It was time for Belle to sleep, but her stomach was hurting a little, so she sat in front of the balcony of the house where she lived. Suddenly she saw a cat running, followed by a number of boys. It was clear that they had harmed him. Fortunately, he found a small hole beneath the stairs of a somewhat old building. He ran toward it, not intending anything, and entered it. The boys tried to reach him, but he disappeared, and they couldn’t go down into that hole, so they all left laughing.

Belle called out in a soft voice: Come out, they’re gone. The cat did nothing but raise his head cautiously to see who was speaking to him. He saw a white cat full of fur with blue eyes like the sea, very beautiful. He looked at his thin body and those wounds that filled his body, and said to her: Thank you. It’s clear that you’re a foreigner?

Belle noticed that she was the one speaking to him, so she felt a bit embarrassed, as she was always used to hearing flirtatious words from those around her. But she answered: Yes. She said to him: I came with my friend Maryam. We’re walking around a little on a tourist visit to the town, and we’ll leave after a few days. He said to her: I’m Nabil, and it’s clear I don’t have a companion, but I’m from this town. I wish you and your friend Maryam beautiful days in our humble town, for two beautiful ones like you.

Belle answered him that she had enjoyed the visit very much, for she had visited some cinemas, parks, fine restaurants, and beautiful gardens. She liked all the details of the town, for it was beautiful indeed.

Nabil said to her: Yes, all this is available, but there are also dirty restaurants, bathrooms with bad smells, and dark, dry alleys with no food or water. In addition, there are some bad people who turn others’ lives into a permanent hell. Belle denounced this speech and said to him that she hadn’t seen this before.

Nabil said to her: O Belle, you are a spoiled cat and live in the company of a human who works for your comfort. So you enjoy air conditioning in the summer heat and feel the warmth of your own blanket in the harsh winter cold. Your friend doesn’t let you sleep without food, while this is not available for everyone. My advice is to stay with your friend and never go with strangers.

Belle was impressed by Nabil’s courage and told him she would follow his advice, and that she had only climbed onto the balcony to forget her stomach pain. Nabil felt anxious and asked her the reason. She told him she had eaten too much of the tuna Maryam had left for her, even though she had hidden the rest of the food from her. Nabil didn’t want to tell her that his stomach was hurting but from hunger.

So as not to appear like a beggar before her, he asked her about the meaning of her name. She said to him: It’s a French name meaning beautiful. My friend named me after the heroine of the story Beauty and the Beast, for she carried the name Belle. Nabil joked with her and said to her: Then I’m the beast in the story.

Nabil said to her, trying to change the subject: Look at the moon. It looks like a piece of cheese in a dish, and round like a loaf of bread, and shines like the oven in which food is prepared. Belle said to him, contemplating the moon: Indeed, it’s wonderful. Its whiteness resembles my white fur, and it’s round like my white ball that I play with.

Nabil felt sad about his condition as he listened to the description of the scene from both their points of view. Belle said to him: Take care not to let your friend leave you. Be well for my sake. If you need anything, you can call my name, and I’ll be at your service. He hurried off to turn off the lights of the room, and Belle entered from the balcony into the embrace of her friend who cares for her and provides her with all means of safety.