Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/168

148 beauty and symmetry, for she was even as saith the poet of her:

They ceased not to laugh and play, whilst Hassan stood watching them, forgetting meat and drink, till near the hour of afternoon-prayer, when the chief damsel said to her mates, ‘O kings’ daughters, it grows late and our country is distant and we have had enough of this place. Come, therefore, let us depart to our own place.’ So they put on their feather vests, and becoming birds as before, flew away all together, with the chief damsel in their midst. Then Hassan, despairing of their return, would have arisen and gone away, but could not move; wherefore the tears ran down his cheeks and passion was sore on him and he recited the following verses:

May I be denied the fulfilment o’ the troth that to me thou didst plight, If, since you departed and left me, I’ve tasted of slumber’s delight! Mine eyes, since the days of your parting, have never been shut in repose, Nor, since you forsook me, hath slumber been pleasant or sweet to my spright.