For he was a merciful man, who loved not slaughter, although his fierce faith drove him from war to war.
Salah-ed-din slept and dreamed of peace.

In his dream a maiden stood before him.

Presently, when she lifted her veil, he saw that she was beautiful, with features like his own, but fairer, and knew her surely for the daughter of his sister who had fled with the English knight.

Now he wondered why she visited him thus, and in his vision prayed Allah to make the matter clear.
Then of a sudden he saw this same woman standing before him on a Syrian plain, and on either side of her a countless host of Saracens and Franks, of whom thousands and tens of thousands were appointed to death.

Lo! he, Salah-ed-din, charged at the head of his squadrons, scimitar aloft, but she held up her hand and stayed him.
"What do you hear, my niece ?" he asked.
"I am come to save the lives of men through you," she answered; "therefore was I born of your blood, and therefore I am sent to you.