Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/304

274 A damsel in the other company heard his words and hastened towards him. Her people followed her, but she repelled them with blows. Then the youth caught sight of her and ran towards her, whilst his people ran after him and laid hold of him. However, he struggled, till he freed himself from them, and she in like manner loosed herself; and they ran to each other and meeting between the two parties, embraced and fell down dead.

Thereupon there came out an old man from one of the tents and stood over them, weeping sore and exclaiming, “Verily, we are God’s and to Him we return!” Then, “May God the Most High have mercy on you both!” said he. “By Allah, though you were not united in your lives, I will at least unite you after death.” And he bade lay them out. So they washed them and shrouded them in one shroud and buried them in one grave, after they had prayed over them; nor were there men nor women in the two parties but I saw weeping over them and buffeting their faces. Then I questioned the old man of them, and he said, “She was my daughter and he my brother’s son; and love brought them to this pass.” “May God amend thee!” exclaimed I. “But why didst thou not marry them to one another?” Quoth he, “I feared reproach and dishonour; and now I am fallen upon both.” THE MAD LOVER.

(Quoth Aboulabbas el Muberred ), I set out one day with a company to El Berid on an occasion, and coming to the monastery of Heraclius, we alighted in its shade. Presently a man came out to us and said, “There are