In the Prophet's assemblies poems also were recited, sometimes as many as a hundred verses. He himself did not compose poetry, except sometimes in a metre to which he was accustomed. Once, when in reciting a poem, he changed some expressions, and Abu Bekr corrected him, he said, 'I am not a poet.' In those assemblies they also told stories and kept wakes. Sometimes he told stories to his companions and his wives about what had happened in ancient times.

That prince made also fun and jests with his friends. Abd Allah Ibn Harith relates: 'I never saw a man who made more fun and jests than the Apostle of God; but his jests were always just and true.' When once his companions said to him, 'O Apostle of God, thou tellest us jokes and jests, which does not become thy position,' he replied, 'I say nothing but what is true;' and Aisha the faithful declared, 'The Prophet made many jests, and said that God does not punish just jokes made in fun.' Khawat Ibn Jabir narrates as follows: 'Being once on a journey with the Apostle of God, we alighted at a halting-place. After a while I went out of my tent, but, seeing a number of beautiful ladies standing there, and talking with each other, I went back to my tent, dressed myself, and then went towards those ladies, and sat down by them. All at once the Apostle of God came forth from his tent and, seeing me, said, 'O Abu Abd Allah, why sittest thou by them? 'I, fearing the Prophet, answered, 'O Apostle of God, I have an intoxicated bad camel, and am come to these that they may twist a rope for me to tie it with.' The Prophet passed on a little, but came back again saying, 'O Abu Abd Allah, what did that intoxicated camel do?' After we had left that halting-place, the Prophet, whenever he saw me, would, after saluting, ask me again, 'What did that intoxicated camel do?' So when we had returned to Medina, I absented myself from the mosque, fearing that his Excellency might put me to shame by asking me that question there. Then I waited my opportunity to meet the Prophet alone in the mosque; and as I went there and said my prayer, that prince came out of his private chamber and performed a short prayer of two genuflexions, and then sat down near me. I

lengthened my prayers, hoping that Excellency, having finished before me, would return to his chamber, without saying that word to me again. But on his observing this, that Excellency said, 'O Abu Abd Allah, make thy prayer as long as thou wilt, but I shall not go away till thou hast finished.' I thought with myself I now must find an excuse to appease that Excellency. So I finished and saluted him; and when he returned my salutation, and asked again, 'What did that intoxicated camel do?' I answered, 'O Apostle of God, by that God who has made thee a cause of prosperity, that camel has given up its habit of intoxication since I have become a Mussulman.' Upon this that Excellency said three times, 'God has had mercy on thee;' and thenceforth ceased asking me that question.

That Excellency used to laugh when they made jokes in their assemblies. It is recorded that, one day, Dhahak Ibn Sofyan, who was exceedingly plain, made a contract with the Prophet; and, as at that time the verse enjoining the veiling of women had not yet been sent down (from heaven), Aisha was sitting by his Excellency's side. Dhahak said, 'O Apostle of God, I have two ladies, both of whom are more beautiful than this fair one, i.e. Aisha: I will divorce one of them that thy Excellency may marry her.' Aisha, on hearing this word, said at once, 'Who is more beautiful, the lady or thyself?' Dhahak replied, 'Of course I am the more beautiful of the two.' His Excellency laughed heartily at this question of Aisha's.

There was one of the assistants, named Naamiyan, who was much addicted to jokes and to drinking, and therefore was frequently brought before the Prophet to be beaten with his blessed sandals for his intoxication. But as he did not mend, one of the Prophet's companions said to him, 'May God curse thee!' Hearing this, that prince said, 'Do not say so: for he takes God and His Apostle for his friend.' This happened during the Khaibar expedition. Then as often as caravans brought beautiful things to Medina, this Naamiyan would buy them on credit, and take them to the Prophet, saying, 'O Apostle of God, I have brought thee this for a present.' On payment being demanded of him, he took the creditor to the Prophet, saying, 'O Apostle of God, give the