of Antioçh, Count Raymond of Tripoli, and Hugh the Brown of Lusignan, who had all been taken in chains to Aleppo. Curiously enough, Ibn el Athir, who was one of the distinguished chroniclers of the times, relates an anecdote of Saladin, quoted Zeki ed-din Ahmed ibn Mes-Oud, "professor of the art of reading the Koran," in which Saladin is alleged to have been present at the successful siege of Harem, prior to the Egyptian experience. According to him three young officers, of whom Saladin was one, were discussing the siege when one said : " I wish Nur ed-din would make me his lieutenant in Harem, when he has taken it." Thereupon Saladin spoke up : " I pray to God may his name be blessed and exalted — that if the Chehid [Master] conquers Egypt, he will make me commander in that country." Turning then to the third man, he added: "And you also must make a wish." To this the latter replied: "Monseigneur, when you will be master of Egypt, and Medj ed-din master of Harem, what will remain for me? " But Saladin and Medj ed-din persisting, this modest one finally admitted he had set his heart upon the city of Eimm, but that all this was mere waste of time, for " God alone will execute that which he has decided in his wisdom." Of course, all three received that which they had wished for. A pretty tale, whose veracity is open to question, it appeared in a history of Aleppo written by Kemal ed-din ibn al A'din, but is not mentioned by any of the other chroniclers.