ouhcha. He himself says on this point, `I have killed in my ignorance