There were once many sheiks（阿拉伯的酋长）who wanted to marry Queen Maura, for she was one of the most beautiful and powerful queens of Arabia.

However, she did not like most of the sheiks, and soon there were only three left on her list of possible husbands.

These three sheiks were all equally young and handsome, rich and strong.

It was very hard for the Queen to choose the best one.

One evening, she disguised herself and went to where the three sheiks were having their evening meal.

She asked them to give her something to eat.

The first sheik gave her some stale（不新鲜的）food left over from the day before.

The second sheik gave her a tough piece of old camel's tail.

The third sheik, whose name was Hakim, gave her some of the most tender（嫩的）and tasty meat.

After the meal, Queen Maura left the sheiks' camp.

The next day, she invited the three sheiks to dinner at her palace.

She told her servants to give each sheik what he had given her the evening before.

Hakim, who received a plate of tender and tasty meat, would not eat it unless the other two sheiks could share it with him.

Queen Maura was now certain which of the sheiks she wanted to marry.

"Hakim is the most generous of you," she told them, "so I want to marry him and he will become king."