Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 2.djvu/89

69 us in the ship is a woman with child, and we fear lest she be delivered this night. Hast thou skill in the delivering of women?’ And she answered, ‘Yes.’ Now it was the last of the day; so he sent to her to come up into the ship and deliver the woman, for that the pangs of labour were come upon her; and he promised her clothes and spending-money. Accordingly, she embarked in all assurance, with a heart at ease for herself, and transported her gear to the ship; but no sooner was she come thither than the anchors were weighed and the canvas spread and the ship set sail.

When the king saw this, he cried out and his wife wept in the ship and offered to cast herself into the sea; but the Magian bade the sailors lay hands on her. So they seized her and it was but a little while ere the night darkened and the ship disappeared from the king’s eyes; whereupon he swooned away for excess of weeping and lamentation and passed his night bewailing his wife and children.

When the morning morrowed, he recited the following verses:

How long, O Fate, wilt thou oppress and baffle me? Tell me, was ever yet a mortal spared of thee? Behold, my loved ones all are ta’en from me away. They left me and content forthright forsook my heart, Upon that day my loves my presence did depart; My pleasant life for loss of friends is troubled aye. By Allah, I knew not their worth nor yet how dear A good it is to have one’s loved ones ever near, Until they left my heart on fire without allay.