Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/309



"I saw thee weep before the gates and 'plain, * Whilst only curious wight reply would deign: Hath eye bewitcht thee, or hath evil lot * 'Twixt thee and door of friend set bar of bane? Wake up this day, O wretch, persist in prayer, * Repent as wont repent departed men. Haply shall wash thy sins Forgiveness-showers; * And on thine erring head some ruth shall rain: And prisoner shall escape despite his bonds; * And slave from thraldom freedom shall attain."

And they ceased not to be in all solace and delight of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies. And a tale is told by Sídi Ibrahim bin Al-Khawwás [FN#489](on whom be the mercy of Allah!) concerning himself and

THE CHRISTIAN KING'S DAUGHTER AND THE MOSLEM.

"My spirit urged me, once upon a time, to go forth into the country of the Infidels; and I strove with it and struggled to put away from me this inclination; but it would not be rejected. So I fared forth and journeyed about the land of the Unbelievers and traversed it in all its parts; for divine grace enveloped me and heavenly protection encompassed me, so that I met not a single Nazarene but he turned away his eyes and drew off from me, till I came to a certain great city at whose gate I found a gathering of black slaves, clad in armour and bearing iron maces in their hands. When they saw me, they rose to their feet and asked me, 'Art thou a leach?'; and I answered, 'Yes.' Quoth they, 'Come speak to our King,' and carried me before their ruler, who was a handsome personage of majestic presence. When I stood before him, he looked at me and said, 'Art a physician, thou?' 'Yes,' quoth I; and quoth he to his officers, 'Carry him to her, and acquaint him with the condition