‘She wasn’t sure,’ said the Hoopoe. ‘She reasoned that the diamond had been in her family for generations, bringing good and not harm, so why should it be harmful now. She reasoned that a thing of beauty must not be destroyed. And she was right in the end. Tell me, do you have a diamond too, just like her, handed to you from birth? I think you do.’

‘Oh no! My family are too poor for diamonds or jewels.’

‘You value your faith too little, you take it for granted, the sacred words you were taught, the path you were born into.’

He was right. She did not think her faith was a diamond; she thought it was lines on her palms. She asked him, ‘Did Iman have a happy life in the new place she ran to?’

‘She felt safe and she felt happy. Especially at the beginning, when she first arrived. Like the camel in the story.’

‘What camel?’

‘A young camel who lost his way because he straggled behind. The trading caravan, a long line of heavily laden camels, including his mother and brothers, went off without him. You see, the day before, as they were resting and refreshing themselves in the oasis, he had gorged himself on wild berries. They will make you sick, his mother warned, and she was right. The following day he was too weak to carry the load he usually carried and so the owner of the caravan placed him at the very rear of the procession. On the road, the camel became violently sick. He vomited and collapsed and when he woke up, he discovered that he was all alone. The caravan and all that was familiar had moved on to the farthest horizon.

‘Off the road he went, groggy and dehydrated. Unless he found vegetation, he would surely die. He stumbled here and there and eventually found himself in a valley where there was a running stream and lush vegetation. It felt like a miracle. Soon he was refreshed and started to gain back some of his old strength. Now, this valley belonged to a lion, who ruled it with skill and generosity. The lion believed himself to be a fair and magnanimous king. This perception of himself was important to him. Out hunting one day, he chanced upon the camel. The camel was terrified by the sight of the carnivore, fell to his knees and started to plead for his life. ‘‘Your Majesty, I beseech you to spare me. I seek refuge in your land, please grant me safety and your permission to live here.’’ The lion was moved by the sight of the skinny mottled camel, by his fear and youth. ‘‘Camel,’’ said the lion. ‘‘You are my guest for as long as both of us shall live. My valley is your home. Eat and drink as much as you need. I will protect your life.’’