18  Muhammed took the man in his arms and hugged him, patting his back.  "It was not your fault," he assured, "just an accident.  All know you would do the child no harm.  You treated him like your own.  Go and rest."
19  The dear man calmed himself and said, "You must go to your wives.  Each, in a way, blames herself, which is not right.  Go and comfort them.  Forgive an old man his emotion."
20  "Always," Muhammed answered.   As he entered the tent, he found Northern Star standing inside.  "Why?"  Muhammed asked.
21  The Angel spread his wings and lifted his shoulders.  "Unto each is alloted," he answered, "only so much time. And even we, with our great Powers cannot add one moment to a man's destiny.  Once that time is gone, we cannot restore his Soul.
22  If a man's time is cut short, if he had more life to live, then, sometimes, we can restore him.  But once his hours are gone, even we can do nothing.
23  I am sorry, Muhammed.  Those were all the hours your son had.  If I could have restored him, I would.  But I could not."
24  "Then surely I understand," Muhammed answered, "for you would say no untruth to me, Son Of Haven."
25  And he went in to his eldest wife, and asked her what troubled her.  And she said, "I was jealous of the child, and wished him dead, so God took him from us.  My shame is great."
26  "Speak no more this nonsense!"  Muhammed told her, "you loved the child as greatly as any of us, and if you could, would have given your life for his.  God will not punish you for such a trivial thing! it was merely the child's time.  His hours were done.  He had given us untold joy, but now he had to be back in The Bosom Of God.  Grieve no more, woman!  Go and help prepare our son for burial."
27  Muhammed's wife rose.  "Yes, my husband!" she answered.
28  And Muhamed went to his second wife, and said, "Woman what troubles you?"
29  And she answered, "We did evil.  I was still wed to another and I bore your child.  And God has punished us.  Now, I worry for the next child that is in my belly, that God will punish it, also."
30  "God would never," Muhammed answered, punish the inocent, and we committed no wrong.  To you, because of his evil, the man was dead, but now it does not matter.  For I learned something from a captive this morning.  Two weeks ago your husband took a fever and died.  Woman, you are now a widow.  If there was a grievance between us, and God, it is now done! So do not be concerned with it any more.  It was merely the child's time.  He had given us all he could give, and it was simply time for him to go on.
31  Go, and help the others prepare our son for burial, and worry not at the life coming within you!"
32  Muhammed's wife rose, saluted him, cried, "Yes, my husband!" and quickly departed.
33  There was great sadness in the city as the child was laid to rest.  Muhammed thought nothing worse could happen.  He did not know a greater evil stalked them, and it was about to strike!