salim. when he ate his mind would go his eyes would bulge he would get drunk he would become dazed his face would turn red he would become nervous he would not hear or see. when i saw what happened to him and what happened to the food i would not listen to him unless we were eating dates walnuts and broad beans. he would never surprise me while i was eating a date except that he would slurp it up sip it and add more. he would never find a treasure except that he would pick up a piece like a bulls skull then take it by the lap and pick it up from the ground. he would continue to gnaw at it lengthwise and widthwise up and down until he had finished it all. then he would only seize it in half or in thirds. he never separated a date from another. he was a camel owner and he was not satisfied with divisions. he never threw away a stone nor did he remove a funnel nor did he remove the shell from it nor did he search it for fear of weevils and worms. then i never saw him except as if he were a vengeful man a rascal a man of great wrath a lover in turmoil or a hungry thirsty man.
سليم. وكان إذا أكل، ذهب عقله، وجحظت عينه ١ ، وسكر، وسدر ٢ ، وانبهر ٣ ، وتربد وجهه ٤ ، وعصب ٥ ولم يسمع، ولم يبصر، فلما رأيت ما يعتريه وما يعتري الطعام منه، صرت لا آذان له إلا ونحن نأكل التمر والجوز والباقلي. ولم يفجأني قط وأنا آكل تمرا إلا استفه سفا، وحساه حسوا، وزدا به زدوا ٦ . ولا وجده كنيزا الا تناول القطعة كجمجمة الثور، ثم يأخذ بحضنيها، ويقلها من الأرض. ثم لا يزال ينهشها طولا وعرضا، ورفعا وخفضا، حتى يأتي عليها جميعا. ثم لا يقع غصبه إلا على الإنصاف والاثلاث. ولم يفصل تمرة قط من تمرة. وكان صاحب جمل، ولم يكن يرضى بالتفاريق. ولا رمى بنواة قط، ولا نزع قمعا، ولا نفى عنه قشرا، ولا فتشه مخافة السوس والدود. ثم ما رأيته قط، إلا وكأنه طالب ثأر، وشحشحان ٧ صاحب طائلة ٨ . وكأنه عاشق مغتلم ٩ ، أو جائع مقرور ١٠ .