Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/104

 And I came to the side of Alia, of her with the plaited tresses,

And I undid her bonds while all the world beheld us :

And they said, " He is aSheykh, a holy man of wonder/'

And I said to Alia, " See, in what plight do I find thee !

I have returned to thee who gavest me my asking.

And lo, the flames of fire beneath thy feet extinguished.

And my heart is sore for thee, and dazed my understanding :

Fearful am I for thee for sake of these thy kinsmen ;

For thee would I destroy them with the sword's edge for ever."

But when the people saw as all men saw my doings,

Then came they to my side and kissed they my five fingers,

And they said, " O holy Sheykh, do thou procure a blessing."

And I undid Alia's bonds while all the world beheld us.

Then quickly sent they forth to the Emir Agheyli Jaber,

And they said, " There hath come to us a holy man, a Wely,

Long bearded, untrimmed he, one rapt in contemplation,

He hath quenched the flames of fire and made an end of the burning,

Loosening Alia's bonds, her's of the many jewels."

And he told them, " Let him be, I have no mind to oppose him,

Being of the fakirs." And he the Sheykh came to me